Marseille Sightseeing: Hilltop to Harbour
Marseille Sightseeing: Hilltop to Harbour
Start at the top. A gilded Virgin stands on a 154-metre hill above Marseille, and the best way to understand the city is to look down on it before walking through it.
Notre-Dame de la Garde
The basilica, called La Bonne Mère by locals, was built between 1853 and 1864 in Romano-Byzantine style. Inside, striped red and white arches, mosaics and rows of sailors’ ex-voto offerings fill the nave. The terrace gives a view over the Vieux-Port, the Frioul islands and the Calanques. Entry is free, and the basilica opens daily from 07:00 and closes at 18:15 from October to March or 19:15 from April to September. The ride up is on RTM bus 60 or the Petit Train, which costs roughly €8 to €11 for adults. Walkers should expect a steep 25 minutes.
Fort Saint-Jean and the MuCEM footbridge
Louis XIV built the fort in 1668 with some guns aimed at the city as much as at the sea. Today the ramparts, the Tour du Roi René, the garden and the 115-metre footbridge to the J4 terrace are free to enter. Only the MuCEM exhibitions are ticketed, at €11 or €7.50 reduced, with galleries closed on Tuesdays. See mucem.org for current shows.
Château d’If
The island fortress in the Frioul archipelago, made famous by The Count of Monte Cristo, takes two separate payments. The RTM ferry from the Quai de la Fraternité costs €17.70 return for visitors, or €26 if you add the Frioul islands. The fortress itself costs €7, and EU residents under 26 enter free. Together that is about €25 per adult. It opens daily from April to September and closes on Mondays from October to March, and sailings depend on wind and sea. Confirm times on chateau-if.fr and rtm.fr .
Cathédrale de la Major
The striped Romanesque-Byzantine cathedral between Le Panier and the Joliette docks dates from 1852 to 1893 and holds 3,000 people. Entry is free. The small remnant of the older twelfth-century Vieille Major stands beside it.
Vallon des Auffes
Just below the Corniche viaduct, this tiny fishing harbour has painted skiffs, old fishermen’s huts and seafood restaurants. It costs nothing to wander, and it is one of the most photographed corners of the city. Bus 83 serves it.
A sensible order
Take the Petit Train or bus up to the basilica first. Come down to the Vieux-Port for the fort and footbridge, and give the Château d’If a half-day on its own. For a ticket that bundles transport and entries, see the Marseille City Pass details on the tourist office site, or compare Marseille guided city tours on Viator .
Staying safe
Pickpockets work Saint-Charles station, the Vieux-Port quays and the metro. Keep a hand on your bag and phone, particularly where crowds pack around the Ombrière.
For more ideas see the attraction tours page and the 4-day Marseille itinerary .
Tip: buy your ferry ticket first thing, since the Château d’If crossing is the one sight where wind can change your plan.