Marseille, Marseille
Marseille is an historic port city in the Bouches du Rhone department of Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur in southern France. Marseille, door of Provence, founded by greeks (600BC) coming from Phocea, is the oldest town of France. Enjoying an azure sky made possible by the Mistral, the city has a cultural heritage and a unmatched history. Traces of the past can be found all around the city, like the old port, “la bonne mère”, or the “Panier”, oldest district in Marseille. Floating between sea and sky.
What makes this village special?
Key places to visit on holiday in Marseille include the Vieux Port, which still operates as a fishing harbour. Fishermen continue to auction their catches here. One of the best ways to admire the port is to arrive by boat in the evening – alternatively you could head for the Pharo Palace, which sits on the western side of the harbour and offers panoramic views of the port and surrounding cityscape. Another place to head for a memorable view of the city around Marseille holiday accommodation would be the neo-Byzantine church of Notre-Dame de la Garde, which sits atop a 162-metre hill. It’s at the highest point in the city and dates to the mod-19th Century. From here you can see much of the city, an the bue Mediterranean to the south. Another important sight is the Palais Longchamp, which dates to the mid-19th Century and today is where the natural history museum and museum of fine arts are housed. The surrounding park is included in France’s list of Remarkable Gardens. One of the essential things to see outside of the city, a short way from Marseille holiday rentals are the Calanques. These are composed of numerous small limestone fjords along s stretch of coast towards Cassis. The Calanques can be explored via a walking trail, along which you’ll encounter some stunning coastal scenes. Another key sight is the Chateau d’If, which is an island just off the city’s coast, which was originally a sea fort and then a prison.
