Marseille (pronounced - mar sayah) is France’s third largest city in terms of urban area population. Established 2600 years ago by the Greeks (Masallia) as a trading port, it has been one of Europe’s most significant port throughout history. Control of Marseille passed to the Romans in 49BC who further developed the city. After the decline of the Roman Empire the city came under the influence of various European powers until it was included as part of France in the 1480s. Modern Marseille has grown enormously after the Second World War with the influx immigrants from North Africa. The city’s growing pains have caused tension over the years and Marseille was a major hotspot in the recent riots that swept through France. For all that, Marseille is one of the liveliest and most diverse cities in Europe, blessed with a beautiful climate and a fascinating hinterland, it has powerful appeal. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is the historic heart of the city from where you can take a ferry to Chateau d’If, the island prison of the Count of Monte Christo.