MARSEILLES, CAPITAL OF CULTURES

In a nutshell

Discover Marseilles Capital of Culture 2013, an eternal melting pot of people and influences. From the oldest churches to the museums of Mediterranean culture on the Esplanade, and Villa Méditerranée, a meeting point for seafarers. Here, even the typical flavors make for a successful combination: a tasting session from fil rouge to olive oil is enough to prove it.

Main stops

• Church of Saint-Laurent with view of the Old Port: external visit
• Majeure Cathedral: external visit
• Esplanade: museum complex that includes the Regards de Provence, the Villa Méditerranée and MuCEM, external visits
• Le Panier district with food tasting at Espérantine, Vieille Charité (external visit)

The programme

• Visit Marseilles and you'll discover a multicultural city by tradition and vocation: unsurprisingly named Capital of Culture 2013.
• Start your tour at the church of Saint-Laurent, built on a site chosen by the first Greeks who arrived from Turkey, with a view of the Old Port. The neo-Byzantine Majeure Cathedral, La Major in Occitane dialect, stands on the site of the former Temple of Artemis.
• Prepare to marvel at the Esplanade, the museum complex that includes the Regards de Provence, with works by Provençal and French artists, the MuCEM, dedicated to Mediterranean cultures and the Villa Méditerranée, a point of interaction for the different identities that have arrived here by sea.
• Pass through the multiethnic district of Le Panier, the oldest in the city, home to the Vieille Charité that welcomed all beggars.
• Here you'll have a special tasting session to look forward to at the Espérantine, the city's most innovative chocolaterie: here olive oil, almonds and chocolate are blended together in a secret recipe. Do you prefer a typical olive “tapenade”, the traditional “navette” or some espérantines, chocolate and olive oil pralines? If you can't choose, just try them all.

Good to know

• Slight changes may be made to itineraries and the length of excursions to protect your health and to comply with regulations and the safety protocol.
• Before booking the excursion or once on board, contact the excursion office to check the availability of vegetarian or gluten-free dishes and to report any food intolerances.