Tourlan on my own? Will I be disappointed

[buzzandjulie]

Thinking of just getting off ship and exploring is there anything to see within walking distance

[Hlitner]

Yes, you will be disappointed.

 

Hank

[buzzandjulie]

Is there anything at all to see or should we just stay on ship

[Scrappytraveller]

Hi B&J, we dock in La Seyne Sur Mer and if you don't want to do an excursion, you'd probably still enjoy getting off the ship for a little while. Rick Steves has this to say about La Seyne :

"it's a modern and easygoing harbor town with a big park, relaxed marina, and a fine waterfront promenade. From the cruise port, it's a 20 minute walk to the town center."

 

Heck it's still france, worst you could do is spend your time eating! :p

Cheese, baguette, pastries, gelato... So many yummy things.

 

I don't know, never been there, but should be worth a walk. I was thinking of doing the ship's transfer to aix and then walking around town for an hour or two since it's not a full day.

[buzzandjulie]

My thoughts but also read a small train unfortunately December may be too late in the season.

[Hlitner]

Is there anything at all to see or should we just stay on ship

 

 

We have oft posted our puzzlement that any cruise line would use Toulon as a port since nearby Marseille is much better located. If you want to take a cruise and spend your port time onboard you can save some money by taking a cruise closer to home or just staying home. Toulon gives you access to some parts of Provence which is probably the 2nd most popular (and visited) part of France (Paris would certainly be first). If you want a relatively relaxing day you might want to consider making your way to Aix en Provence by excursion, rental car, or public transportation.

 

Hank

[Lsimon]

We stopped in Toulon on the last day of a Med cruise from Barcelona on Celebrity two years ago. We didn't want to do a long tour as we wanted to get back in time to pack up before dinner, so we just set out on our own.

 

There was a street that was lined with shops including local farmers market type stalls. Most of the shops were more targeted at locals and not what I'd expect to attract tourists. The waterfront is a small boat/yacht harbor and was lined with nice looking outdoor cafes - that was a big plus and a nice area for lunch. Otherwise we didn't see much in the area. Other than a pleasant lunch along the waterfront I'd say the town was OK but not great, but overall the day was satisfactory for what we had in mind. I understand there is also a funicular that runs up the hills above the town that has a nice view but we didn't make it there. If we were going back and planned on spending more than a few hours in port I think I'd plan an excursion to one of the nicer tourist oriented towns away from Toulon.

 

One other point: There are two areas where cruise ships dock. A dock area close to the main town waterfront (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile walk) and a dock area across the bay. Our ship docked across the bay. There was a free shuttle offering transportation to town. We took that in despite a line with about a 1/2 hour wait. The trip itself took about 15 minutes and they passed right by the heart of town and took us into the other dock area a 10 or 15 minute walk away - seemed a bit of a waste.

 

After lunch we took a ferry back right from the waterfront near the cafes. It was inexpensive (just a couple Euros) and dropped us off at a terminal about a 10 minute walk from the ship. If we ever decided to have the same day I think I'd take the ferry into town. Ask for directions to the terminal and a schedule at the tourist information booth by the ship.

 

I only have a couple photos of our trip there: click here for photos

 

We're stopping there again on a TA cruise in early December and we're looking for ideas for a tour to nearby towns. A bit concerned over what would be open that time of year.

[fabnfortysomething]

I was pleasantly surprised by Toulon having read several negative reports about it

 

I would suggest however you try to join a tour which takes you outside the area into the surrounding hillside as it is beautiful

 

we booked through provencewinetours which as the name suggests incorporated 3 wineries and a visit to the village of Cassis

 

they will try to put you together with others if you are unable to find your own tourmates

[Ex-Airbalancer]

We stopped in Toulon on the last day of a Med cruise from Barcelona on Celebrity two years ago. We didn't want to do a long tour as we wanted to get back in time to pack up before dinner, so we just set out on our own.

 

There was a street that was lined with shops including local farmers market type stalls. Most of the shops were more targeted at locals and not what I'd expect to attract tourists. The waterfront is a small boat/yacht harbor and was lined with nice looking outdoor cafes - that was a big plus and a nice area for lunch. Otherwise we didn't see much in the area. Other than a pleasant lunch along the waterfront I'd say the town was OK but not great, but overall the day was satisfactory for what we had in mind. I understand there is also a funicular that runs up the hills above the town that has a nice view but we didn't make it there. If we were going back and planned on spending more than a few hours in port I think I'd plan an excursion to one of the nicer tourist oriented towns away from Toulon.

 

One other point: There are two areas where cruise ships dock. A dock area close to the main town waterfront (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile walk) and a dock area across the bay. Our ship docked across the bay. There was a free shuttle offering transportation to town. We took that in despite a line with about a 1/2 hour wait. The trip itself took about 15 minutes and they passed right by the heart of town and took us into the other dock area a 10 or 15 minute walk away - seemed a bit of a waste.

 

After lunch we took a ferry back right from the waterfront near the cafes. It was inexpensive (just a couple Euros) and dropped us off at a terminal about a 10 minute walk from the ship. If we ever decided to have the same day I think I'd take the ferry into town. Ask for directions to the terminal and a schedule at the tourist information booth by the ship.

 

I only have a couple photos of our trip there: click here for photos

 

We're stopping there again on a TA cruise in early December and we're looking for ideas for a tour to nearby towns. A bit concerned over what would be open that time of year.

 

Which cruise are you on, we doing a TA on the Equinox this year

Thanks for the info

[Lsimon]

Which cruise are you on, we doing a TA on the Equinox this year

Thanks for the info

Silhouette

[buzzandjulie]

We are also on that cruise I think we have decided to do the afternoon tour sponsored by the ship and that way we will see a little of town