Lyon, france
Attractions Guide

The city of Lyon is the third largest city in France and features many beautiful buildings with similar architecture to that of Paris.

The top attraction in Lyon is the magnificent white Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere, a uniquely designed Romanesque-Byzantine style basilica built atop the Fourviere Hill overlooking the city. The basilica also contains beautiful ornate interiors. From the balcony behind the church you can enjoy amazing views over Lyon from high above.

Be sure to walk through the lovely hillside Des Hauteurs Park along your ascent/descent to the basilica, from which you can also enjoy views over Lyon.

Below Fourviere Hill and the Notre Dame Basilica is the riverfront Vieux Lyon District, in which you'll find many stunning Renaissance-style buildings.

In this district you'll find the beautiful 14th century Lyon Cathedral, which is also known as the Cathedrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This striking church contains elegant stained glass windows and features elaborate gothic architecture. Adjacent to the cathedral are the ruins of a 5th century cathedral, called the St. John Archaeological Garden, with its most prominent feature being a stone archway.

Nearby you'll find a very unique museum, the Movies & Miniature Museum, which hosts countless major film props from famous movies, presented in an impressive and informative manner, along with many highly elaborate miniature scenes on display. The museum is multiple stories tall and is highly recommended.

Across the Saone River from Vieux Lyon is the massive Place Bellecour square, lined with elegant buildings. Place Bellecour is the largest pedestrian square in Europe and is even a UNESCO world heritage site. A few blocks to the north is the Place des Jacobins square lined with fine 19th century buildings and an impressive fountain in the middle. Be sure to also admire the extravagant Palais de la Bourse de Lyon palace nearby.

Further north of Place Bellecour is the Place des Terreaux plaza. On this plaza you'll find the grand Bartholdi Fountain and the majestic Hotel de Ville City Hall building of Lyon.

North of the city center you can find incredibly realistic murals covering entire walls of tall buildings, depicting lively urban scenes which seem to blend in perfectly with their surroundings. These murals include the Fresques des Lyonnais near the Fine Arts Museum, and the Mur des Canuts further uptown.

One of the city's most popular museums is the Confluence Museum of science and anthropology housed within a striking ultra-contemporary structure. The museum sits at the confluence of Lyon's two great rivers, at the tip of the peninsula between them.

Northeast of the city center is the Parc de la Tete d'Or, a massive 19th century park featuring beautiful gardens, statues, the city's zoo, and a vast lake you can explore via paddleboat.

To the south of Lyon is the city of Vienne, which can be easily reached by car or public transportation from Lyon.

The city is known for its ancient Roman ruins, most notably the Musee et Sites de Saint Romain en Gal Vienne, a fantastic museum housing archaeological finds, as well as accurately recreated structures and boats. Outside the museum you can explore a large complex of ancient Roman ruins consisting of columns, pools, gardens, and the foundations of structures.

Across the river in Vienne's center you can admire the stunningly well-preserved columned Temple d'Auguste et de Livie, which was built over 2,000 years ago. Be sure to also see the city's ancient Roman Theatre, which hosts excellent views overlooking Vienne.