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Bucket list trip:

Last updated: 20 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

Where to go and what to see in Lyon to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Anna Brooke.

Editor note – Anna has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our Lyon destination guide.

Start by meandering the Renaissance-era lanes of Vieux Lyon, woven together by medieval traboules (covered alleyways).

Stop at the Gadagne Museum to learn about Lyon’s history; their quaint garden cafe doubles as your lunch spot.

After lunch, see Lyon’s riverfront in one photogenic sweep on a boat cruise. Then, if time allows, stop in to admire Romanesque St. Jean-Baptiste Cathedral.

For dinner, try restaurant Jeremy Galvan on Rue du Boeuf, the street with more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere in France.

Vieux (Old) Lyon

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
Vieux Lyon old district pedestrian street view in Lyon France during summer with tourists

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+

Gadagne Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

Close up of a ceramic puppet exhibit in the museum

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.

Adult price: £5

Best for ages 4+

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Boat tours of Lyon

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
Looking out from the boat as a tour group travels down the river Rhone

Boat tours on the Saone and Rhone rivers offer a serene, effortless way to appreciate Lyon’s glorious riverbanks and architecture.

Adult price: £15

Duration: 1-3 hours

Take the funicular to the top of the Fourviere hillside, where panoramic city views unfurl below Byzantine-style Notre-Dame Basilica, famed for its colourful interior.

While you’re there, also visit Lugdunum Museum to see the awe-inspiring Roman vestiges, like the ancient amphitheatre.

Have lunch back in the old town at Notre Maison, a classic Lyonnais bouchon.

Walk or cycle it off along Lyon’s Quays to the sprawling Tete d’Or park.

At night bohemian neighbourhood La Croix-Rousse awaits, for drinks and nibbles in one of the many wine bars.

Fourviere Hill

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
View on the mountain with Notre-Dame cathedral and metallic tower in Lyon city in France

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+

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
External facade of the basilica on a hillside

The city’s iconic hilltop basilica, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is famed for its sweeping panoramas, stained glass windows and bucolic Rosary Garden.

Best for ages 18+

Lugdunum Museum

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
The roman amphitheatre side view of seating

Lyon’s fascinating Roman attraction is home to two ancient theatres and a museum filled with artefacts depicting all aspects life in the Roman town of Lugdunum.

Adult price: £3

Best for ages 13+

Walk or cycle Lyon’s quays

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

A spring day on the Saone river banks in Lyon city center, looking along the quay

Lyon’s pretty promenades along the Rhone and Saone rivers lead past iconic urban landscapes to waterfront cafes and picnics on bucolic beaches. Perfect for leisurely walks and cycle rides.

Best for ages 10+

Duration: 2+ hours

Tete d’Or Park

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

View of a large greenhouse in the Tete d'Or Park in Lyon

The city bustle evaporates in this sumptuous park, home to rose and botanical gardens, and a savannah-themed animal park. Strolls or cycle its paths and in summer, go boating on the lake.

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Rise early for a tour of the vine-strewn Beaujolais wine region. Book an organised tour or go winery hopping yourself along the sign-posted Route des Vins du Beaujolais.

In the heart of the vineyards, Auberge de Clochemerle in Vaux-en-Beaujolais is a lovely spot for lunch and wine pairings.

Then in the evening, head back towards Lyon for dinner at legendary chef Paul Bocuse’s restaurant, Auberge du Pont de Collanges, in the suburb of Collanges-au-Mont-d’Or.

Beaujolais Wine Region

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
A small chapel set amid vineyards in autumn

One of the world’s great wine regions, set in the beautiful hills west of the Saone just north of Lyon. Tour stunning vineyards and wine villages, tasting wines as you go.

Min age 18

Best for ages 18+

Auberge du Pont de Collonges

Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

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Bucket List Experience
Interior of the restaurant

Theatrical Michelin-star dining experience paying homage to one of France’s culinary legends, chef Paul Bocuse. Pioneer of lighter, more innovative nouvelle cuisine.

Adult price: £80

Best for ages 18+