Here are some Marseille budget travel suggestions when traveling to Marseille area:

Lodging

Traveling to Marseille on a budget can be tricky. The best money saving tip is to sleep in a youth hostel. Auberge de Jeunesse Marseille is perfect for this purpose. The hostel offers simple studios available for double occupancy for approximately 230,00 € per week. These studios are fully equipped with basic kitchen appliances and utensils and you can get WI-FI for a minimal additional charge. If you prefer an authentic Marseille experience, you can hang around the train station when you first arrive. Many locals visit the train station daily to offer rooms in their home to foreign travelers. The prices are usually reasonable and some will even offer dinner or breakfast. There are several attractions in Marseille:

Chateau d'If

Le Chateau d'If, a former prison, is a very impressive sight. It is located on an island approximately 1 mile offshore in the Mediterranean sea. This prison was the setting for Alexandre Dumas' novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Calanques Massif

If you like hiking, stop by the market for a baguette, some cheese and a bottle of wine and head to the Calanques Massif . There you will have 20 km of trails through creeks and inlets and find nesting grounds of several rare birds, such as Bonelli eagles, great horned owls and peregrine falcons. Access to the Canlanques is regulated in spring and summer to prohibit car traffic. Several bus lines offer stops within walking distance of the Massif. You can also walk around the Old Port and discover the history of this amazing commercial port.

Beaches

If you prefer catching some rays and swimming in the amazingly warm and clear Mediterranean sea, there are several beaches dotted along the coastline. The Prado seaside park, Bonneveine Cove, Vieille Chapelle, Borely Beach and Huveaune Beach offers all public beaches.

Snorkeling

If you would like to discover the underwater world, you can get together with other enthusiasts and go explore the inlets and sea bed in the Riou archipelago with a snorkel, mask and flippers.

Architecture and history

For architecture and history lovers, Marseille offers a wealth of monuments and places of interest. You can find remnants of the original Greek and Roman buildings, as well as the 16th century fortifications and homes from the 17th and 18th century. Many churches and cathedrals offer free visitation, such as the Old Major Cathedral was built in the 12th century, the New Major Cathedral, built in the 19th, and the Saint-Laurent Church, built in the 17th century.