The Old Port is the hub of Marseilles, lined by its quais, filled with fishing boats and yachts, and surrounded by small streets teeming with seafood restaurants and shops. The Quai des Belges, at the end of the port, hosts a fish market, every morning of the week, that has a life of its own. The wide quais are popular places for leisurely strolling, and the many terrace cafés opposite provide handy "rest stops" for when you're tired of walking. You can even make a "loop" of the Old Port, walking around three sides and taking the little ferryboat across from one side to the other.

The Old Port inlet was used as a landing site by the Phocaeans in 600 BC, and remained the center of maritime activity until the 19th century, when the modern port was built to handle the large steamships. The quais, so popular as promenades today, were built by kings Louis XII and Louis XIII.

The La Major Cathedrals are northwest of the Old Port, near the Gare Maritime.

Near the northeast corner is the Bourse (stock exchange), the archaeological Garden of Ruins and the city's central "mall", the "Centre Bourse". The Historical Museum of Marseilles is beside the Garden of Ruins, actually inside the"Centre Bourse".