The following Marseille travel guide provides tourists with important information about this French city. Situated on France’s south east coast, Marseille is the oldest city in France and is the third largest metropolitan area. Regardless of this, Marseille retains a more traditional appearance with its coastal corniches, narrow streets and ancient architecture. There are numerous coves, rocky inlets, beautiful sun kissed beaches and bountiful restaurants which offers tourists a relaxing and interesting getaway.

History

Marseille has quite a complex history which began in 600 B.C when the city was first founded by Phoceans. But over the years, the city played home to Italians, Greeks, Russians, Spanish, Armenians and North Africans. It was during the 1480s that the city became a part of France , but it was quite rebellious at the time. The people of Marseille embraced the Revolution and in 1792 sent about 500 volunteers to defend Paris . As they headed north, they sang an inspiring march which was dubbed La Marseillaise and is now the national anthem of France . Since the 1830, the city has played a central role in trade. Today it is one of the most important and largest ports in Europe .

Culture

Marseille displays its different cultures through its art galleries, cinemas, maritime and historical museum and its opera house. All these make the city a regional center for entertainment and culture. Marseille has also played an important role in arts and literature with French poets and writers like Edmond Rostand, Pierre Bertas, Victor Gelu and Andre Roussin all coming from this city. A favorite haunt for many French artists is l’Estaque, which is a small beautiful port towards the end of the Bay of Marseille . Most of these cultural and historical sights can be found in Central Marseille.

Tourist Interests

Tourists may not fall in love with Marseille instantly, but the city does grow on you. It’s ideal for tourists who are not afraid of discovering a different kind of destination. There are a number of sights that tourists should visit when they are in Marseille. These include the Notre Dame de la Garde, la Palace Castellane, Musee des Docks Romains, Stade Velodrome, Parc Borely etcetera. There are also a few beautiful beaches like Plage des Catalans that tourists can visit if they want to sunbath and relax. One can get a wonderful experience of Marseille’s North African and southern European blend by visiting the colorful street markets. For a more exciting way to discover the beauty of the city, tourists can explore the Calanques where picturesque cliffs look like they’re falling into the sea.