Have you ever been to Paris? Well, don’t worry about it. Lyon will blast your travel sensors off the charts. A romantic gourmet capital located on the river Rhone, with its charming views and smells of freshly baked croissants. The third-largest city, the capital of the silk industry, and the old capital of Gallia. Place of birth of brothers Lumières -the founding fathers of modern film and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry with his Little Prince. And it is not the whole list!

A city of dreams indeed… You will experience the calm, yet joyful lifestyle of Lyonnais– the locals and at the same time visit its riverside wine bars with their soul-reaching sommeliers. 

Now, where should the dreaming begin!? 

Top places to visit in Lyon

Lyon has a beautiful bank which is crossed by a lot of bridges (about 27). Don’t miss the chance to aimlessly walk or take a bicycle. Or, admire the city’s heritage from the river. The view is spectacular at any time of the day or the night! 

The hill of Fourvière

From the bank, you will see the hill of Fourvière. On the top of it is situated The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière built in the 19th century and a metallic – the copy of Eiffel Tower. From there, it is a splendid view of the city. Especially during the night when the city is illuminated. It should blow you away.

Afterward, it is worth visiting another side of the hill- the south side.

There a lot of various things to see dedicated to the period of Romans. Must see is The Gallo-Roman Theatre the largest preserved in France and a Gallo-Roman museum close to it. During the summer and spring period concerts take place there. Have a chance to feel the atmosphere of this place. People think that from this place- Lugdunum where Romans settled in the 5th century, the city of Lyon was established further.

La Place Bellecour 

It is one of the biggest pedestrian zones in Europe, the third-largest square by size in France, and the favorite place for meeting for locals and place for various events. 

In the middle of it, there is a statue of Louis XIV, known as the King Sun/Le Roi du Soleil. In this place, there is a Wheel from where you could see the city from the high. I was personally amazed by this view and think that is a great place from where you could start your visit to Lyon.

From Bellecour, there are two big streets Republique and Victor Hugo with a lot of shops and boutiques.

The Place des Terreaux 

Hotel de Ville is one of the most beautiful buildings in Lyon. Firstly, built in the 16th century, it was demolished by fire several times. Now there is a city council.

In the same place, for the lovers of art, there is the beautiful Museum of Fine Arts, which has about 70 rooms and has one of the most important collections of France after the Louvre in Paris. Rubens, Delacroix, Rembrandt are just some of the names presented in this Museum.

In the middle of the square, there is a magnificent fountain which was built in the 19th century. It was initially made for the city of Bordeaux by Bartholdi who afterward become famous for the well-known construction of the Statue of Liberty. 

Halles de Lyon 

This mini-market has been existing since the 1970s and named after Paul Bocuse the renowned chef of French and International cuisine. At this market, you can find all kinds of food either for preparation at home. Cheese, charcuterie, meat, fish and seafood, sweets and cakes, fruits and vegetables, all you can find here- fresh and of the highest quality. Also, you can eat at any of the small restaurants presented there. It is true that it is quite pricey, but anyway, if you are in Lyon – the ‘world capital of gastronomy, I think it is worth visiting it and try some delicious things.

Museum of Miniature and Cinema

This is a museum where everything is dedicated to filming. You can find models from a lot of various movies such as for instance Aliens, Harry Potter, Three Musketeers, The last emperor, Batman, and many others and their history. There is a separate room from movies The Grand Budapest and The Perfumer. It’s quite fascinating. Moving further you will find a room with a lot of hyperrealist miniatures. Even though the size is small, the work is so elaborated that when you look at it, it gives the visual illusion that it is big and real. 

La Croix-Rousse

It is my favorite district for strolling -La Croix-Rousse which is located on this hill. This place was famous at those times because of the production of silk when silk manufactories moved there from the part of The Old Town in Lyon. It had influenced the architectural unique style in which a quartier was built: high ceiling and windows to have enough space for work on the Jacquard loom which was huge and light to be able to produce this sophistication as well as mezzanines – the place where families of workers could live. 

This district has its unique atmosphere, different from the rest of Lyon. It is a great place for those who love walking, along with the district and all the way down to the Old City of Lyon.