[Voj]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you recommend getting there from either Vienna or Milan? I imagine a plane is probably cheapest, but a train could be sweet and a very scenic ride. Also, what do you recommend doing if you're a total Europe noob and only going to be in Marseille for about 1-2 days? Where should I stay? I'm going in like, mid-to-late February of this upcoming year, if it makes a difference.

Thanks!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes plane would be definitevely easier - and probably cheaper if you plan on your trip in advance.
If you want to take a train it's perfectly possible - though it's not an easy trip - and is probably better done in two chunks.
From Milano you've got basically two routes : via Nice or via Lyon.
Milano - Nice takes about 4 hours of train and is a very nice trip esp. between Genova and Nice (called the Fiora Riviera - The riviera of flowers) Nice - Marseille is around two hours and a half - and is also very beautiful by the sea
The other option is going through Lyon. Lyon is a really beautiful city - his old center (called the old lyon) being the hughest and best conserved Renaissance center of the World - World Patrimony of UNESCO - sorry for my English). Milano - Lyon is around 4 hours by fast train through Alps ; and Lyon-Marseille (335 kms) is done in one hour and twenty (TGV - French hyper fast train). It is a nice trip if you want to see some mountain paysages.
I wouldn't advise you to try and make the Vienna-Marseille trip by train as best connections will probably be via Milano and that will be pretty long. BTW Milano is an elegant city but there are certainly far more beautiful cities in Italy.

February is still a winter month in Europe ; and if the winter in Marseille is usually very sunny and often not too cold (last winter temperatures have virtually never been below 0°C even by night) it is pretty windy (that's the cost of of the sunny weather during winter times insouthern Europe) so you'd better be prepared to that.
I'd advise you to stay in one of the hotels of the Old Port of Marseille - you can find anything ranging from medium to luxury categories in this area). It is picturesque indeed in the morning when old ladies sell the fishes freshly fished screaming to attrcat customers with their heavy Marseillaise accent.
For a two days program (gosh it's short) I'd advise a boat trip round Marseille (doable in one afternoon) if the wind permits it (boats don't sail if the "Mistral" is too heavy). This boat trip goes to Cassis and back and allows you to see the famous Calanques (more on that if you're interested) which are natural bays in a lunar paysage with 300 meters cliffs all around the trip).
Visiting the old area of Panier (very near the Old Port) is certainly worth it. If you like melting pot - the area of Noailles (also five minutes of walk from the Old Port) is gorgeous - well it really doesn't feel like Europe anyway.
I'd advise you to taste the Bouillabaisse (fish soup - speciality of the city). Can give you good adresses if interested. The walk to the top of the "Notre Dame de la Garde" a local church at 130 meters above the level of the sea can be done in two hours.
Night life can be good at the Old Port esp. on week-end nights and if the weather is not too awful.
If the weather is not good there are some busses doing a commented city tour (on two levels - top level is open and low level is closed) in a few hours. That could also be a good choice if you're not staying more than a few days.

What would you like to know about more ?