France's oldest city, with a lively Old Port, hilltop basilica views, and the turquoise coves of the Calanques nearby.
Marseille is France's oldest city, founded by Greek sailors around 600 BC, and still one of the busiest ports on the Mediterranean. Cruise ships dock at the large commercial port north of the center, and shuttles usually run to the Vieux-Port, the historic Old Port.
The day can be as urban or as outdoorsy as you like, with markets and museums in town and limestone cliffs and coves just down the coast. It suits travelers who like to wander, eat well, and maybe add a trip into Provence.
Average daily high and low in °F, from the nearest weather station with long records: Marseille Provence Airport, Marignane (about 15 miles away). Source: Meteostat station records, 1991–2020.
Here are my favorite ways to spend a cruise day in Marseille. Each one opens on Viator, where you can check the times, reviews and price before you book.
Take the wheel of a soft-top 4x4 and follow the coastal Route des Crêtes to the fishing village of Cassis and the limestone cliffs of the Calanques, stopping wherever the views call for it.
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Paddle with a guide along the white limestone cliffs of the Calanques, slipping into hidden coves and stopping to swim in clear Mediterranean water.
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See Marseille's Old Port and Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica, then head inland to stroll the fountains, markets and café-lined boulevards of Aix-en-Provence before returning to the ship.
View detailsNo sailings to Marseille in the catalog right now. Ask me for a quote and I'll find one for you.
My favorites: climb or ride up to Notre-Dame de la Garde for the best view over the city and sea; stroll the Vieux-Port and watch the morning fish market on the quay; wander the narrow, colorful streets of Le Panier, the oldest neighborhood; visit the MuCEM museum and walk the footbridge to Fort Saint-Jean; take a boat out to the Château d'If, the island fortress from The Count of Monte Cristo.
Euro; credit cards are widely accepted.
The cruise terminals are a few miles from the Old Port, so most people take the shuttle, a taxi, or public transit into the center and walk from there.
Search sailings that stop in Marseille on our site, or ask me for a quote. I book it for you with no fees, and I watch for price drops after you book.
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