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The Olympic torch relay began in Marseille on Thursday with football legend Basile Boli taking the flame in front of the iconic basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, a day after it made a spectacular entrance by sea.

The Olympic torch will finally enter France when it reaches the southern seaport of Marseille on Wednesday. And it's already been quite a journey.

After being lit by the sun's rays on April 16 in Ancient Olympia, the torch was carried around Greece before leaving Athens aboard a three-mast ship named Belem, headed for Marseille.

Belem, the three-masted sailing ship carrying the Olympic flame to France, is being towed through the Corinth canal in Corinth, Sunday. The French sailing ship sailed from the port of Piraeus Saturday, a day after the handover ceremony from the Greek Olympic Committee to the Summer Olympics organizers, and will arrive at Marseille, France, on May 8. [Michael Varaklas/AP]

The Paris 2024 Olympic flame sailed for France on Saturday on board a three-masted ship to mark the final sprint of preparations ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony on July 26.

The "Belem" left the port of Piraeus in the morning for an 11-day voyage and will arrive in the southern city of Marseille, founded by the Greek settlers of Phocaea around 600 BC, on May 8.

The Belem made its first voyage in 1896, just a few weeks after the first modern Olympic Games had finished in Athens.

French sailing ship Belem sets sail to Greece to collect Olympic Flame, embarking on unprecedented journey

The Olympic Flame lighting ceremony ahead of the Paris Olympic Games will take place at the ancient site of Olympia on April 16 in a public event that will be televised live around the world, according to the program announced on Thursday.

BELEM, Brazil - I write today from Brazil to inaugurate a new series of columns for Kathimerini. My columns in the months ahead will discuss the dramatic changes under way in the world economy, and how these changes affect Greece.

It has taken 227 years, but Portugal's stunning crown jewels have finally gone on display in a giant strong room inside the country's long unfinished royal palace.

The Ajuda Palace overlooking the capital's historic Belem district was home to Portugal's last royal dynasty, the Braganzas, whose reign ended when the country became a republic in 1910.