Stay
RockyPop Marseille
Come for the spacious rooms and proper king-size beds; stay for the friendly staff and unexpectedly chic rooftop at sunset. The eighties Love Boat energy of the décor is part of the charm. Its location in a residential neighborhood also gives you a glimpse of Marseille beyond the waterfront.
Eat
Trattoria Partenope
For pizza. Quite possibly the best I've ever had, and reason enough to start thinking about a trip to Napoli.
Pompe
For breakfast or coffee and pastries on the go. The pastries are amazing, and the bakery fills up fast.
Chez Fonfon
For the Marseille classic: bouillabaisse. Go for lunch and take your time. The setting, service and food make it worth experiencing at least once.
AM par Alexandre Mazzia
For the journey. Mazzia's cooking moves between Marseille and his childhood in Congo, with spice, smoke, heat and the sea appearing throughout. Choose one of the tasting menus and let him take you somewhere.
Livingston
My favorite meal in Marseille. Inventive without being precious, relaxed without sacrificing ambition, with a fantastic local wine list. The kind of restaurant that makes you want to cancel whatever comes next and stay a little longer.
Drink
Bistro Suffren
Skip dinner and come for an apéritif instead. Grab a table on the outdoor terrace, order a drink and settle in among the locals.
Les Voûtes de la Major
The old stone vaults beneath the cathedral, now lined with bars. Come for drinks after dinner and stay to dance under the stars until the early hours.
Les Goudes
A tiny fishing village, a beautiful coastal drive, rocky swimming spots and an entire afternoon that required very little beyond a swimsuit and somewhere to lie in the sun.
Wander
Marseille's coastline
Walk without overplanning it. Some of my favorite moments came from discovering the little coves and rocky swimming spots hidden between ordinary city streets. Keep a swimsuit in your bag.
Aix-en-Provence
Make the drive, particularly on market day. Wander the stalls, explore the shops, including Family 3.0, then find a terrace for lunch and stay longer than you intended.
One We Missed
The Calanques
The reason to return. We had planned to spend a day exploring them, but the heat advisory meant changing course.