10 Best Things to Do
Lyon spreads between the Rhône and Saône, with Renaissance streets below Fourvière and former silk-workers’ neighbourhoods climbing Croix-Rousse. Come for the food, from lively bouchons to inventive tasting menus, but leave time for Roman theatres, art collections and riverside walks. Vieux Lyon and the Presqu’île are useful bases for a first visit. A few days lets you explore beyond the centre, including the Lumière museum in Monplaisir and the bold architecture of Confluence.
Explore Vieux Lyon and its traboules
Vieux Lyon, France
Start around Saint-Jean, then follow the cobbled streets towards Saint-Paul and Saint-Georges. Vieux Lyon’s interest lies as much behind its façades as along them: open courtyards and traboules reveal staircases, galleries and passages between streets. Join a guided walk if you want help finding the accessible entrances and understanding the buildings. Many passages are part of private homes, so keep voices low, follow posted access rules and leave closed doors alone.
Renaissance streets and hidden courtyards
Visit Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Fourvière, France
Fourvière’s basilica is visible from much of Lyon, but the visit gives you two different rewards: the view from the hill and the mosaics, marble and stained glass inside. Take the funicular from Vieux Lyon or walk up through the Rosaire gardens if you enjoy a climb. Individual entry to the basilica and crypt is free. Respect services and quiet prayer, and book separately if you want a guided visit rather than a self-guided look.
City views and a richly decorated basilica
Explore Lugdunum Museum and Roman Theatres
Fourvière, France
Lugdunum brings the city’s Roman past into focus beside the ancient theatre and odeon. Bernard Zehrfuss’s museum is largely buried in the hillside, with a spiral route through mosaics, inscriptions and objects from everyday life. Look for the bronze Lyon Tablet, which records part of Emperor Claudius’s speech about admitting Gallic representatives to the Senate. Leave time to walk outside among the theatres afterwards, and check access arrangements when performances or events are scheduled.
Roman history and inventive museum architecture
Taste Lyon at Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
Part-Dieu, France
The indoor market on cours Lafayette gathers cheese, charcuterie, pastries, fresh produce and seafood under one roof. Browse before choosing where to eat: the pleasure is in seeing the range of local specialities as well as stopping for a plate of oysters or a Lyonnais dish. It works well as a leisurely morning with lunch built in. Traders set their own schedules, so check individual opening times if you are seeking a particular counter.
A food-focused morning
Watch silk weaving at Maison des Canuts
Croix-Rousse, France
At Maison des Canuts, antique wooden looms and silk-making tools explain why Croix-Rousse looks and feels different from the rest of Lyon. A guided visit with a weaving demonstration makes the machinery easier to understand and connects the craft to the lives of the workers. The small exhibition also traces the industry’s history, while the shop sells regional textile products. Check demonstration times and languages before arriving, then continue exploring the surrounding neighbourhood.
Understanding Lyon’s silk trade
Spend an afternoon at the Musée des Beaux-Arts
Place des Terreaux, France
Lyon’s fine arts museum occupies a former abbey beside Place des Terreaux. Egyptian antiquities, paintings, sculpture and decorative arts give you several ways into the collection, so choose a few rooms rather than trying to see everything at once. Displays change, so check which collections are on view before choosing your route. Pause in the cloister garden between galleries, and check the temporary exhibition programme when planning how long to stay.
Art across the centuries
Visit the Musée des Confluences
Confluence, France
Where the Rhône and Saône meet, the Musée des Confluences is as striking outside as it is varied inside. Its glass-and-steel building houses displays that connect human origins, natural history and cultures, alongside changing exhibitions. Allow enough time to follow a theme that catches your interest rather than rushing through every room. Afterwards, walk around the riverside setting to understand the geography that gives the museum its name and shapes this newer part of Lyon.
Natural history, cultures and bold architecture
Discover early cinema at the Musée Lumière
Monplaisir, France
The Lumière family villa in Monplaisir brings the beginnings of cinema down to the scale of cameras, experiments and early films. Displays trace optical entertainments and the development of the Cinématographe, alongside other inventions associated with Auguste and Louis Lumière. The domestic setting adds another layer to the story. A guided visit gives useful context, while the Institut’s separate screening programme can turn the outing into a longer visit. Check film times and languages before booking.
Film history in the Lumière family home
Slow down in Parc de la Tête d’Or
6th arrondissement, France
Parc de la Tête d’Or gives you room to slow the pace after the city’s museums and steep streets. Follow the lake, find a shaded lawn or explore the botanical gardens and greenhouses. The rose gardens are especially appealing in season, and boat hire adds another option in suitable weather. Entry to the park is free, although individual activities may charge. Check opening information in bad weather, as strong winds can close the grounds.
Gardens, lakeside walks and family time
Walk or cycle the Berges du Rhône
Rhône riverbanks, France
The landscaped banks of the Rhône offer a different view of Lyon at water level. Walking and cycling routes link gardens, lawns, play areas and terraces, with the Hôtel-Dieu making a memorable backdrop across the river. Choose a short section between bridges or make a longer outing towards Tête d’Or or Gerland. In warm weather, stop at a riverside terrace; keep to the appropriate paths and leave room for people moving at different speeds.
An easy outdoor break