Many of the top attractions in Lyon are illuminated at night, earning Lyon the nickname of Capital of Lights. Home to some of the finest chefs in the world, the city is also known as the capital of gastronomy, offering travelers yet another tasty reason to visit lovely Lyon.
Few places in France offer as clear a picture of the country's long history than Lyon, the capital of the Rhone-Alpes region bordering Switzerland and Italy. Spared from major natural and man-made disasters throughout its long 2,000-year history, Lyon's rich and varied past is on full display in the city's historic neighborhoods. From the Renaissance courtyards of Vieux Lyon to Fourvière hill where the Romans first settled in 43 B.C., each of Lyon's districts, or "arrondissements," offers a unique experience to visitors.
1. Vieux Lyon Traboules
The Vieux Lyon district has one of the longest traboules in the city, stretching from the Rue St-Jean to the Rue du Boeuf, though there are many others in the city. Visitors can access several traboules in Vieux Lyon during daylight hours by pressing a service button near the door.
2. Fourviere Basilica
Dominating Lyon's "Hill of Prayer," the Fourvière, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière was built in the late 19th century from a design by architect Pierre Bossan. Visitors can take a funicular to the site from the metro station in Vieux Lyon or can climb the steep ascent to the summit of Fourviere Hill on foot.
3. Parc de la Tete d'Or
A lake offers opportunities for boating, waterside picnics and scenic strolls along the shoreline. For visitors, the highlight of the park is the Jardin Botanique de Lyon, which features picturesque 19th-century greenhouses filled with a wide range of tropical plants, including century-old camellias, carnivorous plants and water lilies from the Amazon.
With beginnings that date back to the 13th century, the Place des Terreaux located in the Presqu'île district has long played an important role in Lyon's history. The site of many beheadings by guillotine during the French Revolution, the central square is today bordered by the Lyon City Hall to the east and the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon on the south.
5. Rue St-Jean
Spared from major natural and man-made disasters throughout its long 2,000-year history, Lyon's rich and varied past is on full display in the city's historic neighborhoods. From the Renaissance courtyards of Vieux Lyon to Fourvière hill where the Romans first settled in 43 B.C., each of Lyon's districts, or "arrondissements," offers a unique experience to visitors.
The Vieux Lyon district has one of the longest traboules in the city, stretching from the Rue St-Jean to the Rue du Boeuf, though there are many others in the city. The site of many beheadings by guillotine during the French Revolution, the central square is today bordered by the Lyon City Hall to the east and the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon on the south. The primary thoroughfare in the Vieux Lyon district, the Rue St-Jean was once the center of the city's silk industry.
The primary thoroughfare in the Vieux Lyon district, the Rue St-Jean was once the center of the city's silk industry. It's one of the best places in Lyon to sample local fare such as gratin dauphinois and rognons de veau à la moutarde.
