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- Tours
- Cool Activities
- Fun Things to Do
- Outdoor Activities
- Romantic Things to Do
- Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
- Family Friendly Attractions
- Markets
- Museum Exhibits
- Parks
- Religious Sites
- Things to Do Near Fifth Arrondissement
- Things to Do Near Presqu'île/Second Arrondissement
- Things to Do Near Vieux Lyon
- Even more lists
- Ask a Local
- Locals have answered 5 questions about Lyon.
- Ask Lyon Locals
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1. Musée Historique de Lyon
- Musée Gadagne - which incorporates the Musée Historique de Lyon and Musée des Marionettes du Monde (a puppet museum) - is located in the Renaissance... read more
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- Museums
- Nile Expert Tip: For the historic lowdown on one of Europe's most ancient cities; visit the Musée Historique de Lyon to...
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2. Traboules de la Croix-Rousse
- The Croix Rousse district started developing in the 18th century when the silk workshops moved here from the Vieux Lyons area. These slopes became... read more
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- Attractions
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3. Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation
- Now a place of historical remembrance, Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation is housed in the formerly subjugated building that... read more
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- Museums
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4. Traboules St-Jean
- Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) is the largest Renaissance quarter in all of France, measuring 35 hectares in an area that comprises Saint Georges, Saint... read more
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- Attractions
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5. Institut Lumière
- In 1895 the Lyonnaise inventor Louis Lumiére patented a device which he called the ' cinématographe', and thus, the world of cinema was born! The... read more
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- 4WD
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6. Basilique de Fourvière
- Built between 1872 and 1884 by the architect Pierre Bossan, the Basilique de Fourvière, that has been nicknamed the "upside down elephant" is representative... read more
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- Religious Sights
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7. Parc de la Tête d'Or
- Visitors entering the lovely Parc de la Tête d'Or may find it reminiscent of locations used in a multitude of English period dramas; in fact, the... read more
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- Picnics, Parks & Gardens
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8. Halle de Lyon Paul Bocuse
- Established in 1850, Les Halles experienced a few shifts in residence before arriving at its current location in Lyon's Part-Dieu district in 1971.... read more
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- Markets
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9. Musée des Marionnette du Monde
- Situated on the same premises as the Musée Historique de Lyon, the Musée des Marionnette du Monde (formerly known as the Musée International de... read more
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- Museums
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10. Musée des Miniatures et décors de Cinéma, Maison des Avocats
- What is it that's so fascinating about life represented in miniature? One man who must have the answer is Dan Ohlmann; artist and creator of the... read more
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The Best of NileGuide
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Even if you’re a seasoned visitor to Lyon, chances are there is still an abundance of ‘things to do’ that you haven’t been able to tick off your list yet, and for first time visitors, the list can seem so lengthy , you might not know where to begin. When visiting Lyon it’s always good to start with the myriad of must-see attractions on offer; the iconic sights that will give you a feel for the city, while helping you to get orientated. Once you’ve discovered the best of Lyon’s tourist hotspots, you’ll be geared up and ready to uncover the city’s multitude of lesser known - but highly prized – things to see and do.
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage city, many activities in Lyon revolve around heritage and culture. The World Heritage terrain covers an area of 500 hectares and incorporates Vieux Lyon (old Lyon), part of the Presqu’Île (peninsula between the rivers Saône and Rhône), Fourvière hill and the slopes Croix-Rousse hill. All of the World Heritage neighbourhoods are contained in one central area of the city, which makes walking through Lyon’s 2000 years of physical history a real pleasure. In addition, the four neighbourhoods included in the World Heritage zone are all distinctive in character and historical significance, so you can expect to find something new and inspiring at every turn.
Walking is really the best way to discover Lyon’s World Heritage zone, and because the terrain includes two hills, biking is an option reserved for those with legs of steel. But biking is a great way to experience other parts of the city, particularly the areas along the banks of the rivers Saône and the Rhône. Both rivers take in some of the World Heritage terrain, but the real beauty of riverside biking in Lyon is delivered via the lengths of purpose laid bikeways that run for kilometres along both rivers, and you won’t have any problem finding a bike in Lyon; just look out for a Velo’v bike station and you can rent a bike for as long as you want.
With heritage and culture abound, museums are a big draw card in Lyon, and with good reason; there are dozens of word class museums in the city, with exhibits that showcase a legacy of Lyon’s cultural heritage. Art, cinema, silk, remains from the Gallo-Roman period and printing take prime position in Lyon’s museums, but there are also many small – sometimes quite curious - museums to discover. The big wig museums include Musée des Beaux-Arts (the fine arts museum) Musée des Tissus & Arts Décoratifs (textile museum) Musée de l’Imprimerie de Lyon (printing museum), Institute Lumière (museum of cinema) and Musée de la Civilisation Gallo-Romain. Here's a top-tip for museum hopping in Lyon: get a Lyon City Card and make massive savings on museum entrance fees.
