48 Hours in Marseille, France

Marseille is a fascinating city and it would be easy to spend a week there, but you can still see the highlights in 48 hours.

Start the day with a traditional croissant and coffee from a neighborhood boulangerie before walking around the old port and up to the church of Notre Dame de la Garde. From here, you can look down over the city before heading down to Les Arcenaulx for a tasty set menu lunch.

In the afternoon, walk the streets of the center of town as you stroll up to the Museum of Fine Art and the Natural History Museum. Take a look at the impressive fountains outside, take a quick tour around one of the museums if you like and then explore Parc Longchamp.

Go for dinner at Ahwash in the Panier district, a lovely place for an evening stroll through the cobbled alleyways, and then head back to the port for a drink looking over the rows of boats.

The next day set off on a boat trip to Chateau d’If and the Calanques. The first is a small fort on an island just 20 minutes from the city, while the latter is a national park covering incredible rocky inlets to the east of the city. You can get a full-day tour before heading back to Marseille for dinner.