Vieux Port (Old Port)
The Vieux Port, whose entrance is guarded by Fort St Nicholas and Fort St Jean, is home to 3,000 boats, and is the heart of Marseille. On the quai de Rive Neuve, check out La Criée (Marseille's most famous theatre, built in 1909 on the site of the old fish auction rooms, hence its name) and the Place Thiars, a lively square dotted with dozens of restaurants and bars, the ideal place to meet up for an al fresco evening during the balmy summer months. Then cross the harbour on an old wooden ferry, the oldest of its kind in France (the trip takes a couple of minutes) to the other side, quai du Port, to take a peek at the impressive 17th century Hotel de Ville (town hall). Walk back up towards the quai des Belges (this is where the famous fish market takes place in the morning) from where you will have the best view of the Canebière, the most famous street in the city, and the subject of a popular song.

Notre Dame de la Garde
The landmark Romanesque-Byzantine basilica, towering on the highest point of the city (147m, or 482ft, above sea level), was built in the 19th century. Affectionately called the Bonne Mère (good mother), it is topped by a 9.72m (32ft) gilded statue of the Virgin, who is said to bestow protection on fishermen out at sea. The mosaics are particularly beautiful, and the numerous ex-votos hanging in the nave bear witness to the pilgrims' faith and thanksgiving. The site also affords magnificent views of the city spread out at its feet, and of the bay, with the Frioul archipelago in the distance.

Rue Fort du Sanctuaire
Tel: (04) 9113 4080.
Free admission.

Le Panier and the Vieille Charité
The maze of narrow streets found in the Quartier du Panier, the oldest part of the city, lead to the Vieille Charité, a pretty set of buildings dating back to the 17th century, originally designed to take in vagrants and orphans (hence the name). Today the complex is an art centre, with two museums (the Mediterranean Archaeology Museum and the Museum of African, Oceanian and Amerindian Art), several art galleries, a café, a restaurant, and a bookshop. There is also an arthouse cinema, Le Miroir, showing productions not on show anywhere else in town. The chapel, built by Pierre Puget, is in the French Baroque style.

2 rue de la Charité, 2e
Tel: (04) 9125 0107 (cinema), (04) 9114 5880 (museums).
Website: www.vieille-charite-marseille.org (French only)

Abbaye de Saint Victor (Saint Victor Abbey)
This beautiful abbey was built in the 5th century on the burial place of Saint Victor, a Roman martyr who had died two centuries previously. The abbey was destroyed several times over the years, until it was fortified by Pope Urban V in the 14th century. Make sure you pay a visit to the beautiful crypt, where every year the faithful gather for Candlemas. The abbey regularly houses concerts of religious music.

Rue de l'Abbaye, 7e
Tel: (04) 9611 2260.
Website: www.saintvictor.net (French only)
Free admission.

Musées (Museums)
There are several museums worth visiting in Marseille. The Musée de la Mode (Fashion Museum), which has an interesting collection of over 6,000 costumes and accessories; the Musée Cantini, which boasts one of the richest French public collections devoted to 20th century art, including works by Matisse, Miro, Ernst, Bacon, Picasso, Derain and Bathus among many others; the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle (Natural History Museum) and the Musée des Beaux Arts (Fine Arts Museum), both housed in the impressive Palais Longchamp; and the nearby Musée Grobet-Labadie, which includes exquisite Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture, as well as an outstanding collection of medieval Burgundian and Provençal sculpture; Gobelin tapestries; paintings; and faience.

Musée de la Mode (Fashion Museum)
11 La Canebière , 1e
Tél: (04) 9617 0600.
Website: www.espacemodemediterranee.com
Admission charge.

Musée Cantini (Cantini Museum)
19, rue Grignan, 7e
Tel: (04) 9154 7775.
Admission charge.

Musée d'Histoire Naturelle (National History Museum)
Palais Longchamp, 4e
Tel: (04) 9114 5950.
Website: www.museum-marseille.org
Admission charge.

Musée des Beaux Arts (Fine Arts Museum)
Palais Longchamp, 4e
Tel: (04) 9114 5930.
Admission charge.

Musée Grobet-Labadie (Grobet-Labadie Museum)
140 boulevard Longchamp, 1e
Tel: (04) 9162 2182.
Admission charge.

La Corniche J F Kennedy et les Plages (The Corniche and the Beaches)
La Corniche is the road that follows the sea, from the Catalans (just behind the Pharo at the entrance to the Vieux Port) to the enormous marble statue of David (a copy of the famous statue by Michelangelo) some 3.5km (2 miles) further east. Keep an eye out for the Vallon des Auffes, a picturesque fishermen's village nestled in a little creek, before reaching the Prado beaches, the locals' meeting point for sunbathing and swimming in summer, and walking, jogging and kite-flying in winter. The road continues all the way to La Pointe Rouge, where you will find yet more beaches, a little harbour and plenty of surf shops (the area is popular for all kinds of watersports).