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Family outings in Marseille: 7 ideas for activities

Marseille attracts more and more visitors every year, especially families. It’s never easy to find a city in France offering activities that appeal to children and parents alike. Yet the Phocaean city offers many opportunities in terms of strolls and animations that allow you to discover the city’s heritage, the beauty of the landscapes between land and sea, and have fun while practicing a nautical or thought-provoking activity. In any case, there’s something for everyone!

1. Tuk-tuk ride in the heart of the Phocaean city

To discover Marseille in a fun and playful way, opt for a sightseeing tuk-tuk ride that lets you discover the city’s most famous monuments and most beautiful neighborhoods. Accepting up to 6 people with a private driver, the tuk-tuk is a light transport vehicle that will take you past the Vieux-Port, famous for its stalls of freshly caught fish merchants, along the Canebière, the city’s most popular pedestrian avenue, into the quartier du Panier, the oldest district of the Phocaean city, past the Notre-Dame de la Garde and also along the corniche Kennedy and the Vallon des Auffes.

2. Head out to sea to meet the Calanques

Are you looking for an outdoor activity during your family holiday in Marseille? A visit to the Calanques National Park by boat is undoubtedly an out-of-the-ordinary experience encountering extraordinary landscapes between land and sea, rich in the park’s biodiversity.

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3. Travel to the If Castle and the Frioul Islands

When on a family vacation in Marseille, why not take a sea shuttle from the Vieux-Port to the Isles du Frioul (Pomègues, Ratonneau, Tiboulen and If)? You’ll be on a quest to discover the local flora and fauna, as well as some of the history of the Phocaean city. Away from the bustling city center, you’ll enjoy a moment of escape with your family, allowing you to sample the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, appreciate the seabed and explore the relics found on this archipelago. The most interesting of the islands is probably the Ile d’If, where you’ll have the chance to visit the If castle, a former state prison classified as a historic monument in 1926 and attracting almost 100,000 visitors a year. The château was made famous by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo, the novel in which the hero is imprisoned in the fortress. A perfect combination of literature and family vacation!

4. Lounging on the beaches of Pointe Rouge

What would a family visit to Marseille be without a trip to one of its legendary beaches? Head for the Pointe Rouge beach, Marseille’s largest beach, located beyond the Prado seaside park. This is the benchmark beach for families. Parents and children love lounging here in the afternoon while taking a dip in the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. For refreshments, there are numerous restaurants and bars along the beach. Near the small port of Pointe Rouge, various water sports (sailing, diving, rowing, canoeing…) are available to satisfy young and old water sports enthusiasts.

5. Stroll the aisles of Parc Borély

Spreading over 18 hectares, the parc Borély is definitely a place to visit with the family during your stay in Marseille. Located in the Bonneveine district, it houses a bastide dating from the 18th century – in a style testifying to the typical Provencal architecture of the period – sublimated by a French garden and a landscaped park from the 19th century. Your children will appreciate the two play areas at their disposal. You can also stroll through the Japanese garden, created as part of the 50th anniversary of the twinning between Marseille and Kobe, which respects ancestral Japanese prescriptions and invites you to travel. The serenity and calm will then be at the rendezvous during your family interlude in the Cité Phocéenne.

6. A snorkeling session

Snorkeling is a surface water activity accessible to everyone, no matter what your level of sport. Departing from Pointe Rouge, you’ll take part in a snorkeling outing with Dune Marseille, which will introduce you to a somewhat unconventional activity as a family. Children and parents will enjoy setting off in search of the seabed of the Calanques National Park. During your session, you’ll also have the opportunity to drop anchor in a shallow cove in the park for a swim in the Mediterranean and a picnic in the sun.

7. An escape game

Are your kids fond of puzzles? Take them on an Escape Game in Marseille! A activity on the theme of thinking. Enclosed in a room with your family, you must solve a series of riddles, find objects and open chests. With a time limit equal to one hour, your goal is to succeed in uncovering the secret of the room and winning the event thanks to your ruse and team spirit.