Lyon, France: travel guide
A food-loving city of hidden passageways, two rivers and Roman hills
France's gastronomic capital and UNESCO World Heritage city — a compact powerhouse of silk-weaving history, Renaissance traboules (hidden passageways), and the country's most revered food scene.
About Lyon
Lyon is France's great city of the table, set where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet beneath the hill of Fourvière. Its old quarter, Vieux Lyon, is a Renaissance district of narrow streets, and the traboules, covered passageways that cut through buildings, are a local peculiarity worth seeking out.
The things to do in Lyon revolve around eating and wandering. Traditional bouchons serve regional cooking, the covered market is a place to graze, and the basilica above the city gives wide views over the rooftops. There are Roman remains on the hillside and plenty of museums below.
Lyon works well as a long weekend or as a stop between Paris and the south. Spring and autumn are especially pleasant for walking its quays and hills.
- Country
- France
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- Europe/Paris
- Nearest airport
- LYS
Last updated
Top places to visit in Lyon
Parc de la Tête d'Or
urban-park · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
Lyon's magnificent 117-hectare park (one of France's largest urban parks), with the historic botanical garden, the free zoo, the large lake with boats, and the rose garden.
Lyon Festival of Lights
light-festival · 4.9 rating · about 4 h · check the fee at the gate
The Lyon Festival of Lights — the spectacular 4-day light festival in December, with the entire city transformed by light installations, attracting 4 million visitors since 1852.
Vieux-Lyon UNESCO District
Renaissance old town · 4.8 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The largest Renaissance district outside Paris and UNESCO World Heritage Site — 15th- and 16th-century mansions with secret traboules (hidden passages) connecting silk merchants to the Saône. Three neighbourhoods — Saint-Jean, Saint-Paul,…
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière Lyon
hilltop basilica · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry
Lyon's hilltop landmark — a fanciful Byzantine-Romanesque basilica completed 1896 at 300 m. The interior is an explosion of mosaics, marble, gold and stained glass. The esplanade offers one of France's most dramatic urban panoramas,…
Fourvière Basilica Funicular
hilltop-basilica · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The Fourvière Basilica accessed by the historic funicular — the 19th-century neo-Byzantine basilica on the hilltop with panoramic views over Lyon.
Annecy Day Trip Lake
alpine-lake-town · 4.8 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate
A day trip from Lyon to Annecy — the spectacular alpine lake town often called the Venice of the Alps, with the medieval old town, the canals, and the crystal-clear Lake Annecy.
Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
covered food market · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
France's greatest covered food market — 3,000 m² with 48 premier artisan producers. Stalls overflow with saucisson, quenelles, Saint-Marcellin cheese, praline tarts, truffles and Beaujolais wine. Named for Paul Bocuse.
Lyon Traboules Passages
renaissance-passages · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The famous Lyon traboules — hidden passages cutting through Renaissance buildings of Vieux Lyon, originally built for silk merchants and used by the French Resistance.
Musée des Beaux-Arts Lyon
art-museum · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · entry €8 (≈ ₹850)
One of France's most important art museums — works by Tintoretto, Veronese, Rembrandt, Rubens, Manet, Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, and Picasso, in a 17th-century abbey.
Lyon Roman Theatre Fourvière
roman-theatre · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · free entry
The Roman Theatre of Fourvière — the 1st-century BC theatre with 10,500 seats, still used today for the Nuits de Fourvière summer festival.
Lyon Confluence District
modern-district · 4.6 rating · about 3 h · check the fee at the gate
The Confluence district — the spectacular new urban development at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, with the futuristic Musée des Confluences cabinet of curiosities.
Lyon Christmas Market Bellecour
christmas-market · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
The Lyon Christmas Markets at Place Bellecour and Place Carnot — combined with the famous Festival of Lights in December for the most magical Lyon winter experience.
Things to do
- Lyon Bouchon Dinner with Beaujolais Wine Pairing Cultural · 3 h · from EUR 74 per person
- Traboules & Silk-Weaving Workshop — Vieux-Lyon Tour Cultural · 3 h · from EUR 70 per person
Day trips and tours
- Beaujolais Wine Day Tour from Lyon 9 h · from EUR 81
Where to stay in Lyon
- Vieux-Lyon & Presqu'île about EUR 160 per night
Lyon's UNESCO-listed Renaissance old town and the central peninsula between the Saône and Rhône — perfect for bouchon dining, traboule exploration and the Opéra.
- Confluence & Guillotière about EUR 95 per night
Modern design district at the southern tip of the Presqu'île — great for contemporary architecture fans and budget-conscious travellers, with excellent tram links.
Hotels
- Sofitel Lyon Bellecour 5-star · EUR 280 to EUR 950 per night
- Hotel Le Roosevelt 4-star · EUR 120 to EUR 220 per night
- Auberge de Jeunesse du Vieux Lyon (HI) 2-star · EUR 22 to EUR 70 per night
Where to eat
- Les Halles Paul Bocuse — Café french, market, lyonnais · about EUR 25 per person
- Café des Fédérations french, bouchon, lyonnais · about EUR 25 per person
- Paul Bocuse — L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges french, fine_dining, lyonnais · about EUR 220 per person
Getting to Lyon
Airport: Lyon (LYS)
Getting around
- Metro
- Transit Pass
- Walking
More in France
Frequently asked questions about Lyon
- What are the top-rated places to visit in Lyon?
- The highest-rated places in our Lyon guide are Lyon Festival of Lights, Vieux-Lyon UNESCO District, Annecy Day Trip Lake, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Parc de la Tête d'Or.
- Where should I stay in Lyon?
- Our guide covers these areas to stay in Lyon: Vieux-Lyon & Presqu'île, Confluence & Guillotière.
- How do I get around Lyon?
- Ways to get around Lyon covered in our guide: Metro, Transit pass, Walking.
- Which airport is nearest to Lyon?
- The nearest airport to Lyon has the code LYS.