On the 3rd day of our 9-night, 11-day Western Mediterranean cruise, our day began in France Marseille. The day’s itinerary was packed, starting with Marseille Cathedral, followed by visits to Vieux Charité and Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica, and ending with a culinary exploration of local eateries.
Travel Dates: 2023.09.08 – 2023.09.18
Visited Locations: Marseille Cathedral, Vieux Charité, Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica, GLACIER BIO Le Metropole Vieux Port, La Tour de Pizz
After breakfast on the Costa Smeralda, we headed towards Marseille. We took a shuttle bus from the pier to reach the city center of Marseille.
The Grandeur of Marseille Cathedral
Marseille Cathedral (Cathédrale de la Major de Marseille) is located at Pl. de la Major, 13002 Marseille, France. Although it was undergoing renovation when we first saw it after getting off the shuttle bus, its magnificence was undeniable. The colossal structure in front of the cathedral made us feel as if we had stepped into another world, not unlike France Marseille.
Before climbing the stairs and in front of the cathedral, we tried our best to capture its overwhelming scale in photos. The view of the cathedral from the side boasted a grandeur that couldn’t be fully captured in pictures. The wide-angle function of my Galaxy smartphone truly shone here.
Vieux Charité, A Historic Museum
Located about a 10-minute walk from Marseille Cathedral, Vieux Charité (La Vieille Charité) is situated at 2 Rue de la Charité, 13002 Marseille, France. This place serves as a museum, and its grand architecture alone was enough to evoke admiration. While entry to the museum inside was paid, we were content with just exploring the exterior and using the free restrooms due to our schedule. We were once again amazed by its scale, which photos couldn’t fully convey.
A Panorama from Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica
After leaving Vieux Charité, we headed to Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica by taking the tourist train from Les Petits Trains de Marseille (2 Quai du Port, 13002 Marseille, France). This tourist train, much like an elephant train, allowed us to conveniently explore the major attractions of Marseille.
Notre-Dame de la Garde Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde) is located at Rue Fort du Sanctuaire, 13006 Marseille, France. While its exterior, viewed from a distance, gave a similar impression to Marseille Cathedral, the view of the city of Marseille from the top of the basilica was truly magnificent. We took a commemorative photo in front of the golden statue of Mary and, with excitement, purchased a magnet shaped like the Marseille Cathedral from the souvenir shop. With a little time to spare, we sat on the ground to rest and cool off from the heat.
The Flavors of Marseille: Gelato and Pizza
After taking the tourist train back down and a brief meeting, we decided to stay a bit longer in Marseille instead of returning to the ship with the group. Our half-day tour of Marseille ended quickly, but we used the remaining time to explore local eateries.
First, we savored our first gelato in Europe at GLACIER BIO Le Metropole Vieux Port (2 Pl. Gabriel Péri, 13001 Marseille, France). We chose two different flavors each, such as dark chocolate, mint, mango, and strawberry, and the flavors were incredibly rich. The mint flavor, in particular, offered an intensity far beyond what we’d tasted in Korea. Although it was a slight disappointment that the ice cream melted a bit due to the weak air conditioning inside the shop, it was still a satisfying experience. We also used the free restroom while buying our ice cream.
Next, we enjoyed pizza at La Tour de Pizz (12 Cr Jean Ballard, 13001 Marseille, France). At this highly-rated restaurant with a 4.8 Google Maps rating, we ordered Gorgonzola and mushroom pizza, which was by far the best pizza I’ve had recently. Each slice was as large as my face, so we ate until we were full. We also ordered bottled beer, and it was a bit of a shame that we ordered different types without a recommendation. While opinions seemed divided among Italians, I was very satisfied.
Evening and Entertainment on the Cruise
After finishing our activities in Marseille, we returned to the Costa Smeralda, freshened up, and immediately participated in a dance program. They taught us the basic steps, making it easy and fun to enjoy.
Afterward, we had a tour of the cruise ship with the tour leader. We explored various facilities, including a mini-museum, and gathered information to fully enjoy the cruise.
For dinner, we opted for the paid Japanese restaurant, Teppanyaki, provided by Lotte Tour. We had pre-selected our menu, and the appetizers and main courses were prepared. The teppanyaki show was very loud and lively, and the egg-tossing game for fried rice was especially fun for everyone. Among the main dishes, the shrimp were the most delicious, while the beef and squid were a bit salty. The dessert was too sweet.
After dinner, we enjoyed some low-stakes games at the Costa Smeralda casino. There were various types of slot machines, but since I didn’t know the rules well, I just ended up pressing buttons. We also watched a performance in the Colosseum Lounge, spending an enjoyable time. It was impressive how one team quickly changed costumes to present a variety of performances. I felt a sense of familiarity when the song ‘Thriller’ played.
