A Travel Price Comparison for France Marseille vs. Calais for Food, Nightlife, Couples, and Beaches

Should you visit Marseille or Calais?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Marseille or Calais, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Marseille

Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. Other popular activities here include beaches, shopping, and nightlife.

Calais

Calais is a coastal, authentic, and undiscovered city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Marseille and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Marseille or Calais?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Marseille than Calais. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Marseille is very popular for its food, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, christmas markets, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Calais attracts visitors for its museums and big city activities. Marseille is more touristy than Calais and is popular for its unique history, its diverse population, and its authenticity. It is also well known for The Vieux Port. Calais is famous for being a gateway for travelers to France.

How is Marseille different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Calais 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 Calais. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

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

Marseille is a must-visit destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

For foodies, Marseille is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Calais. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Nightlife?

Marseille is a must-visit destination for its evening party scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

Marseille is a world class party destination. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Calais has a few options to choose from. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Beaches?

Both Marseille and Calais have nice beaches worth visiting.

Marseille has a beach worth visiting. The city has nice beaches that offer both culture and diversity, which may be lacking some other coastal parts of the French Riviera.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Calais. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for its Old Town?

Marseille is a must-visit destination for its historic old town charm. However, Calais does not have a historic old town.

The rich history of Marseille can be explored in its historical center. 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.

Calais does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Marseille or Calais?

Marseille is well known for its shopping areas. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Marseille. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Calais. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Christmas Markets?

Marseille is a popular place for its Christmas markets. However, Calais does not offer Christmas markets.

Many visitors go to the Christmas markets in Marseille. The old town has a Christmas craft market where you can buy toys, Christmas treats, or decorations.

Calais does not offer Christmas markets.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Families?

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

Calais is a family-friendly city. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

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 Marseille or Calais Better for Couples?

Marseille is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Marseille frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Marseille is a popular place for backpackers. However, Calais is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Marseille. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.

Calais is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. This part of France is often overlooked by tourists so you won't find many backpackers or hostels in the area. It does offer a glimpse into an authentic side of France.

Is Marseille or Calais Better for Students?

Marseille is well known for students. However, Calais is not popular with students.

Marseille is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.

Calais is not popular with students.

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

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Marseille and Calais.

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

You'll find some public transit in Calais, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

Is Marseille or Calais a more walkable city?

Marseille is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

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

Calais is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

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

Should I spend more time in Calais or Marseille?

How long in Marseille or Calais?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Marseille and Calais. In our opinion, Marseille has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Marseille than Calais. In general, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Marseille, and 1-3 days is enough time in Calais.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Marseille than Calais 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 Marseille or Calais?

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.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Calais. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Calais has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Marseille or Calais?

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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the undiscovered destination of Calais. 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.

Five days in Marseille or Calais?

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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the coastal city of Calais. 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.

A week in Marseille or Calais?

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.

Calais 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to France, The Best G Adventures Tours to France, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Paris, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris.

When comparing the travel costs between Marseille and Calais, 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 Marseille Expensive? and Is Calais Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Marseille or Calais?

Marseille has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Calais. When comparing the sizes of Marseille and Calais, 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 Marseille or Calais?

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 Marseille or Calais in the Summer?

Both Calais and Marseille during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Marseille in the summer for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, most visitors come to Calais for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

Marseille is a little warmer than Calais in the summer. The daily temperature in Marseille averages around 24°C (75°F) in July, and Calais fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

In Calais, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Marseille. In the summer, Marseille often gets more sunshine than Calais. Marseille gets 366 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 212 hours of full sun.

Marseille usually gets less rain in July than Calais. Marseille gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Calais receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Marseille or Calais in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Marseille and Calais. Most visitors come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Calais because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Marseille is a little warmer than Calais. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Marseille in October average around 16°C (61°F), and Calais averages at about 12°C (54°F).

In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. Marseille usually receives more sunshine than Calais during autumn. Marseille gets 205 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 119 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Marseille usually receives more rain than Calais. Marseille gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Calais receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Marseille or Calais in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Marseille as well as Calais. The winter months attract visitors to Marseille because of the shopping scene and the cuisine. Additionally, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Calais this time of year.

It's quite cold in Calais in the winter. In January, Marseille is generally much warmer than Calais. Daily temperatures in Marseille average around 7°C (44°F), and Calais fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

In the winter, Marseille often gets more sunshine than Calais. Marseille gets 150 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 57 hours of full sun.

Marseille usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Calais. Marseille gets 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Calais receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Marseille or Calais in the Spring?

Both Calais and Marseille are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Marseille this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Calais for the beaches and the activities around the city.

Marseille is much warmer than Calais in the spring. The daily temperature in Marseille averages around 13°C (56°F) in April, and Calais fluctuates around 9°C (47°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Marseille. Marseille usually receives more sunshine than Calais during spring. Marseille gets 245 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 162 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Marseille usually receives more rain than Calais. Marseille gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Calais receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Calais and Marseille