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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 07 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

Under the name of Lugdunum, Lyon was a flourishing Roman city, founded at the confluence of the Saone and Rhone rivers on Fourviere Hill in 43 BC.

Today, archaeological excavations have exposed two vastly important sites, an amphitheatre (the oldest in France from Roman Gaul) and a small theatre, both of which are now part of this fantastic museum.

In addition to the theatres, the museum houses a vast array of artefacts exposing all aspects of Roman life, from Lugdunum’s urban layout to its circus entertainment and army missions.

Don't miss

The Circus Games Mosaic is a rare and outstanding 2nd-century piece discovered in 1806, depicting the favourite Roman sport of chariot racing.

Also look out for the life-size statue of Neptune, found by Lyon’s Pont de la Guillotiere in 1859, and dating from the 3rd century AD. It’s remarkably intact.

While you're there

At the amphitheatre, enjoy one of the best cityscapes in town. Then walk downhill to 6 rue des Farges, where Roman bath ruins are now a quaint park.

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Price from: £3
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

If you don’t fancy the steep walk up the hillside, take the funicular (lines F1 or F2) from Vieux (Old) Lyon – Cathedrale Saint-Jean metro. For F1, you need the Minimes stop (direction Saint-Just) and for F2, get off at Fourviere.

As part of the museum is outside, take sun-screen and water on hot days. The theatres are veritable suntraps.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday. The Roman theatres are open daily.

There are rarely large crowds here, but quietest moments are during lunchtime and at the end of the afternoon, at around 4pm.

Each summer, the Nuits de Fourviere festival is held in the amphitheatre, showcasing music, theatre, opera, dance and circus in incredibly evocative and atmospheric surrounds.

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Fourviere Hotel

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.3 miles]

High-end design hotel in a former convent, on the Fourviere hillside, offering chic eateries, including a typical bouchon, plus a spa and an outdoor pool.

Official star rating:

Villa Florentine

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.5 miles]

Gorgeous convent converted into a calm luxurious retreat, aloof on the Fourviere hillside overlooking Lyon.

Official star rating:

Cour des Loges

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.7 miles]

Uniquely stylish hotel-with-restaurant stretching across several historic houses in the centre of Vieux Lyon. Perfectly located for sightseeing.

Official star rating:

College Hotel

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.8 miles]

Playful school-themed hotel in the heart of Vieux Lyon, offering city views, and a terrace bar where nightly light shows illuminate the facade.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Lyon

Auberge-Rhone-Alpes, France

The gastronomic capital of France, if not the world, is not just a foodie hotspot. With UNESCO-protected architecture and awe-inspiring Roman ruins, its one for history lovers too..

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Fourviere Hill

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.3 miles]

The Fourviere hillside offers panoramic city views, a huge 19th-century basilica, two exceptional Roman theatres, and illuminating insights into Lyon’s Roman past.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Vieux (Old) Lyon

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.7 miles]

Lyon’s historic and most beautiful quarter, notably filled with fine 16th-century French Renaissance mansions. An insight into how the city thrived in the Renaissance.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Close up of the cathedral front facade
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Saint-Jean Cathedral

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.6 miles]

Henri IV married Marie de Medicis in this stunning medieval cathedral, famed for its 16th-century astronomical clock and one the world’s largest 17th-century bells, rung up to 15 times a year.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Museum of miniatures in french city Lyon. Glass showcase of the museum with action figures in
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Miniatures & Cinema Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.6 miles]

A must for film buffs: Artist Dan Ohlmann showcases 120 miniature scenes and hundreds of film props to reveal the way special effects are made in the world’s leading film studios.

Best for ages: 4+ | £8

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Close up of a ceramic puppet exhibit in the museum
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Gadagne Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France[0.7 miles]

Housed in Vieux Lyon’s grandest mansion, this small museum is actually two museums: the Museum of Lyon History, which traces the history of the city since medieval times, and the World Puppet Museum, with over 2,000 puppets collected over centuries.

Best for ages: 4+ | £5

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