Paris is the most sought-after destination in the entire of Europe this winter, and it is not arduous to see why: between the elegant Haussmann boulevards, the sparkly Eiffel Tower, and the romantic bistro tradition, it is a bucket checklist vacation spot for thousands and thousands of vacationers.
Regardless of being the capital of France, nevertheless, it isn’t its oldest metropolis, and one could argue it is from being the capital of cool:
All these titles are, in truth, claimed by Marseille, the Mediterranean antithesis to a Northerly Paris and a sprawling coastal metropolis that CNN has simply named a must-visit vacation spot for 2025.
Why Swap Paris For Marseille?
In case you’ve been to Paris earlier than, and you’ve got simply landed in Marseille for the primary time, we would not blame you for being underneath the impression France’s second-largest metropolis, residence to over 800,000 inhabitants and wedged between towering massifs and turquoise seas, belongs to a special nation altogether.
Whereas Paris is undoubtedly Northern European, each architecture-wise and in angle, Marseille is unashamedly Southern.
It’s a vibrant port metropolis straddling the Mediterranean and one which’s been a melting pot of cultures for over 2,600 years:
It was based by Greeks in round 600 B.C. earlier than falling underneath the area of Rome, and because the centuries handed, it will be strongly influenced by Spain, Italy, and North Africa.
As an illustration, around 30% of Marseille has some Italian ancestry, and in the event you’re strolling the hilly Panier district, the place pastel-colored buildings flank slender alleys, and you will find your self dodging a reckless biker or two, you may clearly see the resemblance.
There are additionally giant Asian and Arab communities, making Marseille certainly one of France’s most culturally various, and dare we are saying, thrilling cities:
Why Do Some Suppose Is Marseille Cooler Than Paris?
You have not been to Paris till you’ve got had the French bistro expertise, pairing oysters with glossy white wine forward of the primary aligot and steak course as you people-watch from out the window.
Likewise, you have not actually been to Marseille till you’ve got slurped your bouillabaisse fish soup with the occasional sipping on a Pastis bottle at a fishermen-run eatery down by the Vieux-Port.
It is no surprise it is featured as our number one city for gastronomy in France in 2024, however the contemporary seafood and French-Italian or French-Arab fusions play solely a small half in what makes Marseille an ideal vacation spot.
A sunny, heat day in Paris is all about mendacity on the grass at Jardin des Tuileries, admiring the stately monuments round as you entertain your self with a summery novel, strolling the Seine quayside till you discover the right picnic spot, or gorging on gelato macarons as you discover Montmartre.
In Marseille, you would be heading out to the sandy Plage des Catalans to bask within the balmy solar, biking the extent of the Corniche coastal path, or swimming within the teal-colored lagoons of the close by Calanque de Sugiton.
On the lookout for the Bohemian district? Cours Julien has all of the graffiti, edgy bars, and vibrant artwork scene. Paris is considerably restrained, nonetheless very bourgeois (or what the French name it, bobo), however Le Marais would not.
Final however not least, in the event you really feel like Paris is charming however may do with some coloration, Le Panier’s pastel facades or the superbly chaotic Vauban district on the foot of the Neo-Byzantine Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica really feel like a far cry from the previous’s somber tones and aesthetic cohesiveness.
Historic Wonders Galore
Because the oldest metropolis in France and one of many largest cities to frame the Mediterranean, Marseille has no scarcity of fantastic landmarks to find, from monumental church buildings to world-class museums to pure parks.
Not mcuh is left from the Greek interval, however vacationers can nonetheless pay the modernist, glass-and-steel-clad Mucem (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations), to delve deeper into Marseille’s wealthy previous as a Hellenic buying and selling hub.
Hidden someplace within the calanques park, extra particularly in a lesser-known cave of the Cape of Morgiou, there’s a water-filled cave found solely within the Eighties, with numerous animal carvings relationship again over 30 millennia.
Entrance to the cave is not permitted, however in the event you’re within the park, you may get shut sufficient to handle a furtive peek from a protected distance––alternatively, you possibly can see a duplicate of this cave up shut in Villa Méditerranée; close to Vieux-Port.
Aside from Le Panier, Marseille’s medieval allure has been largely misplaced because of the Haussmann frenzy of the late-19 century, which noticed slender alleyways being widened into tree-flanked boulevards and agglomerations of homes changed by stately edifices.
If you wish to see one thing really distinctive, although, you must be sure that Hôtel de Cabre is in your checklist: tucked away within the nook the place Rue de la Bonneterie meets the Grand-Rue, and sometimes ignored by passersby, it is the oldest home nonetheless standing in Marseille, relationship again to the yr 1535.
Able to have your thoughts really blown? Uncover extra superb locations in France which can be worlds aside from Paris here.
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