Guided Tour in Marseille: Classic Vieux Port & Old City
Description
Marseille is the oldest port in the Mediterranean and the oldest city in France over 2600 years old! With such a rich history and a multitude of colorful faces, it is an exciting and vibrant city. From early barbaric tribes, the Phoenicians, the Romans, The Crusaders, to kings, Napoleons, the wars, battles, triumphs and her glorious ascent to the Capital of Provence and European Capital of Culture. Marseille, eternal. I've been guiding in Marseille since 2018, with a unique view as a French-American. I cater the tours to the participants and I talk with them, not at them. This is a high quality, small group, personally crafted experience. After the tour, I orient and guide guests to other attractions in the city or great places to eat. I am also a historical researcher, novelist and screenwriter. But the tour is far from just a history lecture, as we discuss the culture and society of Marseille. An absolutely must-have experience that will leave you wanting more! See you, Sarit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Walking around the port, observing main attractions discussing the rich history.
We will enter the historical neighborhood discussing the history, observing plazas, houses, shops, and street art. Can stop for a drink!
We will observe the old asylum from the 17th century discussing the history.
Enter the cathedral admiring the incredible structure
Pass through on the way to the fort, admiring the beautiful terrace and architecture.
Walk around the famous fort guarding the entry to city and port of Marseille, admiring its impossible walls, beautiful 360 degree views to the sea and port.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(146)
We had an incredible tour experience in Marseille with our guide, Siret! From the very beginning, her warmth, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge of the city made the entire experience unforgettable. Siret brought Marseille’s rich history and vibrant culture to life as we explored the classic Vieux-Port (Old Port) and the historic Le Panier neighborhood. She didn't just share fascinating stories and historical context; she also gave us super helpful local tips, recommendations for dining, and advice on how to navigate the rest of our stay. Her pacing was excellent, and she made sure everyone was comfortable and engaged throughout. If you are visiting Marseille and want an authentic, insightful, and enjoyable overview of the city, we cannot recommend booking a tour with Siret highly enough!
Sarit was an amazing tour guide. She not only showed us the beautiful old city of Marseille, but she knew the history and interesting facts. She suggested additional places to see too!
Wow! Tibo was our guide and he was amazing. He clearly has an absolute passion for history and had so many thing to show and tell us on this tour. He was full of information and made it a really fun few hours. Excellent would highly recommend!
Our tour was with Tibo, his tour was educational, informative and entertaining! We thoroughly enjoyed the tour with him. He spent extra time with each question and was open to discussions at each stop. Thank you, Tibo!
Lots of walking and lots of interesting information. Spirit was a very good guide and shared a lot of good information about the area.
Well informed guide. Only 2 hrs which was perfect for us. Hit some of the high notes of Marseilles’ history and then she offered recommendations for more if we chose. What was most helpful was her flexibility. We got caught in a rain storm (with hail) and she stayed calm and adjusted when we needed to shelter.
Hi! Yes due to hail storm and weather had to cut it slightly shorter, but I remember this as a very impressive experience in Marseille!
I enjoyed our small group tour of Marseille. Our guide Sarit was very knowledgeable. She maintained a comfortable pace and checked in frequently as it was a hot day in the city.
Sarit’s knowledge is what makes this tour worthwhile.
Lots of walking but worth every step! We saw the highlights of the port city with an extremely knowledgeable guide. Would recommend this for an excellent overview. Our guide communicated with us before the trip and was vigilant about keeping us informed about where to meet. We were reminded to bring water because the heat was extreme. We were also taken to fountains to refill our water bottles. Highly recommend this experience.
My wife and I found Sarit to be super-knowledgeable about Marseille and local history and architecture, as well as strongly engaging. She obviously enjoys giving tours and loves Marseille. Her fluency in American English (lived in Brooklyn for a number of years) was also a big plus. She even had recommendations for what to do when the tour was finished, including showing us which bus to catch to go to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Excellent!
