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In HolidayCity Flash This Forthnight

Sometimes, your holiday destination can offer more than the usual museum tours, tired animals at the local zoos, ancient artifacts and large, impersonal shopping malls. Take Marseille, for example. One of the larger cities in France, Marseille has a rich history and culture that is the result of an influx of immigrants from different regions and countries that began hundreds of years ago.

“Le Emigres” in Marseille

The city of Marseille is a gateway for immigrants, and has been since its founding more than 2,000 years ago by the Greeks from the city of Phocea. Since then, it has been the gate of entry for immigrants from Italy, Modern Greece, Turkey and North Africa. In the 1980s, Marseille finally overtook Lyon as the second city of France. It is a fitting reflection of the changes in French society itself, as it makes the transition from the France of green pastures and traditional villages to a dynamic, multicultural society.

The historic quarters

The city is dominated by Vieux Port, the old port. A well protected harbour with a U-shaped bay, it is today mostly used by pleasure craft and other small vessels, with the main port now located further away at Port de la Joliette.

In the 1970s, the French Connection movie starring Gene Hackman, presented Marseille as a gritty gangster town where heroin operations supplied Americans with their fix of drugs. Marseille today is fast cleaning up its act, with much restoration going on in the inner city neighbourhoods. But if you really must catch some of the scenes from the movie, you can. The La Samaritaine is located at a corner lot facing the Vieux Port docks, on the Rue de la Republique. It was in the opening shot for the movie, and still looks much as it did then. With bright umbrellas and canvas awnings, you can sit down to enjoy the people coming and going. No hints of sinister events anymore, but apart from that, everything else looks old enough to have seen the comings and goings of this city — the decor, the traditional menu and the haughty demeanour of the waiters.

The old quarter known as La Panier (pic above), or the breadbasket in English, is a medieval district with virtually unmapped streets and an ideal hideout. You can take a ride in what may well be the world’s shortest ferry — a two minute boat ride across the Vieux Port — to reach La Panier. In the French Connection, a man is shot in a doorway, after which the killer breaks off a baguette coolly while making his escape. Today, as you make your way along the cobblestone roads you walk into a neighbourhood which has long served as a haven for refugees. During the Second World War, Jews from around Europe huddled here, causing the authorities to plan the overnight destruction of a large swathe of the houses and streets. Today, you might come across Tunisians, Algerians or West Africans plying their wares or cuisine in these narrow streets.

The dish of Marseille is Bouillabaisse, fittingly a fish soup with a hint of saffron. Once, in the past, the soup was made of discarded fish parts which made for a cheap diet affordable by fisherman and dockworkers. Today, it is considered a fine food, and there is a rule several types of fish must be used — usually six, from a variety of scorpion fish, dory and monkfish. In the grand French tradition of exacting standards for cooking, a “Bouillabaisse Charter” was drafted to ensure that certain standards, such as the number of fish types required, had to be met in order for a dish to qualify as authentic bouillabaisse. Le Ruhl, a restaurant located in Corniche John F. Kennedy, set the original standards, and is frequented by President Chirac.

Read more about Marseille and its unique characteristics

Las Vegas Featured Hotel

New Hotel Select Marseille

Ideally situated in Marseille city centre, New Hotel Select Marseille is only a few steps from the Saint Charles new train station and its TGV (high-speed train), from the famous avenue the Canebiere and 5 minutes walking from the Vieux Port.

The underground (Saint Charles or Noailles stop station) is nearby New Hotel Select Marseille, and Gambetta car park is in front of the hotel. All of this illustrates the practicality of the hotel. Free Internet access at reception and Free WIFI is available at reception hall.

All the New Hotel Select Marseille 45 standard rooms and 15 superior rooms are equipped to the same high standard of comfort, soundproofed and air-conditioned.

Enjoy a copious breakfast in the peace and quiet of the New Hotel Select Marseille interior garden available from 7 to 10.30 am.

Rates from EUR61. Find rates for other Marseille hotels here.

 

Destination Information

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Check the Destination Info Pages for the following:
 

Things To See & Do - What to do and see
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Airport Transfer Information -
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It's always better to do your homework before you travel so that you can plan ahead and make full use of your time. Read about some of the more exciting destinations in the world at
HolidayCity.com.

From One End of Orchard Road to the Other
The Old-World Charms of Myanmar
Hong Kong and the Business of Luck
Falling in Love with Cyprus
Perth’s Getaway Islands
Ratanakiri – Jewel Mine of Cambodia
Hans Christian Andersen - the Storyteller and his city
Tokyo - a kaleidoscope of a shopping paradise
Adventure to Samaria Gorge
Going on a Lord of the Rings Tour in Wellington

 

 

 

For more articles, just click on any of the cities listed below.

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Travellers' Tips and Advice

No matter how well prepared you are, it's always good to check out what other travellers have to say about what to do during an emergency, how to pack to avoid extra baggage fees and other helpful advice. Check out some of the best tips from our guests.
 

Ocean City, Maryland: This place has an excellent beach, there is a boardwalk and a mini amusement park along the boardwalk. You have a choose of riding the bumper boats or going go-kart racing, there is just so much to do. And the best feature is that the area is not congested with many tourists; if you just want to enjoy a quiet walk on the beach or along the boardwalk, you can.
- Magic Doyle, USA

 

Leyte Park Beach Resort, Marabut E. Samar is the place for unwinding and you can see fish with clear water and eat freshly grilled fish. Enjoy the kayaking and scuba diving here. You’ll see beautiful scenes here, no pollution just natural beauty!
- Elena O. Go, Philippines

 

Penang is a beautiful place for you to enjoy your holiday, especially the Gurney Drive and the hawker stalls in front the Sunway hotel.
- Ooi Kheng Keat, Malaysia

 

 

Pulau Lang Tengah, Malaysia. If you're looking for a quiet place to spend some quality time together with someone special, this is the place for you. Just like Pulau Redang, this island have got some stunning beaches but the difference is this island has got less crowd.
- V-Siang, Malaysia
 

Pangkor Island ! I feel Pangkor is a very beautiful island.It's very relaxing and the waters are clean. The recommended stay is Coral Bay Resort and the hotel is neary all the shops and restaurants and the people around there are very friendly. Pangkor !
- Jackie Ooi, Malaysia

 

Hong Kong is ideal for family fun because there are theme parks for thrills, nature walks through the hills, quaint islands to explore not forgetting shopping galore!
- Angeline Shoba Lourdisamy, Malaysia

Great place to spend week-end after hard business and place to unwind: Bintan at the Nirwana Gardens, Mayang Sari Beach Resort; your own place on the beach to stay, listen to the waves, peaceful, watch the sunset and eat great food, a place to recharge.
- Isabella Duncan, Singapore

 

Pulau Lang Tengah is among the most beautiful island in Malaysia. Open for visiting from Mar to Oct every year, the white sandy beaches with a flour-like feel is the perfect spot for relaxation and de-stressing from your everyday, hectic schedule. Take some time to join the resort's snorkeling activities - the exotic corals and fishes visible through crystal clear waters will amaze you. And if you are lucky enough, you might just bump into one or two turtles looking for food near the island. When night falls, enjoy the peaceful sounds of the ocean as you stroll along the long stretch of beach. This is a place not to be missed if you visit Malaysia.
- Lim Yeong Tah, Malaysia

 

 

My husband and I have just returned from Budapest. What a great town! Stayed at the Fortuna Boat Hotel. Small room but great staff, a wonderfully unusual restaurant and a nice breakfast. Had the romantic dinner for 2. Excellent food and service here in Hungary. Many nice restaurants are within walking distance in Buda and Pest. We walked around in both halves of the city and took in many great sights. We also bought plenty of handmade gifts. We are already planning our return trip and I can't wait for some more goulash soup!!! PS Very reasonable prices still.
- Marjorie Grillo, Italy

 

 

Spent a wonderful weekend at the Charville Hotel in the Rathmines area of Dublin, courtesy of HolidayCity. The Hotel is now called the Days Hotel. One tip is to get the local buses (16a or 16c) to and from the airport to the city centre. They are much cheaper then the airport express buses (1.65 Euros as opposed to 5-6 Euros) and you do see more of the outskirts of the city along the way.
- Trish Webster
 

  Click on the categories below for more travel tips:  

Recommended!

Getting Around

Cultures & Customs

Family Friendly

Medicine & Health

Things to Do

Eating Out

Travel Smart

Packing

Safety Advisory

 

Do you have any tip or anecdote on traveling that you’d like to share with us? If so, write and tell us at hanim@holidaycity.com. If it is interesting, we’ll feature it under our Travel Tips! Just make sure you include your name or pseudonym and which country you’re from!

Other Travel Essentials

Before You Go ... planning & preparations before going on your holiday.

While on Holiday ... what to look out for while being on your holiday.

The Other Side of Travel ... travel anecdotes submitted by our readers.

 

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E-Contest - 3D/2N Stay at Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur Up for Grab!


Check out how you can win a 3D/2N stay at Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur on our Contest page.
 

Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is one of Malaysia's luxury business hotels situated within the Golden Triangle, the capital's main commercial and retail district as well as the home of Kuala Lumpur sky-scrappers. Its central location makes it ideal for business and leisure, with iconic landmarks within walking distance such as the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Tower. A step away from the Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is the trendy Bintang Walk, a half-kilometer stretch offering an outstanding variety of food and entertainment outlets, as well as major shopping malls with over 3,000 shops and the newly-acclaimed Pavilion shopping complex adjacent to the hotel.