Marseille and Nice are the two largest French cities on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Marseille is known for its ancient history and for being the largest port city in France. Nice is known for its beautiful coast for having an abundance of art and museums. If you are trying to decide between Marseille or Nice, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide on which city to visit.
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Marseille or Nice Overview:
Marseille
Marseille is the 2nd largest city in France with 870,000 residents. The Port of Marseille is the largest port in the country and one of the largest in the EU. The city has been an important port and trading city for centuries with both Roman and Greek histories dating back to 600 BC.
With a beautiful setting and nice climate, it has become one of the most popular destinations for French holidays. Between the Arabic-European architecture, the beaches, and the landscape, Marseille has no shortage of things to see and do.
Nice
Nice is the 5th largest city in France and the 2nd largest city in the French Riviera, only behind Marseille. The city is known for its beaches and its beautiful coastline. Many celebrities, like Elton John, Tina Turner, Keith Richards, and Bono have vacation homes here.
The Belle Epoque and Baroque architecture makes the city even more mesmerizing. A mix of French, Italian, and English are spoken throughout the city. Every February, Nice holds one of the biggest and oldest Carnival festivals in the world, dating back to 1294.
Places to See
Marseille
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde sits on a hill overlooking the city. It is the city’s most popular landmark.
Château d’If is an island fortress in the sea about 1.5km for Marseille.
Located to the south of Marseille, Calanques is an area of steep-walled limestone cliffs overlooking narrow stretches of water below.
Palais Longchamp is a monument in Marseille that is surrounded by Longchamp Park.
Cathedrae La Major is a Catholic cathedral known for its Romanesque and Byzantine Revival styles of architecture.
Nice
Promenade des Anglais is a long pedestrian walkway that extends the length of the beachfront in Nice.
Place Massena is the main square in Nice.
Nice Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the heart of Nice. It was declared a national monument in 1906.
Cours Saleya is the biggest market in Nice. It is the heart of the Old Town. image source
Food
Being an ancient port city, Marseille heritage full of seafood. The most famous dish in Marseille is Bouillabaisse which is a fish stew consisting of multiple different types of fish, potatoes, vegetables, and broths. It is known as being an old-fashion dish to the locals of Marseille but it is definitely worth trying if you are in Marseille. Although pizza didn’t make it Marseille until the Napoleonic era, it has become one of the best foods in the city.
Nice
Ratatouille originated in Nice. For those of you who don’t know, Ratatouille is a dish of stewed vegetables, most commonly made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers. Socca is one of the most popular street foods in Nice and also a must-try while in Nice. Socca is a thin pancake-like food made with chickpea flour and cooked in a wood-burning oven. Ravioli is another specialty of the Nicois people.
Getting Around
Marseille
Marseille has a network of buses, trams, and the metro. If you plan on using the buses, you have to expect them to run late. You can check the RTM app on your phone to get real-time updates on the arriving buses. If you want to get to the beach you could use the city bike-sharing system or you could take the 83 bus. Walking around the port is a must when you are in Marseille.
Nice
Overall, Nice is a very walkable city. Biking is also an excellent way to explore the city. Velobleu bike rental service with pick and drop-off stations throughout the city making bikes very accessible in the city. The Bus and tram are the forms of public transportation in Nice. You can buy a solo ticket for public transport for 1.50 Euro or a 10-use pass for 10 Euro.
Nightlife
Marseille
Marseille is known for having an abundance of bars featuring live music. The best area in Marseille to find nightlife is in the area surrounding the Vieux Port. TrolleyBus is one of the most unique bars/clubs in the city. One Again Club is also a great choice if you want to experience the club scene in Marseille. The area around Cours Julien also offers a variety of bars, pubs, and cafes.
There are many bars that have live music in Nice. Vieux Nice is one of the best parts of the city for nightlife. Most of the nightlife is close to the beach and west of the port. If you want to go clubbing, one of the best nightclubs in Nice is High Club. If you do go to High Club, make sure to dress up a little bit because they won’t let you in if you are wearing street clothes.
Day Trips
Marseille
Nimes is a city to the northeast of Marseille. It was an important Roman outpost and still has Roman ruins scattered throughout the city.
Calanques National Park is an area with limestone cliffs overlooking narrow inlets of water.
Cassis is a small seaside city to the west of Marseille.
Nice
Cannes is a resort town in the French Riviera. The town is best known for its beaches and for hosting the Cannes Film Festival.
Monaco is only 25 minutes away from Nice making it an easy destination for a day trip.
Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small beach town only 25 minutes from Monaco.
Montpellier would be a great option for a day trip if you are already in Marseille. Regardless, if you choose to visit Nice or Marseille, the two cities are close enough that you could take an extra day or two to see the other.
Overall
Marseille and Nice are both worth visiting, it just depends on what aspects of a city intrigue you the most. Marseille is a beautiful city with unique architecture for a French city but it is also known for being a large port city so not all parts of the city are necessarily great to walk around. Nice is a much smaller city that is more friendly to tourists. If you are looking for more of a resort city that has a beautiful waterfront and is easily walkable then you definitely need to go to Nice.
