2 days in Lyon

Day by day

1. Day 1: Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum

   Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum, Vieux Lyon and the traboules and Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, then Place des Terreaux in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

      The esplanade beside it is the city's main viewpoint, looking over the rooftops, the two rivers and, on clear days, Mont Blanc.

   2. Late morning

      Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum

      The museum built into the slope next door displays mosaics, inscriptions and the bronze Claudian Tablet.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pike quenelles

      Traditional bouchons in Vieux Lyon and the Presqu'île; charcuteries and the Halles sell them ready to bake.

   4. Afternoon

      Vieux Lyon and the traboules

      The Longue Traboule between rue Saint-Jean and rue du Bœuf is the best known, with a tower staircase in its courtyard.

   5. Late afternoon

      Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse

      Many stalls serve food and wine on the spot, especially at weekend lunchtimes.

   6. Evening

      Place des Terreaux

      Come after dark, when the fountain and the city hall are lit.

2. Day 2: Saint-Jean Cathedral and Musée Miniature et Cinéma

   Saint-Jean Cathedral, Musée Miniature et Cinéma, Gadagne museums and Place Bellecour and the Presqu'île, then Berges du Rhône in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Saint-Jean Cathedral

      Its astronomical clock, dating back to the 14th century, shows saints' days and sets moving figures in motion at certain hours.

   2. Late morning

      Musée Miniature et Cinéma

      In a Renaissance building in Vieux Lyon, this museum displays hyper-realistic miniature scenes alongside original props, costumes and special-effects pieces from well-known films.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sausage in brioche

      Bouchons as a starter, and charcuteries and bakeries to take away.

   4. Afternoon

      Gadagne museums

      A terrace garden café sits at the top.

   5. Late afternoon

      Place Bellecour and the Presqu'île

      Place Bellecour, a vast square of red gravel with an equestrian statue of Louis XIV, is the starting point for walks along rue de la République and rue Victor-Hugo, past 19th-century façades, shops and cafés, towards the Place des Jacobins and its fountain.

   6. Evening

      Berges du Rhône

      Rent a Vélo'v bike and ride from the Parc de la Tête d'Or south to the Confluence along the river.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon (Terreaux): Even if you skip the museum, sit in the shaded cloister garden for a quiet break.
• Swap in Musée des Confluences (Confluence): Go up to the roof terrace for a view of the river confluence.
• Swap in Institut Lumière (Monplaisir): Check the cinema programme; screening a classic on the site of cinema's birth is a memorable evening.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Four metro lines connect the Presqu'île with Vieux Lyon, Part-Dieu, the Croix-Rousse and the suburbs; line C climbs the Croix-Rousse hill on a rack.

More or fewer days

• One day in Lyon
• 3 days in Lyon

Questions travellers ask