MARSEILLE DISCOVERY & TASTE

Description

MARSEILLE DISCOVERY & TASTE

What we will see

• The Church of Saint Laurent and the view of the Old Port
• “La Major” Cathedral and Esplanade
• Museum Complex
• “Panier” quarter, “La Vieille Charité” courtyard and loggia

What we will do

• We begin our discovery tour of Marseille by taking the shuttle bus from the port to the “Church of Saint-Laurent”. The little square in front of the church offers beautiful views of the Old Port and the hills surrounding the city.
• We make our way downhill from the church towards Marseille's Neo-Byzantine cathedral, known locally as La Major. After a tour around the outside of the building, we have a short stop in the new Esplanade, recently completed to coincide with Marseille's nomination as the "European capital of culture 2013".
• We then make our way to the new museum complex, which comprises three institutions: the “Musée Regards de Provence”, the “Ville Méditerranée” and “MuCEM” – the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations. Our guide will provide an overview of each building from the outside.
• We walk onwards, heading into the old heart of the city, the “Panier” quarter, with its artisan workshops and colourful, bustling cafés.
• Before we make our way into the web of narrow streets of the old town, we stop to visit the courtyard and the loggia of “La Vieille Charité”, a building that originally served as an almshouse for the city's poor, but which is now home to a cultural centre and a venue for temporary exhibitions. We then take another short break to sample the famous “panissa”, a sort of cake made with just a few humble ingredients: chickpea flour, water and salt.
• We make our way back to the Old Port, where we can either board the ship straight away, or spend a couple of hours of fee time in the city centre.

What you need to know

Space is limited, so please reserve early. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The order of visits may vary.