Lyon, another important city of France founded 2000 years ago is surprisingly unexplored by many travelers. Several travelers plan a vacation of Paris, Cannes, Marseille etc but the Lyon holiday trip is still not on the traveller’s bucket list. Lyon holiday trip provides a hidden treasure of heritage sites to vacationers. It includes medieval quarters, impressive Roman Ruins, extraordinary architectural buildings and a compact old town with colourful streets and of course delicious french food.
Lyon holiday trip offers many interesting places to visit and things to do for family-friendly visitors, couples as well as solo travellers. So go through our list discover more about this cultural cum metropolis city of France.
Start Your Lyon Holiday Trip With Vieux Lyon
To understand the cultural as well as the historical aspects of Lyon city in depth you must start your trip from Vieux Lyon. This old Lyon is a beautiful neighbourhood situated along the Rhône and Saône Rivers that reflects the rich heritage of the city.
Lyon’s Old Town is a delightful colonial place to walk around in. So start wandering along the cobblestoned streets of Vieux Lyon and visit enchanting museums and buildings located here. The captivating historic quarters like Quartier Saint-Jean, Colline Croix-Rousse and the Presqu’ile are the best places to snap pictures and indulge yourself in the old charm.
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Must Visit Musée des Beaux Arts Lyon Holiday Trip
Beaux Arts de Lyon is a museum that fascinates those travellers who love art and culture. Musee des Beaux Arts display significant French paintings by renowned artists such as Philippe de Champaigne, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, etc from the 16th to 18th-century. This fine art museum is the second-best in France after the Louvre museum of Paris.
Art lovers can admire many beautiful eminent sculptors like Rodin and James Pradier. Its antique collection is quite vast which includes beautiful vessels, marionettes, artistic paintings and other objects that showcase the human imagination of the 17th century. It’s grand building plus the artistic interior is enough to pull the attention of any art enthusiast.
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Explore Couple’s Favourite Spot – La Croix Rousse
The Croix-Rousse is a hill that rises between Saône and Rhône Rivers the city centre. This place is perfect for couples and history lovers as well. It actually a beautiful historical neighbourhood famous due to the Silk industry of the 18th century. Hold hands of your bae and sit down near the Rhone river and admire the colourful silk building.
The corridors used by silk workers to move their supplies can be explored here. The Maison des Canuts, a museum dedicated to Lyon’s once-thriving silk industry, is also worth visiting. In la Croix-Rousse, feel romantic and lose yourself in the charming boutiques and coffee shops.
Don’t Miss Visiting Lyon Cathedral
Lyon Catherdal is another impressive landmark of Lyon which belongs to the Middle Ages. This Cathedral is dedicated to Saint-John the Baptiste and located in the heart of Old Lyon. This magnificent Cathedral gives visitors a perfect example of Romanesque and Gothic styles architecture.
Another highlight of this cathedral is the historical Astronomical Clock of Lyon from the 19th-century. The clock is one of Europe’s oldest and features an astrolabe that displays the date, the moon’s, sun’s, and earth’s positions, as well as the stars in the sky above Lyon.
Theatre of Fourviere – Top Attraction of Lyon Holiday Trip
The ancient theatre of Fourviere is another top attraction that you must consider on your long trip. This ancient structure looks somewhat like the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, Athens. The Grand Theatre of Lyon has a unique circular architecture constructed in BC 15 BC and standing wonderfully on the hill of Fourviere.
Many cultural events and festivals being organised here due to this large auditorium which can accommodate over 10,000 people.
Visit Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière
Your Lyon holiday trip is incomplete without visiting the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere. Located on the hilltop, this iconic basilica gives visitors a panoramic view of the city from its terrace. Notre Dame de Fourviere displays architectural brilliance from the 19th century. Its impressive white facade, majestic interior, well-decorated walls and magnificent mosaics portraying different scenes from the life of Joan of Arc and several biblical stories made it an iconic place to visit in Lyon.
Apart from this, at the bottom of the Basilica, you can also visit a small church, well-known for its unorthodox devotion to Joseph. So for admiring the amazing views of Lyon central you must pay a visit to this Basilica.
Explore Contemporary History Museum of Lyon
The Lyon history museum which is also known as the Musee des Confluences is a perfect blend of history and contemporary architecture. This museum displays more them 80,000 artefacts from different eras. The visitor will learn about the various facets of the city’s growth as it progresses over time at this History Museum.
The museum imprints the events that formed Lyon in the minds of its visitors by exposing them to vivid items such as drawings, old city plans, instruments, decor and so on.
Savour French Food at Gourmet Restaurants
Lyon is commonly regarded as the capital city for its excellent delicacies. Relish the best regional cuisine such as Quenelles which is a must-try dish during your Lyon holiday trip. Visit Les Halles de Lyon – Paul Bocuse, a market with a variety of food choices to tempt your taste buds.
Other popular dishes you mush savour here are La quenelle, Le tablier de sapeur, Gateau de foies de volaille, Saucisson de Lyon, Andouillette and Saucisson brioché Coq au vin.
Bottom Line
The best things to do in Lyon highlight gastronomy, history and culture. This is a city where every traveller will feel good. Have lunch in the friendly ambience of trendy restaurants of la Presqu’île district then go to visit the top places and museums. Lyon Holiday trip won’t disappoint you at all whether you are planning for a city break or a long weekend trip. So what are you waiting for, add this French city to your travel itinerary quick!
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