Lyon walking tour & city guide

Vieux Lyon and the traboules

Vieux Lyon, on the west bank of the Saône, is a beautifully preserved Renaissance quarter of pastel facades and cobbled streets. Its most unusual feature is the traboules, hidden passageways that cut through buildings and courtyards from one street to the next. Silk workers once used them to carry their fabrics, and some are open to the public today.

Above the old town, the Fourvière hill is crowned by the white Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Take the funicular up for sweeping views over the city, and visit the Roman theaters nearby, a reminder that Lyon was once Lugdunum, an important city of Roman Gaul.

The Presqu'île and Croix-Rousse

Between the two rivers lies the Presqu'île, Lyon's elegant city center, with grand squares like Place Bellecour and Place des Terreaux, and shopping streets lined with 19th-century buildings. Look for the giant painted murals, such as the Fresque des Lyonnais, which cover entire building walls.

To the north, the hill of Croix-Rousse was the historic silk weavers' district. Its tall buildings had high ceilings to fit the looms, and today it has a village atmosphere, a big morning market and its own traboules.

Eating in Lyon

Lyon is famous for its bouchons, small traditional restaurants serving hearty local cuisine with checked tablecloths and Beaujolais wine. The city was home to the legendary chef Paul Bocuse, and its covered market bears his name. Every December, the Festival of Lights transforms the city's buildings into glowing artworks.