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Like the hostels of its popular cousin Paris, Marseille hostels are spread out, decentralized from the main downtown section of the city. Maybe this is because the design of Marseille is distantly related to Paris's or maybe this is because Marseille has more to offer than just the waterfront views of the Mediterranean, either way, choosing a hostel in Marseille will be a good choice for your trip.

Although Marseille's hostels are spread throughout the city, there is a higher concentration of them downtown near the water. The warm Mediterranean is enough of a draw that, yes, just a few more people want to stay near it in the summer.

Marseille has a good bus and train system, but if you want to get to a sight early, there is probably a closer hostel than those downtown. Marseille's many churches, temples and architecturally beautiful buildings are spread throughout the city and seeing them all can take the majority of one visit.

That being said, if you want to get to the ocean in a timely manner, the most conveniently located are at the city center, a short trip from the sea and closer to the bars and clubs that line the Mediterranean.

Like hostels for backpackers throughout Europe, security can be an issue. While more and more hostels are offering private rooms with shared bathrooms and showers at a lower price, the cheapest beds in Marseille will always be the dorm-style bunk beds that youth hostels are traditionally known for. Many hostels provide a cabinet for locking up valuables in the rooms, but the traveler is responsible for bringing their own padlock and key. Some hostels rent padlocks too.

Generally though, the atmosphere at hostels in Marseille is a positive, friendly one. Everyone has been traveling, everyone is on vacation, and most everyone has stories to tell from their travels. Stories and drinking can last well into the night as tall-tales get passed around and sometimes these groups can turn into traveling buddies for the rest of your trip. Find someone who knows the city better than you and speaks the language for a completely different experience of Marseille than you would have had otherwise.

Marseille hostels do not generally have curfews or wake up times, although check out time is strictly enforced so that the next batch of travelers can check in. Hostels can sometimes get crowded, especially in the backpacker heavy summer months, but booking online ahead of time will put your name at the top of the list on your arrival date and so you can travel without worrying that you will not have a bed to sleep in when you arrive.

Booking ahead of time also gives you the option to shop around for the best rate on a hostel. Marseille's hostels receive a lot of traffic and hostel rates start at 14 Euros per night. This price quickly jumps to 35 Euros for a hotel room, or 20 Euros for a private room in a hostel.

Hostels in France (Marseille)