A lot of French people – and not just Parisians – will tell you to forget about Marseille. They say it's dodgy, ugly, grimy, not worth the hassle. Chances are these arch-critics haven't been for a while – if at all. And when you're taking in the awesome views from the serene gardens of Palais du Pharo, a clifftop palace built for Napoleon III overlooking Marseille's historic harbour, you'll be glad you ignored their advice. See palaisdupharo.marseille.fr

2. SEE MuCEM

Unveiled to mark Marseille's year as 2013 European Capital of Culture, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations is a  waterfront spectacle crafted by local Algerian-born "starchitect" Rudy Ricciotti. Linked by footbridge to Fort Saint-Jean, a maze-like 17th century stronghold constructed for Louis XIV, MuCEM won the 2015 Council of Europe Museum Prize. Its permanent thematic galleries are boosted by temporary exhibitions addressing age-old and topical issues such as pan-Mediterranean migration – a subject close to Marseille's heart. At least 30 per cent of the city's 850,000 population is of North African heritage. See mucem.org

3. EAT LE PETIT NICE

Queues are not uncommon outside MuCEM's in-house eateries, whose menus are honed by Marseille celebrity chef Gerald Passedat. He's most famed for Le Petit Nice, a three-Michelin-star restaurant that's been in the family for three generations. Seafood is the speciality at this Mediterranean villa-cum-boutique hotel, including a funky twist on bouillabaisse, which originated in Marseille. It's $274 – about triple the price of a regular decent bouillabaisse. See passedat.fr

4. WALK THE CORNICHE

Le Petit Nice is just off the Corniche, the coast-hugging road that winds five kilometres south of central Marseille. Its promenade is usually a pleasant, sun-kissed place for a stroll or jog, with a cluster of beaches to visit, including the sandy, sporty Plage du Prophete, where locals gather to watch the sunset while munching pizza (Marseille, it's said, is more like Naples than Paris). Prefer to cycle by the sea? Hire bikes from the city's Le Velo scheme. See en.levelo-mpm.fr

5. EAT L'EPUISETTE

Another alluring diversion by the Corniche is Vallon des Auffes, a cute little harbour nestled under a viaduct. It's a photogenic collusion of timeworn fishermen's cottages, brightly painted fishing boats and tantalising restaurants, such as L'Epuisette, which has one Michelin star and a reputation for classy, but unfussy Mediterranean fare. Try the lobster tajine or poached turbot with veal cheek and truffle potatoes. See l-epuisette.fr

6. STAY MAMA SHELTER

The fingerprints of Philippe Starck are all over this stylish but reasonably priced hotel, part of a French boutique chain that has also opened outlets in Istanbul and LA. Near the arty Cours Julien neighbourhood, Mama Shelter Marseille has 127 rooms, a brunch-worthy restaurant and hip bar with foosball table. Luxe bed, breakfast and MuCEM entry packages from $155. See mamashelter.com/en/marseille

7. SEE VIEUX PORT

Some of the most important moments in Marseille's history played out in its old port – not least when Phoenician Greek sailors settled here, founding the city, in 600BC. You'll still see – and smell – fishermen hawking their catches by the water, but the area is more polished and leisure-focused these days. Fringing the yacht-packed waterfront are terrace cafes, kitsch bars, Celtic-tinged pubs, souvenir stores and the Ombriere, a flashy new mirror-roofed sunshade and selfie magnet created by Sir Norman Foster. 

8. SAIL THE FRIOUL ARCHIPELAGO

Tourist vessels regularly depart Vieux Port for this parched archipelago anchored a few kilometres offshore. The most famous island is d'If, where the fictional protagonist in Alexandre Dumas' The Count Of Monte Cristo was incarcerated. You can tour this former fortress-prison known as Marseille's Alcatraz. Joined by causeway, the two biggest Friol islands – Ratonneau and Pomegues – are fringed by crystal-clear bays, so bring your bathers. See frioul-if-express.com

9. SHOP LES DOCKS

Stretching north of Marseille's candy-striped Catholic cathedral is the city's present-day port (one of the busiest in Europe). Blocks of previously derelict harbourside buildings have been restored as part of the waterfront's ongoing regeneration, with Les Docks the latest flagship project. Opened in September in a converted warehouse, it shelters more than 80 boutiques and restaurants and holds free concerts and art exhibitions. See lesdocks-marseille.com

10. DRINK LE ROOFTOP

Looking to mingle with a good-looking crowd? On summer evenings, make a beeline for Le Rooftop, a chic bar perched atop Les Terrasses du Port, another new mall in the port district. As the sun drops into the Mediterranean, DJs spin dance and soul tunes, mixologists drum up zesty cocktails and vendors ply punters with "upmarket" fast food. See lesterrassesduport.com

11. WATCH OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE

Formed in 1899, the only French club to win the European Champions League, Les Phoceens, as Marseille is nicknamed, currently linger in the shadow of cashed-up Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain, but their fans remain the country's most passionate. Soak up the atmosphere at Stade Velodrome, where league games are played between late August and May. This recently upgraded arena will be one of the key venues for Euro 2016, a football competition that France is hosting from June 10 to July 11. See om.net/en

12. STAY INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL DIEU

A graceful, yet modern air pervades this five-star hilltop hotel, which opened in 2013 in a renovated hospital. Period architecture has been preserved, such as curved archways, wrought iron banisters and even an excavated Roman mosaic, but there's plenty of contemporary flair, including a Clarins spa with an indoor swimming pool, and a gourmet Michelin-starred restaurant (the Alcyone). Rooms priced from around  $269. See marseille.intercontinental.com/en

13. WALK LE PANIER

Le Panier's sloping, cobbled lanes and bohemian, multi-cultural vibes have earned it the moniker Marseille's Montmartre. Though increasingly gentrified and home to trendy boutiques and courtyard restaurants, it's still an atmospheric, absorbing place in which to get lost – a graffiti-splattered district curried with Arabic chatter and the scent of grilled sardines and merguez, a spicy North African sausage. You might recognise some of Le Panier from The French Connection, the 1971 movie partially shot in Marseille (and showcased the city as an international hub of heroin trafficking).

14. EAT LES DELICES DE L'EVECHE

One of my most satisfying Marseille memories? Ambling out of this down-to-earth Le Panier boulangerie clutching a warm bag of freshly-baked croissants and pain au chocolat. Terrific value for money – you'll get 10 melt-in-the-mouth pastries for about $11. Les Delices de L'Eveche is decorated with bygone pictures and calorific cakes. It's at 31 Rue de l'Eveche, just north of cafe-framed Place de Lenche. 

15. SHOP PLACE DES HUILES

Hundreds of Marseillaise stalls and shopfronts flaunt the sensory-pleasing flavours of Provence. Tucked down a side street off the Vieux Port, Place des Huiles – set in a former art gallery – is a haven of quality gifts, selling an array of aromatic soap cubes and extra virgin olive oils cultivated in the region. See placedeshuiles.com. Le Comptoir O Huiles in Le Panier (38 rue Sainte Francoise) is another oil connoisseur worth seeking out.

16. DRINK LA MAISON DU PASTIS

You can't leave Marseille without trying pastis. This mouth-warming aperitif, spiked with herbs and anise and usually diluted with cold water and ice, was apparently first concocted in the city in the 1930s. It's available in most Marseille bars, but La Maison du Pastis is the doyen, stocking almost 100 types of pastis and absinthe. See lamaisondupastis.com

17. SEE NOTRE DAME DE LA GARDE

Sprouting from Marseille's loftiest hill, over the foundations of an ancient fort, Notre Dame de la Garde – or La Bonne Mere (The Good Mother), as locals call this flamboyant Neo-Byzantine basilica – is the city's spiritual protector. Illuminated at night and capped by a gold statue of Madonna and child, it has an eclectic interior with models of boats dangling from the ceiling. Sailors and fishermen used to pray at La Bonne Mere for safe voyage and good fortune. It's quite a trek up, but the views are magnificent – and you can take a tourist train here from the city centre. See notredamedelagarde.com

18. EAT AM PAR ALEXANDRE MAZZIA 

Run by acclaimed young chef Alexandre Mazzia, one of Marseille's most talked-about new restaurants is a purveyor of creative dishes such as mackerel satay in tapioca broth, red mullet on broccoli puree with chocolate and cherry, and hake with mashed carrot, marigold petals, eggnog in rice vinegar and cumin. The lunch menu is $55 – not bad for a Michelin-starred joint. Reservations are recommended. Seating just 24 people, this discreet venue is in the residential eighth arrondissement off Rue Paradis (one of the best shopping stretches in Marseille). See alexandremazzia.com 

19. SEE LES CALANQUES

Set aside at least half a day to roam this captivating coastal area on the city's eastern limits. Labelled the "Mediterranean fjords", Les Calanques are a series of emerald-turquoise-toned creeks and coves lorded over by dramatic limestone cliffs. You can hike down via steep, pine-dotted trails, but you'll see more from the sea. Boats venture here from the Vieux Port. For solitude from the busiest bays, charter a yacht. See boatbookings.com

20. GO EXOTIC ESCAPES

You'll struggle to believe it when you're caught up in Marseille's chaotic street souks and traffic-clogged avenues, but the lavender-laden Provencal countryside is just a half-hour drive away. So, too, is Cassis – one of a string of pretty seaside towns heading towards Nice. A popular port for cruise ships, Marseille has ferry services to Corsica, Algeria and Tunisia. See sncm.fr

Steve McKenna travelled to Marseille at his own expense. 

MORE INFORMATION 

See marseille-tourisme.com