Orientation
MARSEILLE
Marseille is organized into three main districts. The area bounded by rue Canebière and the calanques to the east is Vieux Port; Notre Dame de la Garde is situated on its central hilltop. Up a few blocks and to the west is Belsunce, Marseille’s immigrant quarter. Explore “Little” Algeria, Morocco, or Tunisia and people-watch from carpet shops and tea lounges. Just don’t walk around there at night. The old quarter to the furthest west is Le Panier, where you’ll find Marseille’s oldest buildings and cramped 6ft. wide alleys. The quai du Port is lined with expensive hotels, boutiques, and upscale seaside cafes.
VIEUX PORT
Bordered by Cours Julien to the east and the tourism office to the west, Vieux Port is where the bars, restaurants, shopping, and other vibrant parts of the city contain themselves. Crowned by Notre Dame de la Garde which overlooks its center, the neighborhood boasts the oldest boulangerie in Marseille, not to mention its most happening nightclubs. The port is hemmed by bars and cafes that turn into hotspots at night; upscale restaurants are situated further inland around Place aux Huiles. Frustrated single men beware: at night in the Vieux Port, it can be particularly difficult to differentiate between clubs, bars, and strip clubs. The entrepreneurial young women beckoning you to come in at the door are a pretty good hint.
LE PANIER
When the Greeks landed in Marseille 2,600 years ago, this is where they landed. Today, le Panier is the oldest and most cramped part of the city, though the area around La Vieille Charité might give it a run for its money. Mostly devoid of bars and clubs at night, this area is best to visit during the day, where the stores and the kooky cafes add charm to the winding narrow streets. At night, the same alleyways are shadowy and somewhat intimidating, since you might be the only one on them.
BELSUNCE
Little North Africa is bounded by ave. Belsunce and the Canebière, and teems with little kebab stands and carpet stores; this is an ideal place to shop cheap, and perhaps stop in and enjoy a pastis with a group of old Algerian men. Once dark, the stores close, and the few bars in the area become packed with the city’s local flair. Unless you’re large, male, and handy in a knife fight, however, take the long way to the port and skip Belsunce at night.