Marseille in 2 days – Walking itineraries and self-guided tours

On vacation in the South of France or weekend, you are looking for good advice for visiting Marseille in 2 days.

Below I give you ideas for visits, walking itineraries with tourist circuits to discover the most beautiful places in Marseille.

In fact, I am sharing with you two free Google Maps of walking routes to visit Marseille in 2 days. And what's more, I'll detail my program with all the visits not to be missed.

How to plan visits to do in 2 days?

Before setting off to explore Marseille, it is important to plan your visits to optimize your time.

Here are some tips to help you organize your two days:

• Day 1: Discovery of the Old Port, the historic district and the emblematic sites of Marseille
• Day 2: Visit the coves in the morning and the museums in the afternoon

Itinerary for your first day in Marseille

For your first day in Marseille, I advise you to take a first walking tour which allows you to discover the essential sites of Marseille (see details of the visits in my article Marseille in 1 day).

Here is the program of the route which is done on foot in old Marseille:

• Morning visits :
  • The Port Terraces
  • La Major Cathedral
  • MuCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations)
  • Saint Laurent Church
  • Fort Saint Jean
• Afternoon tours :
  • The Old Port district of Marseille
  • Place aux oils
  • The garden of the Puget hill
  • The Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde

Map of the itinerary for your first day in Marseille

Using this Google Maps itinerary, you will follow my tour of the most tourist sites in Marseille on foot:

Itinerary for your second day in Marseille

Here is the program of visits that you will make on the 2nd day following my walking tour:

• Morning : For this second day in Marseille, I suggest you discover in the morning the beautiful landscapes offered by the famous Calanques of Marseille.
• Afternoon : Digestive walk on the Canebière (30 minutes walk). Then, why not a little culture in a sumptuous setting? The Longchamp Palace allows you to discover a little gem of architecture and greenery in the heart of Marseille and to enrich your knowledge thanks to its 2 museums: the Marseille Natural History Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Another option for the afternoon: Visit of the city of Marseille by tourist bus !

Map of the itinerary for your second day in Marseille

Tourist visits for this second day

Cassis and the Calanques of Marseille

To take a short cruise along the Calanques of Marseille and Cassis, daily departures are booked directly from the old port.

This excursion begins with a journey along cliffs plunging into the sea on the superb crest route. The view from the top of Cap Canaille, the highest maritime cliff in France, is breathtaking. Then you will visit Cassis. You can admire the sailboats moored in the marina and stroll along the shaded streets. Then the excursion offers a 45-minute sea trip (tickets extra) to discover the superb coves, pretty little coves with limestone cliffs which shelter small fishing ports and beautiful golden beaches.

But you can also visit the creeks on foot (see How to visit the creeks of Marseille) or take a beautiful hike with a guide (30 € per excursion):

La Canebiere

La Canebière for Marseille is like the Champs Elysées for Paris : an unmissable avenue for all Marseille residents and all tourists. They go there to do a little shopping or to have lunch in typical restaurants.

Besides, I recommend (very close to Canebière and Cours St Louis) the famous TOINOU, a seafood restaurant where you can taste the best shellfish platters in Marseille!

And for those who are looking for popular, lively and colorful neighborhoods, the Noailles district is a place not to be missed. There is a colorful food market with spices from around the world, exotic fruits and local vegetables.

Longchamp Palace

Following the Canebière, you will arrive at the Palais Longchamp. It is a sumptuous palace made up of a water tower located in the center, a part dedicated to the Natural History Museum and a final part reserved for the Marseille Museum of Fine Arts.

Where to stay to spend 2 days in Marseille?

If you want to visit Marseille by following my 2 walking routes, I recommend that you stay at the NH Collection Marseille.

8 minutes from the large Les terrasses du Port shopping center, in a superb character building from 1864, the NH Collection Marseille hotel has an ideal location in the safe and quiet district of La Joliette.

This business and leisure district is located in the 2nd arrondissement right next to Le Panier and the Old Port outside the dangerous neighborhoods of Marseille. It is a very good hotel with high standards and exceptional service (exceptional value for money for Marseille).

Cheap hotel in Marseille

If you have a very small budget, then I recommend a good hotel in a great location in the heart of the old port. With its exceptional value for money for its location, it is really a good plan for a stay in the center of Marseille!

Want another hotel in Marseille? Here is my selection of 3 best budget hotels in Marseille