Marseille is France’s second city and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe, founded as a Greek trading colony around 600 BC. It has a reputation as rough and challenging that is at least partly undeserved: the city around the Vieux-Port, the MuCEM, and the hilltop basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde is visually dramatic and culturally rich, and the Calanques, the series of steep limestone inlets running east from the city toward Cassis, are among the most beautiful coastal landscapes in the Mediterranean.
Château d’If, the fortress island made famous by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo, sits in the bay around 20 minutes by ferry from the Vieux-Port. The island itself is small, the fortress is well preserved, and the views back to Marseille and the Calanques are excellent. It is the most popular short excursion from the port and can be combined with a morning at the Vieux-Port without difficulty.
The city’s fish market, which runs along the Quai des Belges at the Vieux-Port every morning, sells the catch directly from the boats and is one of the most authentic market scenes in any French Mediterranean port. Bouillabaisse, Marseille’s famous saffron-and-fish stew, is available at several restaurants around the harbour: the genuine article (as opposed to tourist approximations) is worth seeking out.
Port of Marseille: Where Ships Dock
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Port Type | Dock |
| Distance to Town | 25 min walk or short shuttle to Vieux-Port |
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Language | French (English spoken in tourist areas) |
| Best Known For | The Vieux-Port, the dramatic Calanques limestone inlets, Château d'If (the fortress of The Count of Monte Cristo), and bouillabaisse: the city's celebrated fish stew. |
- Cruise Terminal , La Joliette, north of the Vieux-Port
- Vieux-Port , Historic harbour and fish market
- MuCEM , Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations
- Notre-Dame de la Garde , Basilica on the hill above the city
- Château d'If , Island fortress, 30 min ferry from Vieux-Port
Marseille: Terminal Croisières de Marseille · View larger map
Getting From the Port to Town
Walking: The Best Option
Free- Walk time: 25 min walk from terminal to Vieux-Port
- The cruise terminal at La Joliette is north of the Vieux-Port and connected to the city by the Boulevard du Littoral. It is a 25-minute walk along the coast road, passing the MuCEM and the Fort Saint-Jean at the harbour mouth. Many ships operate a paid shuttle to the Vieux-Port. The walk is flat and straightforward in good weather.
Local Bus
€1.70 per journey (tram and metro included)- Marseille has a good metro and tram network. Tram line T2 stops at La Joliette (near the cruise terminal) and connects to the city centre. The Vieux-Port metro station (Line 1) is a short tram ride from the terminal. The integrated ticket covers tram, metro, and bus. A day pass costs around €5.50.
Taxi
€10 to €15 to Vieux-Port; €40 to €60 to Aix-en-Provence; €30 to €40 to Cassis- Taxis are available at the terminal. For day trips to Aix-en-Provence or Cassis, a taxi is practical but expensive for solo travellers: shared excursion coaches are much better value. For Château d'If, the ferry from Vieux-Port is the only option.
Top Excursions
Sailing cruise Chateau d'if and calanques du Frioul
Board La Flâneuse, a traditional tartan (old local rigging), for sailing. Accompanied by your experienced captains, discover Marseille from the sea. Let yourself be carried away by sailing to the jewels of Marseille and the Friuli Islands (Calanques National Park).nnYou will sail around the Castle o
Book This ExcursionFull-Day Snorkeling and Guided Dive in the Calanques National Park from Marseille
A fun-filled 6 to 8 hours of snorkeling and diving in Marseille National Park. Includes discovery dive, first dive or guided dive for certified diver in big inflatable boat.
Book This ExcursionMarseille Excursion Designed Especially for Cruise Passengers
Are you a cruise traveler docking in Marseille, eager to soak up the city’s rich history and irresistible charm? If this is your first visit to this iconic French port, we warmly invite you on an unforgettable full-day shore excursion guaranteed to delight and inspire.nnDiscover Marseille’s most ren
Book This ExcursionMarseille | Signature Day with Meals | Calanques
Live the full day catamaran experience in the heart of the Calanque National Park, one of the most beautiful natural sites in the Mediterranean. From the Old Port of Marseille, you sail along spectacular cliffs, iconic coves and wild islands. The day is punctuated by two anchorages in exceptional si
Book This ExcursionMore Experiences in Marseille
Marseille | Brunch at Sea | Calanques de Marseille
Sea, Brunch & SunnLive the experience of a unique brunch at sea in the heart of the Calanques National Park, aboard our maxi-catamaran Samba. From the Old Port of Marseille, you sail between iconic cliffs, wild islands and crystal clear waters. The catamaran anchors in an exceptional natural site: a
Full Day Marseille Shore Excursion from the Cruise Port
Are you a cruise traveler docking in Marseille, eager to immerse yourself in the city’s rich history and captivating charm? If this is your first visit, we warmly invite you on an unforgettable full-day shore excursion that will both dazzle and enchant you.nnDiscover Marseille’s most iconic sights—f
Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion: Luberon Villages Tour
During this shore excursion from Marseille seaport, you will discover some of the most beautiful Provence villages of Luberon: such as Lourmarin, Bonnieux, Roussillon and Gordes.
Marseille E-Bike Shore Excursion to Calanques National Parc
Specially designed for cruise passengers, in this full day tour, you will see the best of Marseille coast: the Pharo Palace, the Vallon des Auffes, the corniche Kennedy, the Prado Beaches, the Goudes Village, the calanque of Callelongue (little French fjords), Notre Dame de la Garde basilica among o
The best excursions in Marseille fill up ahead of peak sailings. Compare options and book before you leave port.
Things to Do in Marseille
Marseille is best approached without assumptions. The city’s rough reputation has softened considerably since its 2013 European Capital of Culture designation, and the area around the Vieux-Port, MuCEM, and the Panier neighbourhood (the old Greek and Roman city above the harbour) is safe, interesting, and rewarding to walk. Notre-Dame de la Garde, the gold-topped basilica visible from anywhere in the city, is a 45-minute uphill walk from the Vieux-Port or reachable by tourist train.
The key decision on a Marseille port day is whether to go to Château d’If (taking 2 to 3 hours including the ferry) or the Calanques (by boat excursion, 2 hours), or to spend the day in the city itself. The Vieux-Port, MuCEM, Le Panier, and Notre-Dame de la Garde combine into a full day on their own.
- Vieux-Port and Fish Market. The Vieux-Port, Marseille’s ancient harbour, is the natural centre of the port day. The morning fish market at the Quai des Belges is one of the most genuine in France, with fishermen selling the morning catch directly from their boats. The surrounding quays have cafes and restaurants, and the MuCEM is a 10-minute walk along the waterfront.
- Château d’If. The island fortress in the bay, made famous by The Count of Monte Cristo, is a 30-minute ferry ride from the Vieux-Port. The real castle served as a state prison from the 16th to 19th centuries and the cells of fictional prisoners Edmond Dantès and Abbé Faria are marked for visitors. The views back to Marseille from the ramparts are exceptional.
- MuCEM. The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations occupies a striking latticed concrete cube at the mouth of the Vieux-Port, connected to the 17th-century Fort Saint-Jean by a suspended walkway. The rooftop terrace and the fort gardens are free to enter. The permanent exhibition on Mediterranean history is well presented and takes about 90 minutes.
- Notre-Dame de la Garde. The neo-Byzantine basilica on Marseille’s highest hill (154 metres) is the city’s most visible landmark and offers panoramic views in every direction. The interior is covered in votive offerings from sailors, model ships, paintings, and plaques, giving it a distinctive, moving character. Reachable on foot (45 min uphill from the Vieux-Port) or by tourist road train.
- Le Panier. The oldest neighbourhood in Marseille, occupying the hill above the north side of the Vieux-Port. Narrow streets of pastel-painted houses, independent shops, and street art, with the Vieille Charité, a beautiful 17th-century almshouse now used as an exhibition space, at its centre. A 20-minute walk from the harbour and easy to spend an hour in.
The ferry to Château d’If departs from the Quai des Belges at the eastern end of the Vieux-Port, roughly 25 minutes from the cruise terminal on foot or 10 minutes by tram. Services run approximately every 45 to 60 minutes in season and the return ticket costs around €12. The island closes in winter and early spring; check operating dates if your sailing is outside the May to October window.
Best Restaurants in Marseille
Ratings from TripAdvisor, verified May 2026.
Restaurant Peron
A locally-rated french, mediterranean, healthy restaurant in the area, popular with both locals and visitors.
#51 of 3,359 Places to Eat in Marseille
View on TripAdvisorRestaurant L'Inattendu
100% Homemade food made by the Chef with fresh products
#52 of 3,359 Places to Eat in Marseille
View on TripAdvisorRestaurant Michel
A locally-rated french, mediterranean, healthy restaurant in the area, popular with both locals and visitors.
#90 of 3,359 Places to Eat in Marseille
View on TripAdvisorRatings & reviews powered by TripAdvisor
Getting Around
The Calanques: a UNESCO-protected national park of sheer white limestone cliffs dropping into turquoise water: run for about 20 km east of the city toward Cassis. The most accessible way to see them on a port day is by boat excursion from the Vieux-Port, which runs 90-minute to 2-hour circuits into the main inlets. Independent hiking into the Calanques requires a very early start and is better suited to non-port days.
Essential Travel Tips
Aix-en-Provence: the graceful university city of tree-lined cours and Cézanne connections: is a highly worthwhile half-day from Marseille. Regular trains run from Marseille Saint-Charles station (15 min walk from the Vieux-Port) and the journey takes 30 minutes. The old town, the Cours Mirabeau, and the Saturday market on the Place de la Madeleine make for a very pleasant few hours.
The Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée (MuCEM) sits at the mouth of the Vieux-Port in a dramatic latticed concrete building connected to the old Fort Saint-Jean by a walkway. The permanent collection covers Mediterranean cultures from prehistory to the present and is genuinely interesting: the building and its rooftop terrace are worth visiting even if you skip the exhibitions.
Plan around all-aboard rather than the headline sight, especially in Marseille where the journey back to the ship is part of the calculation. A short packing list works in your favour: layers, water, sun protection and shoes that handle the local pavements.
The mistake first-time cruisers make is paying for a shore excursion in a port that is walkable, or going independent on a day where the headline sight is ninety minutes away. Marseille sits in a category where the calculation matters more than the sticker price.
On the question of whether excursions are worth the premium in Marseille, the price is only half the calculation. Time is the other half, and your onboard spending money tends to stretch further when you control the pace yourself.
Repeat visitors to Marseille often time their next cruise around shoulder season; the difference in crowd density and cabin pricing is significant. Visa and passport rules rarely catch UK passengers out here, but the right cabin choice can make the rest of the cruise more comfortable than any single port day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Terminal Croisières at La Joliette is about 1.5 km north of the Vieux-Port: a 25-minute walk along the coast road or a 10-minute ride on tram line T2 (La Joliette stop to Vieux-Port stop). Some cruise ships offer a paid shuttle service to the Vieux-Port; check with the ship.
The Vieux-Port area, MuCEM, Le Panier, and the main tourist zones are safe and well-visited. As with any large city, standard precautions apply: keep bags closed and in front of you, be aware of your surroundings in crowded areas, and avoid the northern suburbs, which are residential areas not on any tourist route. The port day areas are fine.
Yes. Trains from Marseille Saint-Charles run every 30 minutes and the journey takes about 30 minutes. The station is 15 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by metro from the Vieux-Port. Allow 4 to 5 hours for a comfortable visit to Aix, leaving time to return and reboard. Cassis is also reachable by train (25 min) and makes a good alternative: a quiet fishing village on the edge of the Calanques.
Ferries to Château d’If depart from the Quai des Belges at the eastern end of the Vieux-Port. Services run approximately every 45 minutes in season and the return ticket costs around €12. The crossing takes 30 minutes each way. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the ferry and a visit to the fortress. The island is closed October to March in most years.
Bouillabaisse is Marseille’s signature fish stew, made with several types of local rockfish, saffron, and served with rouille (a garlic and saffron mayonnaise) on toast. The genuine article is expensive (around €50 to €80 per person at serious restaurants) because it uses a specific selection of fish. Chez Fonfon in the Vallon des Auffes cove and Miramar on the Vieux-Port are among the most respected. Less formal versions exist at lower prices around the harbour.
Most cruise lines from Marseille do not offer a free shuttle: the terminal’s proximity to the tram network makes it less common than at more isolated terminals. Check with your specific cruise line before arrival. Tram line T2 from La Joliette to the Vieux-Port is straightforward and costs €1.70.
Cruise ships dock at the MPCT terminal in the Joliette/Mourepiane area, around 4 km north of the Vieux-Port. A paid cruise-line shuttle covers the distance in 15 minutes; metro line 2 from Joliette reaches Vieux-Port in around 5 minutes for €1.80.
Marseille
Marseille makes more sense the longer you spend there. The port-day challenge is resisting the impulse to leave immediately for Aix or the Calanques and instead giving the city itself some time: the fish market at dawn, the MuCEM at mid-morning, Le Panier before lunch, and the Vieux-Port in the afternoon is a day that rewards patience. Château d’If is for those who want the open water and the view back to the city: it is one of the most evocative island excursions in the Mediterranean.
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- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
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Typical Sources
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