I explored Europe’s newly-crowned ‘most authentic city’ – it’s perfect for winter

If your algorithmic gods are anything like mine, you’ll know that Marseille was the place to be in Europe last summer.

A brilliant mix of grit and grandeur – with the newly-earnt title of Europe’s ‘most authentic city’, as per a recent study – this multicultural port city in the South of France combines the creativity of Berlin and anarcho-vibe of Athens with Miami’s cerulean water and vibrant immigrant mix (not to mention the Parisian influence of extravagant architecture and excellent bread).

Londoners should imagine a coastal version of Dalston or Hackney Wick.

The oldest city in France, Marseille was founded by Greek settlers some 2,600 years ago. Its bustling port brims with a rich diversity shaped by thousands of years of migration, and today it remains a unique gateway between Europe and Africa.

As the author Jean-Claude Izzo wrote: ‘Marseille is, and always has been, the port of exiles — whoever disembarks in the port is inevitably at home.’

People have been arriving here from the south and east for centuries, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that Marseille attracted waves of northern migrants, too.

‘You cannot imagine how many people moved down here from Paris during Covid,’ Gaëlle, a mother-of-two who grew up in Marseille and recently returned to live there, tells me.

‘It was like a bomb went off, there were so many.’

Drawn by affordable rent and the spoils of the Med, digital nomads and energetic young chefs have revitalised the country’s second largest city with new restaurants, wine bars and galleries.

The wonderfully multicultural population, today dominated by Parisian blow-ins and the diaspora from former French colonies, has also made it a treasure trove for second-hand clothes — but more on that later.

Marseille offers a refreshing financial reprieve for travellers familiar with prices in Paris or Bordeaux.

The average daily spend is about £88 (€100) here, compared to £130-£175 (€150-200) in the capital, while a meal at a mid-range restaurant will generally be under £18 (€20).

The city enjoys almost year-round sun, and given you can fly there for as little as £39 return this winter, there’s never been a better time to see what the fuss is all about.

Bad reputation

When I visited in mid-October, Marseille had a compellingly youthful feel and no sign of the bad reputation it was once notorious for.

Historically, it has been billed as France’s ‘most dangerous city’ and ranked as such by several crime indexes.

As recently as May 2024, the Financial Times ran a headline that read: ’Knives and Kalachnikovs’: Violent drug gangs torment French city of Marseille’

Marseille, indeed, faces challenges, from drug trafficking and armed robbery to corruption. But that does not mean this vibrant Provence port should be avoided. 

Yes, there are drugs and turf wars, just as there are in most major cities, but these are mainly played out in the northern neighbourhoods.

While researching for this article, I was advised to steer clear of housing estates in these quarters. But scary statistics promising the sketchiest encounters in Europe did not materialise.

Alongside the arrival of wealthy Parisians, Marseille’s renaissance has been driven by significant investment for major sporting events, including the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the sailing portion of the 2024 Olympics.

Investments included a state-of-the-art nautical stadium for the Olympics, upgrades to the Stade Vélodrome, and work on the Anse de la Reserve marina to accommodate water sports and football competitions.

All of this has given the city a fresh, revitalised sheen.

Marseille has also benefitted from the rise of ‘bleisure’ travel, a hybrid of business and personal pleasure travel that has grown in popularity as the boundaries between work and life blur ever deeper.

A city that attracts remote workers also attracts investors. Global hotel chains such as Sohoma – which manages about 70 hotels in France, including Marriott, Hilton and IHG franchise brands – are rapidly expanding their portfolios in Marseille, Nice and Lyon.

Stéphane Botz, partner and national director at KPMG France, agrees that regional cities are booming.

‘The drivers of this development are linked to recent social changes which have accelerated post-Covid, coupled with increased accessibility and better transport links — notably, the TGV (high-speed rail),’ he recently told Hotel Investment Today.

‘This has strengthened the attractiveness of these secondary cities in terms of business and leisure tourism, which makes these secondary cities destinations in their own right.’

It’s clear that, for the most part, Marseille is undeserving of its negative reputation. I felt safer on its streets after dark than I do near my home in east London.

I was greeted with smiling faces and friendly chat everywhere I went, and my new friend Gaëlle (whom I got talking to on a boat) summed it up nicely.

‘I’ve lived in Paris and London, and it’s different here. You take the bus, you sit for a coffee, and there is always someone next to you who wants to talk; who actually wants to listen. It’s special.’

On the second afternoon of our visit, my boyfriend left his wallet in a shop on Rue Saint-Ferréol, Marseille’s busiest thoroughfare, and only realised his mistake hours later.

A call to the store confirmed the wallet was in safe hands behind the counter, and it was returned with cards and euros intact.

Could you be sure of the same in Piccadilly Circus?

What to see and do in Marseille

We timed our visit for shoulder season, in part to dodge the holiday hordes and the searing heat, but also to see what Europe’s trendy new darling has to offer when tans start to fade.

And while summer might be the traditional time to visit, when the corniche and urban beaches are sizzling with events, I can confirm that Marseille, with its mix of art, music, and food, is a draw at any time of year.

It’s a message that locals are keen for the wider world to hear.

‘Our reputation has changed, especially since we hosted the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics,’ Anne Dallaporta, from Marseille’s Tourism Board, tells me over a lunch of octopus carpaccio — a local specialty.

‘We’ve proved it’s not a dangerous place, but now the biggest problem is seasonality.’

Marseille recorded 16.2 million overnight stays in 2023, but Anne says the vast majority of these were in the summer season.

‘We have too many people coming in the summer, and we need them to come in winter, too.’ I see no reason not to.

From October onwards, the weather becomes more manageable. Sweltering temperatures drop to a pleasant 20°C – 25°C and the sea remains warm enough for swimming in the calanques, the rocky coves that stretch from the city, along the Calanques national park, and on towards the town of Cassis. 

By November, the days may be shorter, but the glow of autumn sun lingers.

For culture vultures, there is a fascinating portfolio of museums (MuCEM for architecture and sea views, open-air MAUMA for emerging street art and La Cité Radieuse, a visionary mini-city that needs to be seen to be believed).

For nature lovers, there is Calanques National Park and dozens of spots to swim and picnic as the locals do (I recommend the rocks at Port de Malmousque and Vallon des Auffes).

For foodies, there is a smorgasbord of restaurants serving the best of what, amongst others, Senegal, Ghana, Tunisia, and Morocco have to offer.

Highlights for me include L’ABC (for sandwiches), L’écaillerie (for oysters), Chez Yassine (for cheap and cheerful North African delights), and Ile Degaby, an island restaurant in a glorious location only accessible by boat (though also only open from May to October).

There is, in short, something for everyone.

A good reason to visit

I’d watched a few TikToks about Marseille’s thrifting scene before my trip, but I wasn’t prepared for what is, in my opinion, the best second-hand clothing scene in Europe.

Digger Club, Out of Space, Kitsch and Bobby (personal favourite) are just some of the vintage shops that earn the city its fashion credentials.

All are beautifully curated, but more importantly, all are remarkably affordable.

I found immaculately preserved pieces, double-lined skirts and hand-embroidered shirts (made in France) for as little as €25.

You’re as likely to pick up a pair of pre-loved Prada mules as you are an unlabelled leather jacket, and everything is in mint condition.

For €100, I bought a pristine pure wool Acne jumper (RRP approx. €850), and I know I’ll be wearing it for years.

Paris might be the obvious choice for a shopping spree, but Marseille, from what I saw at least, is the smarter one.

Especially now, as a growing number of travellers are planning holidays around second-hand shopping.

Recent research from tourism analysts Bókun shows market and shopping tours have become the second most popular travel activity, only behind traditional sightseeing.

The trend, known as ‘thrift-tripping’, covers everything from vintage consignment boutiques to flea markets and charity shops.

Google search data reveals demand for market tours increased 61% over the past year, and searches for ‘Italy vintage markets’ and ‘thrifting in Bangkok’ jumped 1,000% between August and September alone, according to Bókun.

The shift coincides with broader sustainability concerns in tourism, with 93% of travellers saying they are keen to make more sustainable choices, according to a survey by Booking.com.

As trends go, it’s a welcome one; 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year, and less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing, resulting in over $100 billion in material value loss.

So really, all told, there’s never been a better time to visit Marseille. Go in winter before everyone else does (and bring an empty suitcase).

Alice Murphy was a guest of the Marseille Tourism Board.

This story was originally published on 18 October 2025, and has been updated with new details.

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