History · Lyon · France
8 historic sites to see in Lyon
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Benoît Prieur, CC0
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Quick answer
Start with Vieux Lyon and the traboules, Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum and Saint-Jean Cathedral. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–15 hours across 5 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 13–15 hours
- Areas
- Vieux Lyon, Fourvière and Terreaux
Historic sites in Lyon
Neighbourhood · Vieux Lyon
1.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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Fourvière
2.Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum
The museum built into the slope next door displays mosaics, inscriptions and the bronze Claudian Tablet.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
Religious site · Vieux Lyon
3.Saint-Jean Cathedral
Its astronomical clock, dating back to the 14th century, shows saints' days and sets moving figures in motion at certain hours.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Landmark · Terreaux
4.Place des Terreaux
The Musée des Beaux-Arts fills its south side, and café terraces line the rest.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- History
Museum · Terreaux
5.Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
The cloister garden in the centre is free and open to all.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Neighbourhood · Croix-Rousse
6.Croix-Rousse and the Mur des Canuts
Climb through the Cour des Voraces, a courtyard with a monumental six-storey open staircase, to the plateau, where the Maison des Canuts demonstrates a working Jacquard loom and the Mur des Canuts mural shows the district in trompe-l'œil.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Monplaisir
7.Institut Lumière
Its cinema screens classics, and a film festival takes place each autumn.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Vieux Lyon
8.Gadagne museums
A terrace garden café sits at the top.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Vieux Lyon | Vieux Lyon and the traboules, Saint-Jean Cathedral and Gadagne museums | 2 hours + 45 minutes + 1.5 hours |
| Fourvière | Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum | 1.5–2 hours |
| Terreaux | Place des Terreaux and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon | 30 minutes + 2–3 hours |
| Croix-Rousse | Croix-Rousse and the Mur des Canuts | Half a day |
| Monplaisir | Institut Lumière | 1.5 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 2 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Croix-Rousse and the Mur des Canuts; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Vieux Lyon): Vieux Lyon and the traboules → Saint-Jean Cathedral → Gadagne museums, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Fourvière and Terreaux): Roman theatres of Fourvière and Lugdunum museum → Place des Terreaux, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Terreaux): Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Croix-Rousse): Croix-Rousse and the Mur des Canuts, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Monplaisir): Institut Lumière, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 7 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still cold but brighter; bakeries fill with bugnes for carnival.
- January: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold, often grey and foggy over the rivers; quiet museums and winter sales.
- March: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mild days return and café terraces reopen; changeable weather.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Vieux Lyon — Renaissance lanes, traboules and bouchons beneath Fourvière hill
- Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse — City hall square, the fine-arts museum and steep lanes of bars and studios
More of Lyon
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Lyon?
Vieux Lyon and the traboules. The Renaissance quarter along the Saône is threaded with traboules, covered passages that cut through buildings and courtyards from one street to the next, once used by silk merchants.
+Which of these are free in Lyon?
Vieux Lyon and the traboules, Saint-Jean Cathedral, Place des Terreaux and Croix-Rousse and the Mur des Canuts.