Lyon

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City skyline with Pont Bonaparte and Saone River, Lyon, Rhone Valley, France, Europe

Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

Overview

Commanding a strategic spot at the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône Rivers, Lyon has been luring people ever since the Romans named it Lugdunum in 43 BC. Commercial, industrial and banking powerhouse for the past 500 years, Lyon is France's third-largest city, and offers today's urban explorers a wealth of enticing experiences.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Lyon "Confluences Museum" (France)

    Lyon Confluence

    Lyon

    Lyon's race toward the future is personified in this reborn industrial district near the southern tip of Presqu'île. Once a landscape of empty warehouses…

  • LYON, FRANCE, DECEMBER 22, 2014 : Musee des Confluences just inaugurated. Musee des Confluences is located at the confluence of the Rhone and the Saone rivers and a project of the Confluence district 239742373

    Musée des Confluences

    Lyon

    This eye-catching building, designed by the Viennese firm Coop Himmelb(l)au, is the crowning glory of Lyon's newest neighbourhood, the Confluence, at…

  • LYON, FRANCE - JUNE 5: Exterior of St. John the Baptist cathedal in Lyon downtown with people passing by. June 2015; Shutterstock ID 405341626; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Lyon BiT

    Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste

    Lyon

    Lyon's partly Romanesque cathedral was built between the late 11th and early 16th centuries. The portals of its Flamboyant Gothic facade, completed in…

  • LYON, FRANCE, March 11, 2018 : Renaissance Architecture of the outsides of Gadagne Museum.; Shutterstock ID 1043863471; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Lyon BiT

    Musées Gadagne

    Lyon

    Housed in a 16th-century mansion built for two rich Florentine bankers, this twin-themed exhibition space incorporates an excellent local history museum,…

  • The Terreaux square with fountain in Lyon city, France; Shutterstock ID 281818262; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Lyon BiT

    Place des Terreaux

    Lyon

    The centrepiece of the Presqu'île's beautiful central square is a 19th-century fountain made of 21 tonnes of lead and sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste…

  • Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere in Lyon, France.

    Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière

    Lyon

    Crowning the hill, with stunning city panoramas from its terrace, this superb example of late-19th-century French ecclesiastical architecture is lined…

  • LYON, FRANCE, OCTOBER 25, 2014 : Statues in the park of Palais Saint-Pierre. This Palace houses Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon and is a former Benedictine convent of the 17th century.; Shutterstock ID 226052629

    Musée des Beaux-Arts

    Lyon

    This stunning and eminently manageable museum showcases France's finest collection of sculptures and paintings outside of Paris, from antiquity onwards…

  • Opéra de Lyon

    Opéra de Lyon

    Lyon

    Lyon's neoclassical 1831-built opera house was modernised in 1993 by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, who added the striking semi-cylindrical glass…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Offering everything from cinematic history to photogenic riverbanks to edgy art galleries, France’s culinary capital is more than just a pretty plate.

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Best Time to Visit

Whether you're heading to Lyon for food, festivals, or a slice of local life, we give you the best times to visit and why.

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Free Things to Do

Mysterious passageways, stunning street art and 2000-year-old Roman ruins can all be part of your Lyon adventure, without spending a single euro. 

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Day Trips

Go beyond France's third-largest city with these amazing day trips from Lyon.

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5 Shops

From innovative stores doing clothing rentals to places selling delicious wine and cheese, here is our guide to Lyon's best independent shops.

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Plan with a local

Articles

Latest stories from Lyon

Aurora borealis, also known as Northern lights shining in the night sky seen from Glass Igloos, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort West Village, Saariselkä, Lapland, Finland. Aurora borealis, also known as Northern lights shining in the night sky seen from Glass Igloos, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort West Village, Saariselkä, Lapland, Finland. 1213501617

Festivals & Events

13 of the best places to visit in Europe in winter

Dec 10, 2024 • 12 min read

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