Day 1 in Lyon

Welcome to Lyon! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do.

Begin the afternoon with a pleasant lunch in any of the charming streetside cafes to be found throughout the city. Afterward, we recommend that you get acquainted with the city by choosing an optional tour such as a `Hop on and off Bus Tour`, showcasing the main sights of this cultural city.

As night falls, enjoy dinner at one of the many `bouchons`, a typical Lyonnaise family-owned bistro that serves hearty homemade dishes. Eating at a bouchon is like stepping back in time. Order a hearty homemade traditional dish such as quenelles, a sort of mixed fish with cream sauce and smoked pork sausage. After dinner take in the ambiance of the city at night before heading back to your hotel.

Day 2 in Lyon

Wake up early and start your day at Bocuse`s world-famous food market, Les Halles, this is a great way to grasp the variety of Lyon`s gastronomy. Here, you`ll find a fun, energetic atmosphere of great butchers, cheese mongers, charcutiers and pastry chefs selling their goods to chefs and regulars. Pick up some local specialties and partake in all the yummy tastings offered. For lunch, grab a spot at a seafood bar, and enjoy fresh-off-the-boat oysters, sea urchins and other delicacies.

Next, explore the 13 mural paintings dotted throughout the city that make up a contemporary open-air gallery. As you roam the cobblestone streets and pedestrian plazas, you`ll see huge paintings with optical illusions decorating building walls that somehow pull you right in. One of the most popular is the Fresque des Lyonnais, on the Quai St.Vincent. Thirty of Lyon`s legendary residents are depicted from the writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery to the Lumière brothers, the first filmmakers in history.

Learn more about the history of Lyon by exploring the traboules, these interior passageways are cut across various buildings, mainly in the old town, Vieux Lyon. Those open to the public have heavy wooden doors protecting them. Stepping in behind such a marked door, you`ll find yourself in a new dungeon-like world. Wander through the winding alleys to find your way out on the other side, and into another street. Residents have been using these passageways for centuries as shortcuts to get from one side of town to the other. They were mostly used for carrying water and silk, but you can have fun exploring the insides of Lyon`s buildings.

As the evening approaches, take a walk in Vieux Lyon (Old Town), the Renaissance-era quarter listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn more about the history of the city at the Musée Gadagne, which is housed in a typical Renaissance building that has been preserved and restored. Then stop in one of the many delicious restaurants in the area to enjoy dinner. Make sure to spend some time strolling around, check out the imposing Palais de justice hisotique de Lyon and visit the Cathedral Saint-Jean-Baptist.

Day 3 in Lyon

Start your day off by hiking up the steep hill leading to the beautiful Basilica of Fourvière, which offers incredible views overlooking the city. The basilica, built in the 19th-century and decorated with rich mosaic tiles and neoclassical columns, is a magnificent example of the opulent neo-Romano-Byzantine style. Roman ruins nearby attest to the region`s rich history. The large Roman baths and theater date from 15 B.C.; the Roman Odeon was built in the 2nd-century.

Whether you`re hungry for lunch or simply crave a relaxing afternoon coffee break, the café at the Musée des Beaux Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, is a quiet getaway from the bustle of the city housed in a magnificent building dating from the 17th-century. Spend an hour or two wandering the museum.The collections are exhibited in over 70 rooms and offer visitors an outstanding sample of art from antiquity to contemporary art.

Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the Parc de la Tete d`Or, Lyon`s largest and most famous park. Walk around the lake, rent a canoe, visit the free zoo, or simply pack a book and take a reading break on a bench at the water`s edge.

In the evening enjoy a traditional Lyonnais restaurant on the banks of the Saone, a lively district that offers a wide variety of bars, pubs and restaurants scattered all over. And if time allows, go for an opera, ballet or classical music performance at the Opéra Nouvel.

Additional Days in Lyon

Should you be able to spend additional days in Lyon take advantage of an easily accessible day trip. For a wine-filled day trip, consider a tour through Beaujolais or Burgundy for a tour of wine country. Many tour services offer escapes to Beaujolais in half-day or full-day options, though renting a car is always ideal to be able to explore on your own. For a day trip to Beaune, the wine capital of the region, you`ll find this area brimming with local producers, as well as little souvenirs shops with everything to do with wine.

For a less wine-focused excursion, head to Annecy, an alpine village just 90 minutes east of Lyon, nicknamed the Pearl of the French Alps. The Vieille Ville (Old Town) is lined with quaint cobblestone streets and tiny canals, with homes made of wood and painted bright colors. Be sure to savor a traditional Savoyard lunch of Reblochon cheese and charcuterie paired with a glass of local Vin de Savoie or a pint of Mont Blanc, all while taking in the view of little red flowers covering the wooden bridges sitting against the backdrop of Lake Annecy.

Your Last Day in Lyon

Depart your hotel for the airport or train station where you will head home or make your way to more European adventures. Savor the memories of a very special time in Lyon in the south of France.