Marseille in 2 days: day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 4 of 5 free; paid: Château d'If
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:30 to 17:10 each day
- Start and finish
- Château d'If → Cassis
- On foot
- ≈ 13 min in total
- Transport
- 2 rides, ≈ 47 min
- Lunch
- around 12:00
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- May–June and September; in summer, check Calanques access.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Marseille09:30–17:10 · 4 places · 7 h 40 min
Château d'If
· 2 h 30 min · Castle ticket + boat
- Lunch · 1 h
- 26 min · transport or taxi
Notre-Dame de la Garde
· 1 h · Free
- 21 min · transport or taxi
Marseille Cathedral
· 40 min · Free
- 13 min on foot
Old Port
· 1 h 30 min · Free
Day 2 · Marseille09:30–13:30 · 1 place · 4 h
Cassis
· 4 h · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
4 of 5 are free; 1 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 1 | Château d'If | 48 | 2 h 30 min | Castle ticket + boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Notre-Dame de la Garde | 50 | 1 h | Free |
| 3 | Marseille Cathedral | 44 | 40 min | Free |
| 4 | Old Port | 42 | 1 h 30 min | Free |
| 5 | Cassis | 26 | 4 h | Free |
| Total | 9 h 40 min | 4 of 5 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Château d'If. Francis I's island fortress, setting of The Count of Monte Cristo. Boat ≈ 20 minutes; castle and boat ticketed.
- 2
Notre-Dame de la Garde. The 'Good Mother' basilica on the city's highest point: a golden Madonna, mosaics, model ships and the best view. Free.
- 3
Marseille Cathedral. La Major, the striped Neo-Byzantine cathedral by the sea, with the Romanesque Vieille Major and MuCEM beside it. Free.
- 4
Old Port. The harbour where Greeks landed 2,600 years ago: a morning fish market, a ferry across and the boat quay. Free.
Day 2
- 5
Cassis. A fishing port of pastel houses, boats to the coves, beaches and white wine below Cap Canaille. 20 minutes by train.
Who this route is for
- A weekend in Marseille
- Sea and nature lovers
- Couples and friends
- Aix-en-Provence is in the 3-day itinerary
- Tough hikes with small children
May–June and September; in summer, check Calanques access.
Marseille itinerary for 2 days
Day one is the city: the port, the Île d'If, the cathedral and the basilica. Day two takes the TER train from Saint-Charles to Cassis, about 20–25 minutes, then a bus from the station to the harbour.
Boats to the Calanques leave Cassis harbour, with a short trip taking about 45 minutes. If you like walking, the trail to Port-Miou starts at the edge of town, and En-Vau is about an hour and a half over the rocks.
Remove any stop with ✕ or reorder it with ≡, and add another nearby: the timings update.
Day two: Cassis and the Calanques
In the morning, a boat or trail to the coves of the Calanques: white cliffs, pines and crystal-clear water. Bring water, a hat and a swimsuit, as there are no cafés in the coves.
At midday, lunch with fish and Cassis white wine by the harbour and a swim at Grande Mer beach. In the evening, the train back to Marseille.
More to see
With a third day, visit Aix-en-Provence and its fountains and Cézanne's studio. Film lovers will enjoy La Ciotat, where the Lumières shot the first film.
How to do it right
- Check Calanques access in summer.
- Wear hiking shoes.
- Carry 2 litres of water each.
- France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Buy boat tickets at the Old Port kiosks or online, and metro and tram tickets from machines or the app.
Questions
What should I see in Marseille in 2 days?
The Old Port, the Château d'If and Notre-Dame de la Garde, then Cassis and the Calanques.
How do I get to Cassis?
By train from Saint-Charles in 20–25 minutes.
How can I see the Calanques without hiking?
By boat from Cassis or Marseille's Old Port.
When are the Calanques closed?
In summer on hot, windy days because of fire risk.
How do I pay in Marseille?
France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Buy boat tickets at the Old Port kiosks or online, and metro and tram tickets from machines or the app.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- Calanques National Park, calanques-parcnational.fr
