Marseille

Two days around the Vieux-Port and a third for the calanques

Base yourself near the Vieux-Port and allow two days for Marseille and a third for the calanques. Day one covers Le Panier, La Major, the MuCEM and the Pharo; day two Notre-Dame de la Garde, Saint Victor and a boat to the Château d'If or Frioul; day three the coves by boat or on foot.

Sleep near the Vieux-Port and the old town, the cathedral, the MuCEM and the boats are all on your doorstep.

• Day one: start with the morning fish sales on the quay. Climb through Le Panier, the oldest quarter, to the Cathédrale de la Major and the MuCEM with Fort Saint-Jean beside it, and end the day at the Palais du Pharo for the view back over the harbour.
• Day two: bus 60 runs up to Notre-Dame de la Garde for the widest view of the city. Stop at the Abbey of Saint Victor on the way down, then catch an afternoon boat to the Château d'If or the Frioul islands.
• Day three: the calanques, either on a boat tour from the port or on foot from Luminy or Callelongue. Reaching the coves usually means two hours of walking each way, with at least a litre of water per person for every hour.
• Longer stays: Aix-en-Provence is 30 to 40 minutes away by express coach from Saint-Charles. Regional trains continue to Arles and Avignon, and the little port of Cassis sits just beyond the calanques.

Summer plans need a backup. From 1 June to 30 September the authorities can close the hills on high fire-risk days, and the path down to the Calanque de Sugiton needs a free online reservation at the busiest times. A proper bouillabaisse also has to be ordered ahead, so reserve that dinner when you book the room.

Keep any rental car for trips out to Cassis or into Provence.

Sunshine, the mistral and calanque fire closures through the year

May and June are the best months for Marseille's calanques and islands, with highs of 24 to 28°C before the July crowds. The city gets about 2,897 hours of sunshine a year, high summer averages 31°C, the mistral blows mostly in winter and spring, and September brings the heaviest rain.

No French city gets more sunshine, and annual rain is only 532.3 mm. The catch is the mistral, a cold, dry wind that funnels down the Rhône valley, mostly in winter and spring. It scours the sky clear but turns a 12°C January day raw.

The warm-up comes earlier than on the Riviera to the east. April reaches 19°C, ideal for hiking the limestone ridges before the heat. In high summer the sea breeze takes the edge off, but avoid walking at midday; trails may also shut at short notice. The Fête Bleue at the end of June opens a season of rooftop parties and night boat trips.

September is still summer at 26°C, yet autumn is also when the heaviest rain arrives: September brings about 82 mm, October a little less at 73 mm. Winter is mild and sunny between mistral spells. It is a quiet season for museums and long lunches by the port. One practical date: public transport stops entirely on 1 May.

Bouillabaisse, aïoli and Noailles market food in Marseille

Marseille's two signature dishes are bouillabaisse, served as broth and then fish and ordered in advance at a serious restaurant, and aïoli with vegetables and dried cod. Noailles and Cours Belsunce add North African and Asian food, and navettes biscuits from the Four des Navettes travel home well.

The bouillabaisse broth arrives with toasted bread and rouille (a garlic and saffron sauce). It cannot be made cheaply, so treat a bargain version as a warning sign and go to a restaurant that asks you to order it in advance. The humbler soupe de poisson is the affordable alternative.

Just off the Canebière, the streets of Noailles are lined with North African and Asian grocers and spice shops. The cheapest good couscous is around Cours Belsunce, where workers stop for lunch. Within a few streets of the port you will find Tunisian, Lebanese and Vietnamese kitchens. For something to carry home, buy navettes, hard dry biscuits, from the Four des Navettes on Rue Sainte.

Evenings start on the south side of the Old Port and along Cours d'Estienne d'Orves. Cours Julien and La Plaine are the alternative bar district. In summer La Friche holds free rooftop DJ nights on Fridays and Saturdays. Football is close to a religion here: Olympique de Marseille fill the Stade Vélodrome, and a home match tells you more about the city than any museum. France's usual courtesies apply, beginning with a bonjour before you ask for anything. Inside Notre-Dame de la Garde, look up for the model boats left by sailors and keep your voice low.