Lyon in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Lyon is a city with a great offer of historical sites, incredible monuments, ancient ruins, Gothic, Byzantine and Roman architectural samples, and many secret corners to discover. In addition, there are the natural spaces, nearby villages with picturesque vineyards and beautiful panoramic views.

Among the best things to do in Lyon during your stay you will have the opportunity to visit the Place de Bellecour, the Gallo-Roman Theater and the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière. You will also visit the Museum of Cinema and Miniatures, the Traboules, the Cathedral of Lyon, the Rhone wine region and the beautiful Annecy, among other destinations that I will tell you about in a moment.

Day 1 in Lyon starts in the city center, from where you will gradually move on to discover buildings of great cultural importance such as the National Opera of Lyon, the historic La Croix Rousse district and the ruins of the Gallo-Roman Theater and the amazing Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière.

Visit the Place de Bellecour

Your day one itinerary begins at the Place de Bellecour. This is a space with an extension of more than 300 meters, where you will enjoy a lively atmosphere, surrounded by statues, cafes, restaurants and local stores.

You will be able to see the statue of the Little Prince next to his creator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. A monument to King Louis XIV emerges in the center of the square and, at the western end, you will find a gigantic Ferris wheel. The latter, ideal if you are wondering what to do in Lyon with children, of course.

This is a very busy square daily for locals and tourists, as it is considered the heart of the city. In fact, this place is usually the meeting point selected to start the best bike tours in Lyon, guided walking tours, among other activities.

Take a stroll around the Lyon National Opera House

At the end of your tour of the Place Bellecour you will have to walk about 17 minutes along Pl. Bellecour and Rue de la République to reach the National Opera of Lyon. This is a representative building of the city that you should not miss.

You will enjoy a real architectural work, built in 1831 and representative of the neoclassical style. You can take amazing pictures of this monumental building, whose facade is crowned by eight statues (muses of Guillaume Bonnet). Also of note are the columns with arches preserved from the 19th century and the public foyer.

View of La Croix Rousse district

La Croix Rousse is the next destination of your tour. You will have to walk about 25 minutes in the direction of Mnt Saint-Sébastien and Rue de Cuire, drive 10 minutes along Mnt de la Boucle or use the local public transport.

This area of the city during the 19th century was an important textile center. Therefore, today you will be able to observe part of this history along the labyrinths of squares and streets lined with houses, which were formerly weaving workshops.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some must-see destinations in this neighborhood. For example:

• The Mur des Canuts mural, in honor of the silk workers who revolted in 1880, due to working conditions.
• The Maison des Canuts Museum, with a series of chronological exhibits spanning five centuries of silk production in the city...
• The Boulevard de la Croix Rousse Market, with fresh vegetables, fish, meats, cheeses, wines and much more.

You will also find gourmet pastry shops, restaurants and wine shops. Undoubtedly, an ideal environment to discover the local gastronomy. That is why La Croix Rousse neighborhood is often included in the destinations of the best food tours in Lyon.

Take a look at the Gallo-Roman Theatre

After learning about the history of the La Croix Rousse neighborhood and, most likely, having eaten and recharged your batteries, you can head to the Gallo-Roman Theater. Just a 15-minute drive along Quai Saint-Vincent and Mnt Saint-Barthélémy from the previous destination.

Upon arrival, you will be amazed by the monumental structure of this theater built in the 15th century BC, which seats 10,000 spectators. You can stroll through this ruins where circus games or gladiator fights were presented, and which is currently recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Also, as a tip for your trip to Lyon you should know that the entrance to this attraction is free and is open 24 hours a day, so you should not miss the opportunity to take a look.

Be amazed by the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière

Take advantage of your visit to the Gallo-Roman Theater to approach the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière about 400 meters away on foot along the Rue Roger Radisson. This is the last stop proposed for day one in Lyon and a destination that will certainly impress you.

When you arrive at this site built in 1870 on the hill of Fourvière, you will notice the presence of Byzantine and Roman style in its architecture. You can visit the interior of the basilica for free, contemplating its majesty: columns, stained glass windows, vaults, the main altar, the choir, among others.

However, if you want to discover the hidden gems of the basilica exhibited in the museum area, or climb to the roof after sunset to get a privileged view of Lyon at night, then you will have to purchase a special ticket, depending on the experience you want.

The proposal for day 2 in Lyon is very simple. Stroll through the old town and visit the Printing Museum, the Traboules Lyonnaises, the Maison Du Chamarier, the Museum of Cinema and Miniatures, take a funicular ride and visit the city's Cathedral.

Printing Museum

One of the best activities in Lyon to learn and understand part of the city's history is to visit the Printing Museum about a minute's walk from the city center.

In this 15th century Renaissance building you will see an important collection of documents and objects: newspapers, stamps, advertising, printing presses, among others. In addition, you will learn about five centuries of history, starting from the times when the city served as an important printing center.

• Price: the general admission is around 6 € and the value of the reduced admission corresponds to approximately 4 €.
• Hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. It is closed on January 1, November 1 and December 25.

The Traboules lyonnaises

After learning about the history of printing in Lyon, you can explore some of the traboules lyonnaises. These are passages between two streets that cross the courtyards of buildings, used to transport fabrics without having to go outside.

Among the most popular traboules close to the above destination are Traboule de la Maison du Crible Tour Rose (13 minutes away via Rue Dubois and Pont Alphonse Juin/Pont Maréchal Juin). This is considered one of the most beautiful and most traveled daily.

Then, just one minute down Rue Saint-Jean, you can explore La Longue Traboule. This hidden route is centuries old and stands out as the longest of the city's more than 300 traboules.

Maison Du Chamarier

To continue your tour, nothing better than to contemplate one of Lyon's hidden gems, the Maison Du Chamarier. Located about 67 meters from the Longue Traboule along Rue Saint-Jean and Rue de la Bombarde.

This mansion built between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries is a true architectural showcase that evidences the transition from Gothic to Renaissance style.

Just push the front door and you will access the backyard, with an amazing gallery of Italian frescoes. You will also see the staircase with Gothic sculptures, which leads to the covered terraces.

Museum of Cinema and Miniature

At a distance of 48 meters from the Maison Du Chamarier, you will find the Museum of Cinema and Miniatures, with an important collection of models, figures, artifacts and much more.

You will enjoy the miniature art of the museum's founder, Dan Ohlmann, as well as the work of more than 30 international miniaturists. You'll see approximately 120 hyper-realistic reproductions and at least 1,000 miniaturized objects.

In addition, in the museum's rooms you'll learn about a number of special effects, techniques and objects used in filming before the advent of digitization. And you will have the chance to see the friendly Guizmo from "The Gremlins", the terrifying Chucky, the Batman Forever costume, etc.

• Price: the adult ticket costs approximately 13,90€, children around 9,90€ and reduced about 11,90€.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00 hours.

Take a Funicular ride to the Cathedral

When you leave the Museum of Cinema and Miniature you will have to walk along Rue Saint-Jean a distance of 230 meters to the funicular station. You will board one of these cable railroads, getting a different panoramic view of the city as you travel about 5 minutes to the Lyon Cathedral.

Upon arriving at the site you will notice the combination of Gothic and Romanesque architectural style of the building. You will see the preserved 12th century choir and apse with its French Romanesque style. On the other hand, you will contemplate the 13th and 16th century interior naves, colorful stained glass windows, arches and columns. All of them, representative of the Gothic style.

In addition, there is the 14th century Astronomical Clock and the Treasury Museum with a collection of religious objects.

Undoubtedly, relics of great historical and cultural importance, which make this site a mandatory destination and, therefore, this visit is not usually missing among the best tours in Lyon.

• Price: the entrance to the cathedral is free and the transfer in the funicular has an approximate cost of € 3.50 per person (round trip).
• Hours: the cathedral is open every day from 8:15 am to 7:45 pm. Meanwhile, the funicular works from 5:23 am to 9:48 pm.

For your day three in Lyon you can choose to escape the city and, thus, explore the villages and towns located in the surrounding area. Such is the case of the French commune of Annecy, which combines a beautiful urban and natural landscape. Also, the wine region of Ampuis and Tain-l'Hermitage, with important wineries and picturesque vineyards.

Option 1: Take a day trip to Annecy from Lyon

Among the best day trips from Lyon is a visit to Annecy. This is a French commune whose old town is crossed by a river and a canal, giving it great scenic beauty.

To reach the so-called Venice of the Alps, you will have to drive about two hours from Lyon. Upon arrival, you can explore the Alpine town on your own and soak up its magical atmosphere.

For example, some of the places you can discover are as follows:

• Place Georges Volland, surrounded by colorful little houses, cafes, restaurants and a lively nightlife.
• The castle of Annecy, a historical monument that exhibits alpine folk art, has an aquarium and temporary exhibitions.
• The Albigny and Marquisatsbeaches , which are about 4 and 6 minutes respectively from the center of Annecy. You can swim, sunbathe and practice water activities.

Option 2: Join a guided wine tour of the Rhône-Alpes region from Lyon

If you are interested in wine tourism, then you should take advantage of your third day to join one of the best wine tours from Lyon through the Rhône-Alpes region. You'll visit a couple of wineries in the town of Ampuis and Tain-l'Hermitage to learn about the production process of their beverages and do some tastings.

Ampuis

After connecting with your guide in the city center, you will embark on a 30-minute drive to the French commune of Ampuis. There, you will enjoy a privileged view of the Rhône valley and vineyard slopes.

Afterwards, you will visit La Bodega Del Château E.guigal, where you will taste up to six varieties of red wines. All this, while learning about the appearance, body and aromatic richness of each vintage.

Tain-l'Hermitage

Next, the driver-guide will take you to the town of Tain-l'Hermitage, approximately 50 minutes away. In this region, you will get an amazing panoramic view of the Rhône River and the vineyards.

In addition, you will take a tour of the Maison Delas Frères; a winery whose history dates back to 1835. You will discover the history of this mythical drink while tasting six award-winning wines.

• Price: the price of this experience starts at 750€ for groups of up to four people.
• Duration: the activity usually lasts approximately 10 hours.

Lyon is a French city whose cultural heritage is the sample of approximately 200 years of history. It is a place with a wide range of tourist activities that you can easily enjoy in three days of your stay, following a previously planned itinerary.