Lyon is one of the most visited cities in France, and rightly so. In addition to being a beautiful city with an interesting history, it is also the most important culinary center of France.
It's no surprise that a tourist in Lyon has quite a bit to do, whether it's strolling the streets of the old city, learning about the city's culinary culture, or relaxing on a chair on a boat and seeing the city's monuments at sunset.
Since the selection of activities and attractions in the city is not small at all, I decided to help you and offer some of the attractions that I think provide the most benefit for their price.
Secrets of Le Marais: A Journey into the Historic and Chic Heart of Paris
Join us on a virtual journey to the most fascinating district in Paris. Together we will discover hidden courtyards, French nobility, and the true stories behind the magnificent facades.
Itineraries in Lyon
To me, there's nothing more fun than simply discovering the city on foot. That's why I've created a number of itineraries for you to use while you're in Lyon.
These routes contain not only interesting places that should not be missed, but also information about restaurants in the area and museums, which are right on the route. To all of these I added an article about the history of Lyon, because I believe that knowing the history of the city will greatly enhance your trip.
Have you put on a pair of comfortable shoes and are you ready? So let's get going!
Visiting the museums of Lyon
There are several very interesting museums in Lyon, which I will talk about in a moment, but before that, let me recommend the Lyon Museum and Transportation Card. It is called the Lyon City Card and it gives you access to nearly 20 museums for free. This is where the card's benefits just begin, as it also gives you free access to public transportation, free tours, and even a cruise on the Rhône and Saône rivers.
The price of the ticket is simply ridiculous in my opinion, compared to what it provides (starting at 25 euros per day and up to 55 euros for 4 days), so I highly recommend purchasing it. Also, if you are arriving by flight from Israel to Lyon, then it is recommended that you consider purchasing the museum ticket, which also includes transportation from the airport (it is more expensive and costs 42 euros, so do the math if it is worth it).
Now, let's talk about the museums themselves. During my visit to Lyon in September 2022, I visited some of the most important museums in the city and really enjoyed myself. Below you can find information about those museums I visited.
Confluence Museum
Although it is a museum with a very modern appearance (the building in which it is located opened to the public in 2014), its roots go back to the 17th century, when wealthy and noble merchants began collecting stuffed animals, minerals, and other exhibits that tell us about the world and life in it. And that is exactly the goal of this museum: to try to answer huge questions such as how humanity was created, what cultures have existed and exist in this world, and what animals roam it. I admit that natural history museums don't speak to me as much, but I personally really enjoyed and learned from what I saw.
Palace of Fine Arts (Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lyon)
A wonderful museum, located inside a 17th century monastery and containing a vast collection of artworks from ancient Egypt to the early 20th century. I visited the museum in September 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed it. The richness of the exhibits is immense and is second only to the museum The Louvre in Paris. My recommendation is to spend about an hour and a half there at a time, so that you can truly enjoy the exhibits and not get “art poisoning.”
Museum of Illusions
Right next to the church of the Hotel Dia, a new branch of the Museum of Illusions (the original branch is in Paris) opened in 2021. It is a museum founded by Leslie, a Jewish resident France, and is entirely dedicated to optical illusions. You will find a “window” that is actually a floor, holes that your head can pop out of, a tunnel that makes you feel like it is spinning, and more. Highly recommended if you are traveling with children.
Cinema and Miniature Museum (Musée Cinéma & Miniature)
The museum was created by an interior designer named Dan Ullman, who came to Lyon from Paris. His hobby was building miniatures and after the exhibition was a success, it was decided to create a permanent museum. You will find tiny buildings there that he designed in detail, alongside artifacts from Hollywood films. I highly recommend the museum, especially for parents visiting Lyon with their children.
Gadagne Museum
Paris has the Carnival Museum, while Lyon has its little brother, which is not free. If you love history, don't miss it. Here you will learn about more than 2,000 years of Lyon's history. Alongside this museum, you will find another museum here that is entirely dedicated to puppet theater. I'm sure both you and your children will enjoy it here.
Paul Bocuse Food Market
It’s true that this is not an “official” museum, but for any culinary enthusiast, it is a must-visit temple. Here you will find the best produce from the villages around Lyon (meats, cold cuts, vegetables and cheeses) and of course patisserie and chocolatier shops. Alongside all of these, there are a number of restaurants in the market that cook the best produce for you.
Guided tours in Lyon
Lyon is a city full of interesting buildings and places thanks to its rich history. If you want a local to take you to the most interesting places and expose you to stories that only people who know Lyon well know, it's worth taking one or more of these guided tours.
Guided tours of the streets of Lyon
Culinary tours
Lyon is the culinary capital of France, so it's highly recommended to take at least one culinary tour with a local, who can show you the best food shops, explain the city's famous food market, and give you recommendations for a bouchon or two. Here are some good options:
Guided tours via app
As you can see in the previous section, a guided tour can be a bit expensive. If you want to save money and still get interesting information about the city, while traveling at your own pace, then an app tour is a great option.
Tours on wheels
Whether you want to explore Lyon by bike, Segway, or any other means of transportation, or simply take an organized tour of the towns and villages around Lyon, you'll find that there are quite a few options. I've chosen the ones I liked the most:
Day trips outside Lyon
If you're in Lyon for a week or more, want to explore the area but don't feel like renting a car, the best option is to take an organized tour and save yourself quite a bit of headache (and with current car rental and fuel prices, quite a bit of money too). So if you've decided to do it, here are some options:
Cruise on the Rhone
Just like Cruise on the Seine in ParisA cruise on the Rhone River in Lyon is a great way to get to know the city, and give your feet a little rest along the way. Here are some not-so-bad options to choose from.
I would love to read an article about Bordeaux.
please.
Bordeaux page on my website
I would love to hear your thoughts on Christmas markets and decorations in France, including the dates when the events open.
I have an article on the subject, but only about Paris. It is currently updated for last year because it is too early to write about the subject for this year.
https://www.francophilesanonymes.com/paris/christmas-markets/
You are welcome to “cut and save” it and come back to it in a few months.
Hello Zvi, we enjoyed your recommendations in Lyon. We would be happy to hear further recommendations regarding both restaurants and attractions. We are leaving Lyon by car towards Dijon and from there to Strasbourg.
Actually - through wine.
Thanks
thrush
Hi Tsukit,
Unfortunately, I don't have any recommendations for these places other than what is currently on the site. I definitely plan to do some serious research in the future and write about these areas and provide recommendations.
Best regards,
deer
I was very helped by your suggestions regarding Paris. You surprised me with attractions that even French pensioners' students don't know about. I was also very helped with Brittany, thank you. I would be very happy if you had suggestions for Brussels as well, if of course it is included in the site's plans. I will inform friends about your site.
Thanks
Glad to hear 🙂
Regarding Belgium: Maybe sometime in the more distant future.
I would love to know which neighborhoods of Lyon are recommended to stay in and whether there are areas that are best avoided.
Hi Meital,
The answer can be found in this article:
https://www.francophilesanonymes.com/france/lyon/hotels/
Best regards,
deer
Greetings,
I'm supposed to go to Lyon at the end of October.
I would like to buy the combined card for 42 euros.Lyon City Card with Airport Transfer
I read in the reviews that collecting the ticket is problematic because of the long walk through the airport.
Thank you for providing clear details for receiving the card after payment on the website.
Hi Zvi,
Do you know of any good spas/baths in Lyon?
Unfortunately, no.
Wow, how lucky I was to find these recommendations, just a few days before my trip to the Lyon area.
Thank you very much for the research and especially for sharing.
If you don't mind, I would be happy to answer the following questions:
1. I will be without a car. Which of the above attractions can be easily reached by public transportation and/or on foot?
2. Is there a recommended public transportation pass for a week-long visit to the area? If so, I would love to receive a link to more information about it.
3. I want to combine a visit to the city of Vienna, which is located about 30 km south of Lyon. Is there public transportation from there to Lyon? Do the public transportation tickets in Lyon include a trip to Vienna on the same ticket?
4. What is the most efficient way (convenient, fast, inexpensive) to get from Lyon airport to the city center or to the city of Vienna?
Thank you for the amazing information and many thanks for answering my questions.
1. I reached all the attractions I visited by public transportation.
2. As far as I know, there is no weekly ticket, only for 3 days (or something like that).
3. I don't think so because it's a different city. I would recommend going intoThis page Under the “Public Transportation” tab, choose one of the recommended sites and see how much a train or bus to that city will cost.
4. From the airport, I would recommend taking a taxi to the city. Regarding the city of Vienna, see my answer to the third question.
deer
Thank you very much, Zvi, for the quick and detailed response and congratulations on the lovely site.