Virginie d'Humières

Think Marseille is having a moment? You're not alone. France’s third-biggest metropolis (after Paris and Lyon), Marseille has been a Mediterranean melting pot ever since it was founded by Greek settlers an astonishing 2,600 years ago. In the past, it’s had a rough reputation as a town of sailors and gangsters. But now? The city has become a hotspot for young travellers, with fantastic food, galleries, bars and more. From the jaw-dropping vistas of the calanques to wide-open beaches, here are the best things to do in Marseille right now.  RECOMMENDED:⛵ The best boat trips from Marseille🐟 The best restaurants in Marseille🍕 The best pizza in Marseille🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Marseille This guide was written by the team at Time Out Marseille. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Marseille does it all. And since France’s second biggest city has officially blown up over the last few years, it’s most definitely no secret. And even if you didn’t come here just for the beaches, trust us, no trip to Marseille is complete without visiting least one of ‘em.  As soon as you’re here, you’re in very close proximity to the sea. But that doesn’t mean all stretches of sand here are created equal. Marseille’s beaches aren’t the huge, sprawling, traveller-packed beaches you head to Greece for: these beaches are calmer, tucked away behind sleepy towns and (most of the time) not jam-packed with tourists. Ready for a swim? Here are the best beaches in Marseille.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Marseille🍴 The best restaurants in Marseille🍕 The best pizza in Marseille🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Marseille Virginie d’Humières is a writer at Time Out Marseille. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Galeries d’art, restos branchés, plages confidentielles… Dans ce dossier plus costaud que la cuisse de Taye Taiwo, Time Out vous distille les meilleures choses à faire en ville, tous genres confondus. Pour pondre cette sélection tapin large (50 plans !), nous avons quadrillé tout Marseille, des calanques à l’Estaque, pour en extraire la crème de la crème. Guitounes à pizza, clubs underground, terrasses les pieds dans l’eau… De quoi se payer une bonne tranche de vie phocéenne !

À Marseille, malgré la proximité de la mer, dénicher le bon endroit pour étendre sa serviette et se prélasser le temps d’une brasse ou d'un apéro peut parfois se révéler compliqué. Pour vous faciliter la tâche, nous avons sélectionné nos cinq plages préférées à Marseille, où lever le pied et laisser le temps filer.