11 Best Things to Do in Lyon
What is Lyon Most Famous For?
The best things to do in Lyon feature gastronomy, history, and culture. As one of the largest and most important cities in France, Lyon is often considered the capital city of French gastronomy. Founded by the Romans over 2,000 year ago, you can seemingly travel back in time by strolling around its dynamic neighborhoods. These central districts have a quaint, vintage atmosphere as well as splendid old buildings.
Lyon is a city where living feels good. Enjoy lunch in a friendly bouchon (typical bistro) then go to visit the place where cinematography was invented, before ending your day at one of the trendy restaurants of la Presqu’île district.
What are the best things to do in Lyon?
1. Place Bellecour
An urban square with Lyon’s famous Ferris wheel
Good for: Photo, Budget
Place Bellecour is one of the largest pedestrian urban squares in Europe. Located on the Presqu’île, it’s considered to be the center of the city. Hosting the tourist information office, an art gallery, and the Lyon Ferris wheel, it’s surrounded by the main shopping streets of the city.
Here, you can enjoy a drink and snack before exploring some the most popular areas of the city that include the delightful Old Lyon and Fourvière Hill with its Roman ruins, located a kilometer away. Read more
Location: Pl. Bellecour, 69002 Lyon, France
Place Bellecour
2. Old Lyon
Lyon’s original neighborhood
Good for: History, Photo, Budget
Located at the foot of Fourvière Hill, along the Saone River, Lyon Old Town is a very pleasant medieval area to explore on foot. Lose yourself along the cobblestoned streets of this scenic district.
From Saint-John-the-Baptist Cathedral to the traboules, a maze of “secret” pedestrian alleyways linking buildings to each other, to the many museums located in this area, there’s a lot to see in Vieux-Lyon district. For lunch, stop by one of the many bouchons located on Rue Saint-Jean.
Old Lyon
3. Fourvière Hill
A panoramic view of Lyon’s cityscape
Good for: History, Photo, Budget
Fourvière Hill rises just west of Vieux-Lyon. It was the site of the first Roman settlement during antiquity, and nowadays it’s famous for the amazing views it offers of Lyon, as well as the Catholic Basilica of Fourvière that sits at the top.
Part of the UNESCO World Heritage site designated for the whole city, it hosts 2 of the oldest funiculars in the world. From the ruins of a Gallo-Roman theatre to the Metallic Tower of Fourvière, this area boasts a fair deal of city landmarks, as well as museums and beautiful religious buildings.
Fourvière Hill
4. La Croix-Rousse
A historic neighborhood with a history of silk
Good for: History, Photo, Budget
The Croix-Rousse, the “ginger cross” in English, is a hill that rises between Saône and Rhône Rivers in the center of Lyon. This historic neighborhood hosted the silk manufacturers Lyon was famous for during the 18th century.
Here, you can explore the traboules, covered passageways used by silk workers to transportation their products. You can also visit the Maison des Canuts, or “silk worker’s house,” a museum dedicated to Lyon’s bygone silk industry. You can lose yourself in la Croix-Rousse and enjoy plenty of quaint boutiques and coffee-shops.
La Croix-Rousse
5. Park of the Golden Head
A breath of fresh air in the heart of Lyon
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget
Parc de la Tête d’Or, that’s Park of the Golden Head in English, is one of the largest urban parks in France. Measuring almost half a square kilometer and facing the La Croix-Rousse district on the other side of the Rhône River, this urban park features a boating lake and is home to the Lyon Zoo.
Parc de la Tête d’Or is the perfect place to take a breath of fresh air in the center of Lyon. Besides the zoo, the park features botanical and rose gardens, kids’ playgrounds, pony rides, a miniature railway, and more. It’s a great place whether you want to enjoy a picnic with your family or spend an hour jogging or cycling to stay fit. Read more
Location: 69006 Lyon, France
Open: mid-April - mid-October, daily from 6.30 to 10.30; mid-October – mid-April, daily from 6.30 to 8.30
Phone: +33 (0)4 72 69 47 60
Park of the Golden Head
6. Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon
Good for: History
Installed in a former Benedictine convent of the 17th century, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon boasts 70 rooms of art that range from Egyptian antiquities to modern art. Located in the trendy Presqu’île district, it’s perfectly in line with the artistic and fashionable atmosphere of the area.
Paintings, sculptures, works of art, coins, and medals are carefully classified and stored in this well thought out museum. You can enjoy snacks and refreshments at Les Terrasses Saint-Pierre, a restaurant located on the first floor of the museum. Read more
Location: 20 Pl. des Terreaux, 69001 Lyon, France
Open: Wednesday–Thursday and Saturday–Monday from 10 am to 6 pm, Friday 10.30 am to 6 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: +33 (0)4 72 10 17 40
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
7. Lyon Cathedral
An impressive landmark from the end of the Middle Ages
Good for: History, Photo, Budget
Dedicated to Saint-John the Baptiste, Lyon Cathedral is a splendid building located in the heart of quaint Old Lyon. Built between the 12th and 15th centuries, Lyon Cathedral blends Romanesque and Gothic styles.
Housing historical items such as the Lyon Astronomical Clock and a 19th-century organ, to name a few, this architectural work of art will make you feel like you made a giant step back into the past. Don’t miss the museum attached to the cathedral. It has relics of Saints on display. Read more
Location: Pl. Saint-Jean, 69005 Lyon, France
Open: Tuesday and Thursday–Saturday 9.30 am to 12 pm then 2 pm to 6 pm, Wednesday 11 am to 12 pm then 2 pm to 6 pm, Sunday 2 pm to 6 pm (Closed on Monday)
Phone: +33 (0)6 60 83 53 97
Lyon Cathedral
8. Musée & Institut Lumière
Where cinematography was invented
Good for: History
It was in Lyon, in 1895, that cinematography was invented by the Lumière brothers. Head to Rue du Premier Film, literally “The First Ever Film Street”, to visit the Lumière Museum and Lumière Institute next door.
It was in their family home, a splendid 19th-century mansion, that the 2 genius brothers developed ground-breaking technologies for photography and motion pictures, technologies that would change the world. Discover the first steps of the creation of what would become one of the major discoveries of the 19th century. Read more
Location: Rue du Premier Film, 69008 Lyon, France
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 10 am to 6.30 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +33 (0)4 78 78 18 95
Musée & Institut Lumière
9. La Presqu’île – the peninsula
A lively and trendy neighborhood
Good for: Shoppers, Food, Nightlife
La Presqu’île is a neighborhood that faces Vieux-Lyon, on the other side of the Saône River. It was developed during the 15th century as the printers’ and booksellers’ quarter.
Today, it’s a lively district that hosts a trendy scene of cafés and restaurants, fashionable boutiques, luxury shops, and cultural institutions. Many of the old buildings are renovated and converted into upscale hotels or department stores. This vibrant area also hosts 2 theaters and the Lyon Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Printing and Graphic Communication.
La Presqu’île – the peninsula
10. Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
Top-notch food market and court
Good for: Shoppers, Food, Luxury
Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse is the place to go if you’re a foodie. Lyon is often considered the gastronomy capital city of France, and this market and food court offers an impressive collection of food-stores and restaurants.
Skip breakfast and head to les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse for brunch. The variety and quality of the products and dishes served here is truly second to none. Choose from the delicatessen or sample fresh seafood, pastries, and cheeses. You’ll find many of the dishes that have made France one of the most famed food cultures in the world. Prices may be steep, though perfectly in line with what’s on offer.
Location: 102 Cr Lafayette F, 69003 Lyon, France
Open: Monday–Saturday from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm, Sunday from 7.30 am to 1 pm
Phone: +33 (0)4 78 60 32 82
Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
11. Bouchons de Lyon
Genuine French indulgence at Lyon’s bistros
Good for: Couples, Food
Forget your diet and head to one of the Bouchons de Lyon for an unforgettable treat. Unpretentious and friendly, a bouchon is a particular type of bistro that serves hearty meat dishes. From chicken liver salad to pork offal sausage, and from ground fish dumplings to pot roast, without forgetting a lemon meringue pie for dessert, you’ll have a great meal at any of the 20 or so Bouchons Lyonnais.
Try Chez Paul in Rue Major Martin, or A Ma Vigne in Rue Jean Larrive. A visit to Lyon isn’t complete without a lunch or dinner at one of these worthy representatives of French gastronomy.
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