One-Day Highlights

Tour 4– One-Day Highlights of Lyon

Lyon is one of the most important cities in France and in Europe, and therefore, home to plenty of must-see historical landmarks. 

In this ONE-DAY 7-hour Highlights Tour, will enjoy the most beautiful panoramic view of the city from Fourvière Hill, where Lyon was founded by Romans in 43 B.C, and where takes centre stage the impressive Basilica of Our Lady of Fourvière. We will also visit the archaeological area and admire the ancient Roman theaters, bearing witness to a time of greatness of Lyon.  

The tour continues through the Medieval and Renaissance area of Lyon, the “Old Town”, one of the oldest and most charming districts of France, with in its center, the magnificent Saint John’s Cathedral, in authentic gothic style. Strolling along picturesque cobbled streets, we will discover the history behind certain elements which today contribute to the reputation of the city, such as, the Great Silk Industry, the Gastronomy with the very traditional restaurants called “Bouchons”, and some hidden interior courtyards and their secret passage-ways, the famous “traboules“.

We’ll then discover the charm of the slopes of Croix-Rousse Hill and District. The Hill was home to the “Canuts“, famous silk-workers who, thanks to “Jacquard Loom“, were able to shape the face of the district in the 19th century. The house-workshops and the old weaving looms still visible today, allow us to revisit the pages of a history, so rich and so dear to the inhabitants of Lyon.

Then, we’ll pass through the “Presqu’île”, an area located in the heart of Lyon. Dominated by two rivers, the Saone and the Rhone, converging to the south to form a Peninsula, this area concentrates some of the most beautiful and important monuments and squares of the city, such as the City-Hall Palace, Bellecour Square with its imposing statue of the Sun King, or Terreaux Square, housing the iconic “Bartholdi Fountain”.  It’s also the commercial centre of Lyon, with an abundance of popular and luxury shops and department stores.

Continuing south, we’ll experience one of the finest examples of contemporary urbanism in France in the Confluence District. Located at the southern limit of the “Peninsula” of Lyon, the area appears today as an outcome result of major urban challenges, and throughout a pleasant walk on Rambaud’s Dock, we will discover the talent of a team made up of landscape architects, reflected in buildings that have now been converted, and where nature rubs shoulders with us in an exceptional setting.

Do not hesitate to contact me for any additional questions about this tour, which will allow us to explore some of the most exemplary landmarks in Lyon.