The oldest and the coziest district of Marseille in the northern end of the Old Port.
Head over to the site where the Greeks founded the city in 600 B.C., naming it Massalia. Nowadays the district is called Le Panier (the basket), taking its name from the sign of the 17th century inn on the present Rue de Panier. During World War II the area was seriously damaged and afterwards rebuilt.
Be sure to get lost in the narrow streets of the district. Here you can find a lot of cozy cafes, craft shops, galleries and enjoy a village-like atmosphere, typical of southern France which is rare in the big city of Marseille. Be sure to climb up the Montée des Accoules, visit the lovely Place des Moulins, grab a bite in one of the restaurants on the Place de Lenche while looking at the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. Also in the maze of narrow streets try to find the magnificent Vieille Charité, a former almshouse (a charitable public institution for the poor, the homeless or the aged), which was built between 1671 and 1749 in Baroque style and designed by the famous Marseille architect Pierre Puget. Nowadays the building houses two museums: Musée d'archéologie méditerranéenne and Musée d'Arts Africains, Océaniens, Amérindiens (MAAO). For unique gifts and souvenirs Le Bazar de César and UndARTground are the places to go.