Lyon is France’s third-largest city and its undisputed gastronomic capital, home to 20 Michelin-starred restaurants and the legendary bouchons where traditional Lyonnaise cuisine has been served for generations. The city’s UNESCO-listed historic center spans 500 hectares across four districts: the Renaissance Vieux Lyon, the hilltop Fourviere, the peninsula Presqu’ile
the silk-weaving Croix-Rousse. Lyon also sits at the foot of the Alps, 2 hours from ski resorts and 3 hours from the Mediterranean.
Things to Do in Lyon: Major Attractions
Vieux Lyon and the Traboules
Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) is Europe’s largest Renaissance district after Venice, stretching along the west bank of the Saone. Its defining feature is the traboules, a network of approximately 40 covered passageways through buildings connecting streets to courtyards, originally built for silk merchants to transport fabric protected from rain.
About 20 traboules are open to the public daily from approximately 07:00 to 19:00. The most impressive are at 54 Rue Saint-Jean (the Longue Traboule, the city’s longest), 27 Rue du Boeuf (a 16th-century Italianate courtyard with a spiral staircase), and 10 Quai de Romain Rolland.
Pick up a free traboule map from the Lyon Tourist Office on Place Bellecour. The traboules are inside residential buildings , keep quiet and do not take photos of residents or their doorways. The Saint-Jean area is the most touristy stretch of Vieux Lyon; Rue Saint-Georges (south) is quieter and has better-value bouchons. Free entry to all traboules.
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere
Perched on Fourviere Hill 130 meters above the Saone, this 19th-century basilica is Lyon’s most visible landmark. The interior is covered in gold-leaf mosaics depicting French and Church history. Entry to the basilica is free. Hours: 07:00 to 19:00 (until 20:00 in summer). The rooftop observation deck (acces au toit, 3 EUR) provides a 360-degree panorama of Lyon, the Alps, and Mont Blanc on clear days.
Tickets for the roof are sold from the gift shop on the esplanade. The funicular from Vieux Lyon Metro Station (Line D) to Fourviere costs 2 EUR and runs every 10 minutes from 07:00 to 22:00. Walking up takes 15 to 20 minutes via the Montee des Chazeaux steps.
Adjacent to the basilica, the Lyon Museum of Fine Arts (Musee des Beaux-Arts) on Place des Terreaux is not on Fourviere but in the Presqu’ile , it is France’s second-largest fine arts collection after the Louvre (entry 8 EUR, reduced 4 EUR, open 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesdays).
Theatre Antique de Fourviere (Roman Theatres)
Two Roman theaters on the Fourviere hillside, built around 15 BCE. The larger theater seated 10,000 spectators; the smaller Odeon seated 3,000 for musical performances. Entry to the archaeological site is free. Hours: 07:00 to 19:00 (until 21:00 in summer).
The adjacent Lugdunum Museum (Musee Gallo-Romain) displays Roman artifacts from Lyon including the Circus Mosaic and the Claudian Tablet (6 EUR, reduced 3 EUR, open 10:00 to 18:00, closed Mondays). The theaters host the Nuits de Fourviere festival each June and July, with concerts and theater under the stars , book tickets at nuitsdefourviere.com, prices range 30 to 60 EUR.
Parc de la Tete d’Or
France’s largest urban park at 117 hectares, located north of the city center on the left bank of the Rhone. Entry is free. Hours: 06:30 to 20:30 (until 22:30 in summer). The park contains a 16-hectare lake (rowboat rental 7 EUR per 30 minutes), a free zoo (open 09:00 to 17:00/18:30 depending on season), a botanical garden with 15,000 plant species, and a velodrome.
The rose garden (Roseraie) contains 30,000 rose bushes and peaks in late May and June. Cycling is permitted on designated paths; bike rental stations (Velo’v) are at the park’s main entrances. The park is a 15-minute walk from the Massena metro station (Line A) or a 10-minute tram ride on T1 to Charpennes.
Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
Lyon’s covered food market, named after the city’s most famous chef, is the best single-stop introduction to Lyonnaise gastronomy. It houses 48 vendors selling cheese (Mere Richard), charcuterie (Sibilia), oysters, pastries, and prepared dishes. Hours: 07:00 to 19:00 Tuesday through Saturday, 07:00 to 13:00 Sunday, closed Monday.
It is at 102 Cours Lafayette in the Part-Dieu district. Budget 20 to 30 EUR per person for a self-guided lunch of small plates from different stalls. The oyster bar at Chez Leon and the saucisson bun at Sibilia are the two iconic quick eats. Guided food tours of the market are available from Lyon Food Tour (lyonfoodtour.com, 65 EUR per person, 3 hours). The market relocated to its current modern building in 2009, losing some atmosphere but gaining excellent lighting and cleanliness.
Croix-Rousse
The hilltop neighborhood north of the Presqu’ile, historically the center of Lyon’s silk-weaving industry. The traboules of Croix-Rousse were designed to let pack animals through with bolts of silk , they are wider and taller than those in Vieux Lyon. The Maison des Canuts (10 Rue d’Ivry) is a small museum documenting silk-weaving history with live Jacquard loom demonstrations (free entry, guided tour 7.50 EUR, Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00, closed Sundays).
The daily Croix-Rousse market on Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse (Tuesday to Sunday, 06:00 to 13:00) is Lyon’s best organic and producers’ market. The Gros Caillou, a large grey boulder at the top of the hill, is a local landmark and meeting point with a view east toward the Alps. The neighborhood is accessible via Metro Line C to Croix-Rousse station or a steep 10-minute walk up from Hotel de Ville on the Presqu’ile.
Bouchons of Lyon
A bouchon is a traditional Lyonnaise restaurant serving rich, meat-heavy cuisine in a convivial, often cramped setting. The term originated from the bundles of straw (bousche) that 16th-century inns hung outside to indicate they served food. Authentic bouchons are certified by the association Les Bouchons Lyonnais and display a plaque with a puppet of Guignol (Lyon’s Punch character).
A typical three-course bouchon meal costs 25 to 35 EUR including wine. The classic menu: salade lyonnaise (frisee, lardons, croutons, poached egg), quenelle de brochet (pike dumpling in crayfish sauce)
tarte aux pralines (pink praline tart). Recommended bouchons: Le Cafe des Federations (8 Rue du Major Martin, Presqu’ile, lunch from 20 EUR), Chez Paul (11 Rue du Major Martin, lunch from 18 EUR), and Le Garet (7 Rue du Garet, Presqu’ile, lunch from 22 EUR). Reserve at least a day ahead for dinner, especially Thursday through Saturday. Many bouchons close Saturday lunch and all day Sunday and Monday. Lunch is always cheaper than dinner.
For neighborhood context, see our Lyon neighborhoods guide. For accommodation, where to stay in Lyon.
