Marseille as single traveller

[jocktamsonsbairn]

Cheap flights available from local airport - anyone been and think it's suitable for me on my own? Would just be a few days but have read lots of very mixed reviews re safety etc. or do I take the flight and head towards Avignon or Aix? Any info gratefully received!

You should be fine and you can fly direct into marseille.

Firstly, I would advise renting a car as there are suggestions that public transport isn’t so pleasant for women in the area. When renting said car make sure nothing is ever left on display, not even when physically driving! Those are probably the two most important points to note about being there.

Marseille itself is really interesting and physically beautiful in many parts. You could visit the calanques and also cassis which is within very close proximity and incredibly beautiful, I advise looking it up! The markets are also great there and lots of fresh produce, breads and of course boullabaise.

I would be slightly reserved about being out at night alone around marseille, however it’s a really lovely place and a fabulous getaway during the day time. There is definitely crime there but you shouldn’t feel on edge if you take the right precautions and stick to the major areas of the city xxxx

Great place for a few days away, went alone last year at end of summer, using up Easyjet credit. Good short break city destination with all the usual attractions - food, sightseeing, history etc. plus the seafront and possibility of short boat trips. And better weather!
Plenty to do in/very close to Marseilles for a short trip. I stayed really centrally in the Vieux Port and got a 72 hour CityPass, which had to be collected from helpful main tourist info. So used public transport (tram, bus, underground) a fair bit, as well as tourist city buses.

Had no safety issues, but didn't use public transport after dark though. In busier central area no problems in the evening either and was out sometimes up until 10/11pm. As with any busy tourist destination just take normal precautions on where you go, what you carry etc. A walking tour guide said Marseilles has cleaned up its image a lot over last 20+ years, and tried to develop a 'cool destination' image.
Car def. useful on a longer trip travelling elsewhere if that's planned, but personally I'd avoid the hassle of having a hire car in central Marseille itself.

Hope your trip works out.

Was there at the end of summer last year with my student daughter-it was amazing and felt much safer than my provincial city. The central areas in particular are so busy until late that there’s not much opportunity for anything to happen IYSWIM. We used public transport including trains to get around the area with no issues.

Brilliant thank you!! Might just go and book those flights! That's reassured me!

Love it! Notre Dame de la Garde last Easter. Quite windy but stunning.

I was there a couple of months ago (and had been before) and found it safe.

It was on the last series of Travel Man. They made it look great!

I thought that that Travel Man episode in Marseilles was dreadful. They are always very shallow, but that one gave you almost no sense of the city at all. A friend of mine has just got back after a week and loved it, said the people are very friendly and helpful and it’s very refreshing to go somewhere not overrun with tourism. The last place they went was Prague. Marseille they’d go back to, Prague no.

Same. We weren’t long returned when it aired so I was looking forward to it. Utterly missed the whole vibe/culture of the city imo.
To the op, it’s great, especially around the Vieux Port area.

It’s great. You can jump on the bus to Cassis which is worth a visit. Also the train to Aix En Provence which is a lovely day trip. I loved it, would happily return.

I have been appx 10 times as friends had a flat there....cassis is loveley, the calonques - beach, aix en provence....very easy bus to those. only dodgy area is Rue D'aubagne, its near the Cours Julien which is all trendy now. the moroccan tea place is fab, look it up. i love marseille. dont rent a car...the parking is impossible and you wont find a space, my friends hardly ever took the car out as no where to park later. all buses and trains are reliable and cheap.

We went with the kids last year and thought it was fab. Didn't feel dangerous at all. We stayed out by the beach and got the bus in; also took the metro and the bus to the airport. All good.

I love a slightly grimy city and we had a great time eating and drinking too. You can do a day trip to Aix easily on the train.

Couldn’t agree more about the series, so shallow and I think Joe Lynette, Richard Ayoade etc work well as comics and panelist’s on a show but less so when abroad, the sardonic style is borderline insulting to the host country, Ayoade’s trip to Jordan with Baddiel was particularly cringe worthy.
I’ve been going to Marseille since I was a kid as my grandparents lived in Aix, it’s a large European city , with a large North African population and (deep breath) I think that’s where the issues can arise with sexual harassment, some very Algerian areas around the train station and the Porte d’Aix might feel” heavy “ to a lone woman, best to put on a resting bitch face and move fairly quickly and decisively. Not to say don’t go there as it can be an interesting area to see. There are also hammams like hammam rafiki which might be nice to visit ( check when the women only days are).