A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Galway vs. Marseille for Food, Nightlife, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit Galway or Marseille?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Galway and Marseille can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Galway

Galway is a friendly, cultural, and historical city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Marseille

Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. It's also known for nightlife, food, and beaches.

Galway and Marseille: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Galway or Marseille?

You'll generally find more things to do in Marseille than Galway. Marseille is bigger than Galway, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Marseille is better known for its food, nightlife, beaches, historical sights, shopping, christmas markets, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Galway is more popular for its museums and big city activities. Marseille is more touristy than Galway and is popular for its unique history, its diverse population, and its authenticity. Also, Marseille is famous for The Vieux Port. Galway is well known for its many festivals, its traditional pubs, and its live Irish folk music.

How is Galway different from Marseille?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Marseille and Galway. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Galway or Marseille?

Galway is a nice place to visit for its museums and history. However, Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Galway. Popular landmarks and sights in town include Eyre Square, St. Nicholas' Church, the Galway Cathedral, and the Galway City Museum.

Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Galway or Marseille? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Marseille is an unbeatable place for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

Many restaurants in Marseille have been singled out for their culinary prowess. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.

Galway has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. There are local pubs and traditional restaurants offering authentic Irish dishes. Popular options include Irish Stew, Cockles and Mussels, and Galway Oysters.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Nightlife?

Marseille is an unbeatable place for nightlife. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for nightlife and partying.

The nightlife in Marseille is well established with world renowned clubs and venues. Much of the city's nightlife is centered around being outdoors. Whether you're on the beach or hanging out at a rooftop bar, Marseille is a magical place.

Galway has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. The nightlife scene is among the best in Ireland. The city embraces the friendly Irish hospitality and there are laid back pubs and bars around town as well as a few trendy nightclubs.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Beaches?

Marseille is a city with good options for its beaches. However, Galway is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Marseille. The city has nice beaches that offer both culture and diversity, which may be lacking some other coastal parts of the French Riviera.

Galway is not a beach destination.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for its Old Town?

Marseille is an unbeatable place for its historic old town. However, Galway does not have a historic old town.

With a famous historical old-town, Marseille offers plenty to see. The Old Port is filled with shops and boutiques, and is the most scenic part of the city. It dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with history and character.

Galway does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Galway or Marseille?

Marseille is notable for shopping. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping opportunities.

Marseille is an extremely popular place for shoppers. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Galway. You'll find shopping both in the city center as well as at suburban shopping malls. For some of the best shopping head to The Latin Quarter, The Westend or the outdoor market which is found in Church lane by St Nicholas' Church.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Christmas Markets?

Marseille is a city with good options for its Christmas markets. However, Galway does not offer Christmas markets.

Marseille is a nice place to see Christmas markets. The old town has a Christmas craft market where you can buy toys, Christmas treats, or decorations.

Galway does not offer Christmas markets.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Families?

Galway is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Marseille is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

Galway is a family-friendly city. Kids will enjoy the National Aquarium Galway or simply wandering around the Latin Quarter. About 15 minutes outside of the city is the Wildlands Adventure Park which has ziplines, ropes courses, and other adrenaline filled activities. Brigit's Garden is another fun place to let kids stretch their legs.

Marseille doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. Nearby beaches and an outdoor climbing area make it a diverse city to visit with kids.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Couples?

Marseille is notable for romance. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its romantic activities.

Marseille is a very popular place to visit for couples. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.

Galway makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are nice restaurants, beautiful walks, and a few parks to explore. There are also several romantic places just outside of town that make for a great day trip.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Galway is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Marseille is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Galway. There are plenty of hostels in the area and it's easy to meet other travelers.

Marseille is a good city to visit for backpackers. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Students?

Marseille is notable for students. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its student-friendly activities.

Students come from all over to stay in Marseille. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.

Plenty of students visit Galway. The city has a solid student population with a number of activities and entertainment options.

Is Galway or Marseille Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Galway and Marseille offer notable public transit options.

Galway has a few public transit options. There are two bus companies in Galway, Bus Eireann and City Direct.

Marseille has some public transit options. The city has trams, a metro, and buses that you can use to explore.

Is Galway or Marseille a more walkable city?

Galway and Marseille both are high quality when exploring on foot.

Galway is very walkable. If you stay in central Galway, the area is generally compact and walkable.

Marseille is a very walkable city. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is particularly walkable and is one of the best areas to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Galway Worth Visiting? and Is Marseille Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Marseille or Galway?

How long in Galway or Marseille?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Galway and Marseille. In our opinion, Marseille has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Marseille than Galway. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Galway than Marseille. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Galway, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Marseille than Galway. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Marseille that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Marseille than Galway if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Marseille.

One day in Galway or Marseille?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Galway. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Many travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the quaint destination of Marseille. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Galway or Marseille?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the vibrant destination of Galway. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Marseille is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Galway or Marseille?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the lively city of Galway. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Marseille. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Galway or Marseille?

Galway is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the energetic destination of Marseille. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Ireland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Ireland, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.

When comparing the travel costs between Galway and Marseille, we can see that Marseille is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Galway Expensive? and Is Marseille Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Galway or Marseille?

Marseille has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Galway. When comparing the sizes of Galway and Marseille, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Galway or Marseille?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Galway or Marseille in the Summer?

Both Marseille and Galway during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Galway for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Marseille because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Galway is generally much colder than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Galway average around 16°C (60°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Galway often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Galway gets 142 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 366 hours of full sun.

Galway usually gets more rain in July than Marseille. Galway gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Galway or Marseille in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Galway and Marseille. The autumn months attract visitors to Galway because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Also, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Marseille this time of year.

Galway is cooler than Marseille in the autumn. The daily temperature in Galway averages around 11°C (52°F) in October, and Marseille fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Marseille this time of the year. Galway usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during autumn. Galway gets 96 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 205 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Galway gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Galway usually receives more rain than Marseille. Galway gets 142 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Galway or Marseille in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Galway as well as Marseille. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Galway this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

In the winter, Galway is cooler than Marseille. Typically, the winter temperatures in Galway in January average around 6°C (42°F), and Marseille averages at about 7°C (44°F).

In the winter, Galway often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Galway gets 59 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 150 hours of full sun.

Galway receives a lot of rain in the winter. Galway usually gets more rain in January than Marseille. Galway gets 116 mm (4.6 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Galway or Marseille in the Spring?

Both Marseille and Galway are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Galway for the activities around the city. Also, many visitors come to Marseille in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.

In April, Galway is generally cooler than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Galway average around 9°C (48°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).

It's quite sunny in Marseille. Galway usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during spring. Galway gets 153 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 245 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Galway usually receives more rain than Marseille. Galway gets 52 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Marseille and Galway