Read our brief guide to understand the city of Marseille before you arrive.

City overview

Everything in this town juts out from the Vieux Port. The port itself is surrounded by quais, walkways which offer opportunities for tasting local sea food, checking out sailboats and taking gorgeous pictures. The quai des Belges is where the boulevard de la Canebiere gets its start. Shopping galore is found on this street as well as hotels, the Internet cafes and the Youth Info Office. The train station is half a mile (1km) north of Canebiere and a mile (1.6km) northeast of the port. Plenty of nightlife is to be found near Place Jean Jaures a half of a mile (.8km) south of boulevard de la Canebiere.

Hostel overview

Though not as drop-dead gorgeous as Nice, Marseille still poses the same challenges in the summer as it's sister beach town. Summer months attract lots of crowds and make getting a last-minute reservation next to impossible. Be sure to book early, meaning months ahead of time to ensure a place to stay. There are a few main hostels in town. Chances are pretty good, however, you will be hanging your swim suit at one of the many cheap hotels in town. There are simply more of them. Don't be afraid to partake in a few more amenities than you originally planned.