Lyon is the third largest city in France and the capital city in France’s Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Lyon's centre reflects 2,000 years of history from the Roman Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, medieval and Renaissance architecture in Vieux Lyon, to the modern Confluence district on Presqu'île peninsula. I visited Lyon to simply visit a friend, but I didn't expect that I would enjoy it so much.
10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Lyon
1. Amazing Murals
Lyon is filled with a ton of amazing and beautiful murals called Mur des Canuts, more than 100 murals can be found on Lyon’s buildings and many of these murals celebrate famous locals. You can walk around the city and try and spot as many as you can of these murals.
2. Magnificent Roman Ruins
Lyon is home to a lot of magnificent Roman ruins as well as a museum that explains the presence of Rome in the city. There are two amphitheaters where one is for theatre performances and the other for music and oratory, they also have been restored and are used for light shows and performances. So the Teatro Galo-Romano should be on your bucket list when visiting Lyon.
3. Charming Old Town
Vieux Lyon which translate to Old Lyon, is beautiful to take a walk around and enjoy it. You can start by visiting the gothic Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral and also visit Musée Cinéma et Miniature. The streets are narrow and very few and crammed with shops and restaurants, so you can find a place to stay and enjoy a meal or a drink after your walk.
4. Secret Passages
Lyon has a lot of secret passages from back when the silk reigned, these passages were made in order for them to reach the riverside without getting wet when it rained. These secret passages also helped the rebels hide from the Gestapo during World War II. There are about 40 secret passages that you can visit at the moment.
5. Easy To Explore
It is so easy to explore Lyon on foot, everything is within walking distance so you can enjoy walking around the city. If you are tired as well, you can easily use the public transport which is very efficient, including buses, metro, and tram.
6. The Architecture
I’m a sucker for architecture, and Lyon has an amazing and beautiful architecture that you can admire and enjoy. There is a blend between old and new, and since Lyon is small city, it is easy to spot the old world mixed with the post-modern style.
7. The Birthplace Of Cinema
I mean what would cinema be without the Lumière brothers, so it is fair to say that the pioneering duo put modern film on the agenda. So do not forget to visit Musée Cinéma et Miniature located in Vieux Lyon, you will absolutely love it.
8. Great Outdoor Activities
Lyon is a great gateway to amazing outdoor activities, so if the city is not your thing, then you can go outside of it and explore more. Since one-fifth of France’s national parks are found in Lyon’s region, you will find a lot of things to do. You can do things like hiking, mountain climbing, biking, canoeing, rafting and, of course, skiing, depending on the weather of course.
9. Fête Des Lumières
Each year in December, the Fête des Lumières lights the whole city of Lyon with efforts from leading artists from around the world. The festival celebrates the Virgin Mary and dates back to 1643. Spread over three or four days, the festival draws millions of people annually, so be aware that it will be very crowded during that time of the year.
10. Amazing Nightlife
Lyon has an amazing nightlife that you can explore, the city is filled with great experiences for you to soak and enjoy. So things like nightclubs, including the rooftop party at Le Sucre and Terminal, provide the best clubbing experiences in the region.
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How To Get To Lyon
It is easy to get to Lyon by plane at the Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport, there are flights from all over Europe nearly everyday, so depending on where you are, it might be easy to get there. You can find cheap flights on WayAway. Also, if you are in Europe, you can easily find train and buses through Omio, FlixBus, and Kiwi.com. My favourite app to use whenever I am in Europe is Omio!
How To Move Around Lyon
Once you reach Lyon, the airport is connected to a train station so it easy to get into the city from there. When moving around the city you can get the metro or the tram, you can buy tickets from any metro station or from a tram stop, you will find ticket machines at each stop. Also be aware that you need to validate your ticket once you get on your mode of transport of choice, this is important to not forget.
Best Time To Visit Lyon
You can visit Lyon all year long, during the summer it is hot and you can go canoeing or go on a boat rides. During winter it is also nice since the Alps are nearby as well as the attractions within the city, and also during winter you can witness the Festival of Lights (Fête des Lumière) in December.
The best time to visit Lyon is in September & October. At this time, all the summer tourists would have left the city and it won't be as crowded as it normally would be, and also the weather would be nice, not too hot and not too cold. If you are looking for the best prices, then you would have to visit between November & April, but be aware that it would be cold during that time.
Accommodations In Lyon
The best area for tourists to stay in is Presqu'île, this area occupies the land between the Rhône and Saône rivers and comprises the 1st, 2nd and 4th arrondissements. You can find hotels and Airbnbs in that area easily.
You can book your accommodation through Booking.com, which is the one I use the most, or if you wan to stay in a hostel you can book through HostelWorld. You can also use Agoda, Trivago, or Vrbo to book your accommodations. I know most people have a favourite website or app to use, so just choose what you prefer best.
Best Cafes & Restaurants In Lyon
Slake (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly, French cuisine)
Diploid (Gluten-free options, vegan friendly, French cuisine)
Akle - Le Comptoir A Mezzes (Vegan friendly, Lebanese cuisine)
Sabai Sabai (Gluten-freen options, vegan friendly, Asian)
Le Roi Falafel (Vegan friendly, Lebanese cuisine)
If you wan to find more cafes & restaurants to try, then you can do so through TripAdvisor.