One day in Marseille: a self-guided walking itinerary

Noailles and the Cours Julien

• 1La Canebière2 min
• 2Marché des Capucins7 min
• 3Rue Longue des Capucins11 min
• 4Rue d'Aubagne4 min
• 5Marché de Noailles

Start where the Canebière meets the Old Port and walk up the avenue into Noailles while the market is at full pitch. The covered Marché des Capucins sells fruit, vegetables and fish six days a week. Follow Rue Longue des Capucins past the Père Blaize herbalist, trading since 1815, and the Maison Empereur hardware shop, open since 1827, then loop past Rue d'Aubagne. After the market, climb the painted Escaliers du Cours Julien, wander the murals on Rue Bussy l'Indien and Rue des Trois Rois, and end on Place Jean Jaurès, the square locals call La Plaine, where the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday market sets up.

EatCoffee and a pastry at a counter in the Marché des Capucins, before the stalls wind down for the day.

Le Panier and the seafront museums

Walk back to the Old Port and start under the mirrored canopy of the Ombrière. Climb into the Panier past the Hôtel de Ville and the Montée des Accoules, cross Place de Lenche and the old Place des Moulins, and finish in the stone courtyard of the Vieille Charité, whose archaeology and Africa, Oceania and Americas collections are free. Drop down to Fort Saint-Jean, free to enter, cross the footbridge to the MuCEM's latticed J4 building, then pass the Villa Méditerranée, home to Cosquer Méditerranée, and the striped Cathédrale de la Major. The vaulted Voûtes de la Major are the lunch stop, then the brick Docks and Place de la Joliette close the loop.

• HoursThe Vieille Charité is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm, and closed on Monday.SourceMusées de Marseille
• HoursThe MuCEM's J4 building and Fort Saint-Jean are open every day except Tuesday, 1 May and 25 December; closing runs between 6 pm and 8 pm by season.SourceMuCEM
• CostCosquer Méditerranée costs 19 euros for adults, 11 euros for ages 10 to 17 and 6 euros for ages 6 to 9; under 5s go free.SourceCosquer Méditerranée

EatLunch under the vaults at Les Voûtes de la Major, the row of cafés and shops beneath the cathedral.

Up to Notre-Dame de la Garde

Cross to the south side of the Vieux-Port and start at the 5th-century Abbaye Saint-Victor. The climb goes through the Jardin de la Colline Puget, Marseille's oldest public garden, then up the final Rampe Notre-Dame. Count on about 160 metres of ascent and a steady climb. The basilica is open every day from 7 am to 6 pm, and its walls carry the model ships, plaques and paintings sailors left in thanks. From the esplanade the view opens over the port, the Frioul islands and the sea. If your legs are done, bus 60 runs from the Vieux-Port to the foot of the basilica.

The Corniche to Malmousque

This leg starts with a short bus ride from the Vieux-Port to the Plage des Catalans; the sea road itself is flat and walkable once you are on it. Walk past the 1927 war memorial on the cliff and the long sea bench, then drop into the Vallon des Auffes, a working fishing cove of pointu boats and cabanons under the three-arched bridge. The last stretch climbs onto the Malmousque headland, where fishermen's cabins and villas share the rocks and the sun sets behind the Frioul islands. The Corniche is exposed and has little shade, so carry water and a hat.