Marseille

About

Marseille is a city in southern France, the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the Provence region, it is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near the mouth of the Rhône river. Marseille is the second-most populous city proper in France, after Paris, with 886,040 inhabitants in 2023 over a municipal territory of 241 km2 (93 sq mi). Together with its suburbs and exurbs, the Marseille metropolitan area, which extends over 3,972 km2 (1,534 sq mi), had a population of 1,900,957 at the January 2022 census. The cities of Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and 90 suburban municipalities have formed since 2016 the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, an indirectly elected metropolitan authority now in charge of wider metropo

Summary excerpted from the Wikipedia article Marseille, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be clipped or paraphrased to fit this page.

Why visit

Visit Marseille for archaeology and older urban layers, markets, streets, food, and public squares, landscape, water, gardens, and nearby routes. For Marseille, the useful material is practical and visible: museums, streets, religious buildings, markets, performance spaces, food, and nearby landscapes. A good itinerary should stay selective. In Marseille, start with one strong anchor, then add a nearby walk, cafe, market, church, museum, bookshop, or evening event where the city supports it. For Marseille, this usually reveals more than adding one more distant sight. If Marseille has useful day trips or nearby landscape, use them to widen the context rather than to overload the schedule.

When to avoid

Visiting Marseille during the peak summer months of July and August can be challenging due to the high number of visitors and soaring temperatures. The city experiences crowded beaches, long queues at popular major sights, and limited availability of accommodations during this time. Additionally, prices for flights and hotels tend to be at their highest, making it less budget-friendly for travelers. It is advisable to plan your trip during the shoulder seasons of spring or fall to avoid the crowds and enjoy more comfortable weather conditions in Marseille.

The next week in Marseille

7-day forecast from Open-Meteo. UV badges flag days when sun protection matters (3 and above is moderate; 8 and above is risk territory for unprotected fair skin within 30 minutes).

Year-round climate

Monthly highs, lows, and rainfall (long-term averages, NASA POWER).

Airports near Marseille

4 commercial airports within 100 km. Closest is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) at 20 km.

Getting around Marseille

Public-transit operators within 8 km of the city center. Click through to each operator’s site for routes, fares, and tickets.