Marseille - Buses and buses - Transport - Attractions and sights

Marsille is the second largest city in France. 

Marsille - Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing. What to see? 

Situated in the heart of Provence, adjacent to the Côte d'Azur, it is an attractive tourist destination. In addition, its proximity to the Alps and the warm Mediterranean Sea attract visitors all year round.

Marsille is very diverse and multicultural. It has been a port city for centuries, helped by its location on the Mediterranean Sea and the geography of the area. Today, the commercial port area has been moved to a new port, Marseille-Fos Port, while the old port and surrounding area has been given back to the locals and is a top tourist destination. 

Marseille's beautiful scenery includes charming neighborhoods, the Old Port area, interesting monuments and modern museums, and dozens of fantastic gardens. The city has several sandy beaches, perfect for sunbathing and swimming. 

What to see while in Marseille? There are enough attractions for at least a few days. It is worth starting from the Old Port. This is where the history of this city began, and around it are concentrated the most important points on the tourist map. The Old Port itself (Vieux Port) closes in the arms of the two fortifications of St. John and St. Nicholas. Both were built in the 17th century on the site of an earlier fortress to defend the inhabitants of Marseille from danger. Today's port is an entertainment area, full of bars, cafes and restaurants. 

From the Old Port, ferries run to the small If Island of the Frioul archipelago, located a few kilometers off the coast of Marseille. In the 16th century, a castle was built on it, which was intended to defend access to Marseille. Eventually, however, it was transformed into a harsh prison for dangerous criminals. Today crowds of Dumas fans come to the island in search of traces left by the hero of his novel, the Count of Monte Christo. There they find his cell and the hole through which he supposedly escaped from prison. 

The Cathedral of La Mayor is another thing not to be missed. It symbolically separates the old and new parts of Marseille. The temple is relatively young, having been built between 1852 and 1893. With its horizontal stripes, it resembles the cathedral of Genoa or the temples of Tuscany. Inside, it is decorated in Neo-Byzantine style. 

The Old Town (Le Panier)

North of the old port stretches the oldest part of the city - Le Panier. It was here that the Greek agora and the Roman forum were located on one of the hills. The upper part of the old town is a maze of narrow streets (filled with pubs and murals) and colorful facades. The lower part by the port is no longer too different from the rest of the city.

One of the most distinctive symbols of Marseille is the towering Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde. This temple, built in Neo-Byzantine style with a huge statue of Our Lady and Child on the bell tower, is visited by over a million tourists and pilgrims each year. The basilica itself consists of two levels - lower and upper. The lower level (crypt) was hollowed out of the rock, while the upper level is filled with golden mosaics and decorations. There is also a museum on the grounds of the basilica. 

One of the most prominent buildings in all of Marseille is the Palais Longchamp. The palace was built on a hill, and the two palace wings are separated by a colonnade and an impressive fountain in the middle. 

The complex was only built in 1869 to commemorate the completion of the city's sewer system. Today, both wings house museums - the Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille) and the Museum of Natural History (Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Marseille). 

The real treat for soccer fans and architecture enthusiasts is undoubtedly the Velodrome Stadium. From a bird's eye view, the facility looks like a fragile structure with a wavy roof. In fact, it's a massive concrete structure that can accommodate up to 67,000 spectators. It's worth getting to know the ins and outs of this place on a guided tour. 

There are plenty of interesting sites and attractions in Marseille. Worth seeing is certainly the Arc de Triomphe Porte d'Aix erected in part of Napoleon's victories. The arch also served as the gateway to the city from Aix-en-Provence. The structure's design and appearance were modeled after its Roman counterparts. Literally a piece west of the arch you will find a fragment of the remains of the medieval fortification of the city. 

Marsille - buses and minibuses. Transport from and to Marseille

Sindbad coaches stop, from which buses  to Poland depart, is located at the station Gare des Autocars de Marseille, status 1 or 2. 

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