Marseille
Winning the title ‘European Capital of Culture 2013’ led to a mini cultural revolution for Marseille-Provence, one they are still inviting us all to share. In all some 900 arts projects took place that year in the Phoenician city founded 2,600 years ago. It mobilised everyone to bring their region to life and “make from this mosaic a coherent tableau”. Always worth a visit for the revamped old port with its squares, restaurants and theatres, for its history (La Canebière, the ferry-boat), its heroes, be they historic, literary or athletes, and the MuCEM (museum) a symbol of the new waterfront which drew 1.6 million visitors in its first year.