 Introduction
The bustling port of Marseille is the largest in the Mediterranean. It was founded by Greek traders over 2,600 years ago making Marseille France's most ancient city.
Modern Marseille is the second largest city in France and a sprawling urban centre. Visitors are sometimes deterred by its reputation and bypass Marseille as they head for the coastal resorts. It is, however, a thoroughly engaging place to visit, full of vitality and creativity and with a distinctly Mediterranean feel. There is a wide variety of historical buildings and landmarks to visit and the city has numerous museums, galleries and theatres.
Overlooking Marseille is the Byzantine-style church of Notre-Dame de la Garde. From the top of the church, the sea and the city are laid out before you and to the north beckon the hills of Provence. Out to sea, lie the harbour islands which include l'île d'If, with its foreboding château, where Alexandre Dumas' fictional Count of Monte Cristo was imprisoned. Other landmarks such as the cathedral, la Cathédrale de la Major, and churches like la Basilique Saint Victor can all be easily visited on foot.
Links
Marseille and the surrounding area
Detailed information on Marseille and nearby areas. In English.
Marseille Connection, link pages on Marseille
A useful selection of links relating to the city. Where to stay, what to eat and so on. In English.
These links do not constitute an endorsement by the BBC of the companies, their services or products. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. |
