Lyon travel guide

Photo of Lyon cityscape from Saone river with colorful houses and river.
Experts in travel to Europe
We have years of experience and local knowledge
24/7 customer support
Reach us any time of the day in just a few seconds

Introduction to Lyon

Lyon is a destination known for attractions like Parc de la Tête d'Or, La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, and Place Bellecour. Travelers who visit this commune in the metropolis of Lyon, France are often fascinated by the rich history and interesting culture it offers. We recommend taking the time to explore this city in France on foot and walk alongside the over 522.2 thousand locals who live in Lyon. You’ll quickly discover you’re surrounded by endless numbers of things to see and do.

Easily accessible from Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport, Lyon is the perfect base for a memorable and unique vacation in France any time of the year.

Travelers curious about Lyon might find it interesting that the city was named after Lugdunum. You'll learn more fascinating facts about Lyon as you explore this spectacular city.

Traveling to Lyon is especially rewarding for anyone eager to connect with locals and learn more about their unique culture and traditions.

Get ready to explore and learn more about the city of Lyon below!

Top services in Lyon

Here on this page, you'll find all the top travel services in Lyon, France. Check out the cheapest and most popular flights offered by 356 airlines that fly to France. Browse the 160 top-rated tours available to you in Lyon. Compare the rates and services of the 5 types of places to stay in Lyon and the 8 car rental companies offering CDW insurance coverage. We make it easy for you to find and book the top services in Lyon.

Enjoy the convenience of planning and booking every detail of your trip to Lyon, including flights, accommodations, activities, and more, in one place. Book with Guide to Europe to get an expertly-curated and fully-customizable itinerary and experience the best of Lyon on your vacation in France.

Get answers to questions about the routes and services offered in Lyon from our free 24/7 customer support. Continue reading to learn how you can enjoy a stress-free and memorable vacation in the city of Lyon!

Learn more about France

There are many reasons to visit the city of Lyon, but a trip to France needs no explanation.

Exploring France, which spans 643,801 square kilometers, is an adventure of a lifetime. France offers an abundance of truly magical places to discover, including cultural, historic, and scenic sites of significant value to both locals and travelers.

As the home country of many world-famous attractions like the spectacular Parc de la Tête d'Or, La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, and the Place Bellecour, you’re all set for a unique and memorable travel experience in France.

Click or tap the link below to discover more about France.

What to see in Lyon

Photo of summer view over Vieux Lyon, with famous cathedral Fourviere, and Croix Rousse in Lyon, France.

Lyon has something for everyone. Regardless of age and interest, travelers have the best time exploring every corner of the city.

Read on to discover the best places to visit and find out what to expect from the city of Lyon.

Top attractions in Lyon

Home to plenty of top attractions, Lyon is more than just a wonderful city in France. Lyon is a travel hotspot and a great place to experience a mix of the traditional and modern culture of France.

One fascinating sight in Lyon is the unforgettable Parc de la Tête d'Or. Considered one of the most well-known attractions in the city, a visit to this spectacular travel destination is something you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Lyon. This remarkable attraction is located at 69006 Lyon, France and is open for visitors Monday - Sunday, between 06:30-22:30.

For more information about what you can expect during a vacation in France, check out our list of top attractions in Lyon below. Discover the best places to visit in Lyon, including the fascinating Parc de la Tête d'Or, La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, Place Bellecour, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and Musée Cinéma et Miniature.

Map of attractions

Use this map to find the location of all top attractions in Lyon.

Things to do in Lyon

Photo of Pedestrian Saint Georges footbridge and the Saint Georges church in Lyon.

Enrich your travel experience in Lyon by joining tours and activities. Lyon offers an exciting selection of top-rated tours and it's easy for every traveler to find something to their liking. Take the opportunity to catch the top attractions on a tour, stay active with an adventurous excursion, or learn something new about the local history or culture of the city.

Discover the most popular experiences in Lyon below.

Most popular experiences in Lyon

Traveling is all about gaining new experiences. You can have that and more in the city of Lyon.

Lyon offers numerous tours and activities for travelers to choose from. Historical Tours, Walking Tours, and Half-day Tours are only a few of the many experiences you can book for your holiday in France.

Explore the most popular experiences you can join in Lyon by clicking on one of the top-rated tour categories below.

Top tours & tickets starting in Lyon

Travelers in Lyon can choose from 15 categories of top-rated tours and tickets. If you're curious about what the most frequently recommended experiences in the city are, Cultural Tours is the answer.

The most popular tour in Lyon is the fantastic Dark Lyon. By joining this highly recommended tour, travelers get to learn more about what makes Lyon one of the best travel destinations in France.

Lyon also offers plenty of budget-friendly tours and activities that promise travelers a unique experience in the city. The affordable Vieux Lyon Cultural & Historical Walking Guided Tour (English) is the cheapest tour in the city, and is a popular Historical Tour. This experience costs around 3 EUR and allows travelers a great time in Lyon. This Historical Tour is available in 1 language: English. Around 601 travelers have given this activity an average rating of 5 stars out of 5.

Secure an unforgettable experience for your upcoming trip to Lyon and book a top-rated tour in the city. Discover the best tours, activities, and tickets in Lyon below.

Find

All Experiences in Lyon

See more

Search for things to do in Lyon

Discover the best things to do in Lyon. Choose from 160 fantastic tours and activities available in the city.

Select your dates and number of travelers in the search bar below to receive the best recommendations for your vacation in Lyon. Click the green button to view your options.

Vacation packages in Lyon

Photo of tourist walks through the center of Lyon's old town.

The best and easiest way to visit Lyon is by booking a vacation package. A vacation package includes everything you need for a worry-free and perfectly planned holiday in France.

Booking a vacation package to Lyon means spending less time planning and more time enjoying your vacation. A vacation package includes everything from flight tickets, accomodation, and a rental car, to 24/7 personal travel support and a carefully planned travel itinerary. You can also take your vacation in Lyon to the next level by adding tours, tickets, and activities to each day of your trip.

Apart from providing you with everything you need to travel comfortably, your vacation package to Lyon is also fully customizable. In other words, you can add or remove services at your own convenience, to create the perfect vacation for you and your travel companions.

On our website, you will find 192 unique vacation packages to Lyon, including flight tickets, hotel reservations, and recommendations for the best sightseeing spots, restaurants, bars, and activities.

Continue to the next section to learn more about what types of vacations you can book in the city of Lyon.

Popular types of vacations in Lyon

The most popular way to experience Lyon is by visiting the city as part of a road trip across multiple destinations in France. However, it is also common for travelers to go to Lyon on both shorter and longer getaways, to get a break from everyday life, relax, and experience something new.

With Guide to Europe you can find road trips, city breaks, and weekend getaways in France, ranging from budget to luxury. Whether you’re planning a multi-day road trip across France, or you just want to enjoy a few days exploring Lyon, there is a vacation package for you.

Discover the most popular vacation packages in Lyon below.

Top vacation packages in Lyon

Travelers have a great selection of vacation packages to choose from in France. In fact, you can choose from as many as 192 different top-rated vacation packages to take you to Lyon, and even more if you expand your search to include a bigger area of France.

To help narrow your choices down, here are some of the best vacation packages for exploring the city of Lyon.

For an epic vacation, discover Lyon and other top destinations in France on a top-rated holiday like the Cheap 10-Day France Road Trip Vacation from Lyon traveling west to Clermont-Ferrand, Blois, Paris & Beaune. This vacation package provides travelers with tons of opportunities to experience not only the most popular attractions in Lyon, but also in other top places to visit in France. If Place Bellecour, Musée Cinéma et Miniature, Parc de la Tête d'Or, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière are on your bucket list, this is the perfect vacation package for you.

If you would like to go on a budget vacation in Lyon, book the popular Cheap 3-Day France City Break in Lyon and spend as little as 278 EUR. This vacation will take you on a journey to experience some of the most incredible attractions and sights in Lyon, including the fantastic Place Bellecour, Musée Cinéma et Miniature, Parc de la Tête d'Or, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière.

Get more Lyon vacation ideas on this site and discover the greatest selection of vacation packages in Europe. Scroll down to find the best vacation packages in France that match your needs and budget.

Find

All Vacations in Lyon

See more

Find vacation packages in Lyon

Discover and compare 192 vacation packages that take you to the wonderful city of Lyon.

The best flights, hotels, and activities in Lyon get fully booked quickly. Use the search tool below to find the best vacation packages in France. Your customized holiday package to Lyon is only a few clicks away!

How to get to Lyon

To get to the city of Lyon the fastest way possible, travelers from outside France can travel by plane. International travelers can fly to Lyon by booking flights with any of the 65 airlines that offer direct flights to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport. Some airlines that operate flights to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport are United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Ryanair, easyJet, and Azul. Go to this page to compare all flights to Lyon.

To reach the city of Lyon, travelers can choose from various airport transfer options available at Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport.

If you're looking for the best flight ticket deals to Lyon, knowing the cheapest travel time and which airlines offer the most affordable flights is helpful. Luckily, we have this information for you. Discover more about the cheapest and most popular flights to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport and Lyon below.

Find cheap flights to Lyon

Photo of Lyon city aerial panoramic view.

Over the years, more airlines have started offering flexible and direct flights to Lyon, making it one of the most accessible travel destinations in France. However, it is usually cheaper to fly to Lyon, France, in May.

The cheapest one-way flight to Lyon costs around 17 EUR and is offered by the airline Vueling. The flight leaves on June 25 at 2 and departs from Barcelona–El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain.

The cheapest round-trip flights to Lyon cost approximately 124 EUR in total. The departure flight leaves on May 31 and the return flight is scheduled on May 7. The flight time is around 2 hours per way.

The return flight is operated by Pau Pyrénées.

Use the search tool below to find the cheapest flights to France and the city of Lyon from your city of departure.

Popular flights to Lyon

Travelers visiting Lyon in France can fly to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport directly from 1865 destinations worldwide.

The three most popular routes to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport and the city of Lyon in France depart from Lyon–Saint-Exupéry airport in Lyon, France, Norman Manley International airport in Kingston, Jamaica, and Cochin International airport in Kochi, India.

Travelers can fly to France by choosing from from 1 weekly flight(s) from Lyon; from 1 weekly flight(s) from Kingston; and from 7 weekly flight(s) from Kochi.

The airline that operates most flights to France is Cambodia Angkor Air. Cambodia Angkor Air offers 5 scheduled flight routes to France.

Discover the most popular flights to Lyon below. Click to view flights to Lyon, France from destinations all across the globe.

Where to stay in Lyon

Photo of Lyon, France by djedj

An essential factor to consider when traveling to a new place or country is accommodation. While visiting a city as fantastic as Lyon is always exciting, any avid traveler knows that accommodations often make or break the vacation experience.

The best place to stay in Lyon usually depends on travelers' needs and preferences. However, booking accommodation in downtown Lyon offers a ton of benefits.

Staying at the heart of the city allows you to easily walk to many of the top sights and dining areas in Lyon and cut down on your travel expenses. Centrally-located accommodations are also an excellent choice for travelers in Lyon planning to go on a quick tour or drive to the neighboring regions.

In Lyon, you'll find 5 different types of places to stay catering to every taste, budget, and reason for travel. For example, honeymooners or travelers on a romantic getaway in France can experience the ultimate relaxation at one of the 5-star or 4-star hotels in Lyon. Travelers whose purpose is sightseeing can also find plenty of mid-range hotels to budget-friendly accommodations in the city, allowing access to many of the top attractions in Lyon.

Learn more about the most popular places to stay and the top-rated hotels in Lyon in the next sections.

Popular types of accommodation in Lyon

A trip to the fascinating Lyon, France, means opportunities to relax at any of the 5 different types of places to stay in the city. Overall, travelers can choose from the following: 472 vacation rental apartments, 361 hotels, 6 cottages, 5 bed & breakfasts and 1 hostel. While each type offers varying amenities and rates, there is no denying that Lyon provides a great selection of lodging options ready to cater to every kind of guest.

Among all these choices available in the city, MOB Hotel Lyon Confluence is one of the top picks of travelers in Lyon.

The hotel is located at 55 Quai Rambaud and boasts many great utilities, including 24-hour front desk, Air conditioning, and Bar.

Budget accommodations are also incredibly popular among travelers in Lyon. Cheaper alternatives allow travelers to save on accommodation costs and have more to spend on other experiences.

In Lyon, travelers looking for an economical yet top-rated place to stay usually choose Away Hostel & Coffee Shop. For approximately 29 EUR, guests can book a comfortable Unknown at this popular hotel.

Below is a list of all 5 different types of places to stay in Lyon. Select the type you prefer to compare options under each category and find the best accommodation.

Top hotels in Lyon

Hotels are travelers' go-to accommodations in Lyon for the unique experience they provide. So if you're the kind of traveler who prefers staying at hotels, you'll be glad to know that the city is home to around 845 hotels.

Besides offering basic amenities, many hotels in Lyon provide meals and extras, such as shuttle services, spa facilities, tour desks, and other services. But because not all hotels in Lyon are created equal, finding the best in the city often requires careful research. For your convenience, we've done all the research to make it easier for you to check out all the top hotels in Lyon.

La Villa Florentine Hotel offers the most luxurious rooms and is perfect for travelers looking for the ultimate 5-star hotel experience in Lyon. If comfort, convenience, and affordability are your non-negotiables, check out Hotel Charlemagne, the top 4-star hotel in the city. When all you need is a pleasant place to rest and sleep in between your activities in Lyon, the highest-rated 3-star hotel, MOB Hotel Lyon Confluence, is for you.

Below is our hand-picked list of the best hotels in the Lyon. Travelers are encouraged to book early as these hotels quickly reach capacity.

Click the arrows or swipe the list to see each hotel's ratings, reviews, locations, rates, and more. You can read detailed descriptions of each hotel by clicking the cards.

Find

All Hotels in Lyon

See more

Search for accommodation in Lyon

Use the Accommodation Search tool below to find available stays in the city of Lyon on specific dates. This handy feature also allows you to compare prices and amenities.

Enter the preferred check-in and check-out dates. Then, select the number of guests and rooms. Click the Search button to find all the available hotels and places to stay in the city of Lyon that match the information provided.

Car rental in Lyon

Photo of morning view on Jacobins square and beautiful fountain in Lyon city, France.

Experience the freedom and convenience of a self-drive vacation by renting a car for your adventures in Lyon. Lyon has 8 car rental companies ready to provide you with the perfect vehicle for your travels.

Automatic cars for rent in Lyon start from 38.99 EUR per day or 272.92 EUR per week. The cheapest automatic rental car is a Fiat 500 (Electric).

If you prefer driving a manual car, you’ll find multiple options for rent in Lyon, starting from 20.99 EUR per day or 146.96 EUR per week. The cheapest manual rental car is a Fiat 500.

Learn more about the different types of cars you can rent in Lyon, France, below.

Popular types of car rental in Lyon

Discover and choose from our broad range of popular car rental options in the city of Lyon to find the best car for your travel plans. Travelers in Lyon can choose from small cars, medium cars, large cars, estate cars, mini vans, SUVs, convertibles, premium cars, camper vans, mini campers, vans, cars. All car rentals come with CDW insurance for added protection throughout your trip.

Renting a car is a popular choice among travelers who want to explore France at their own pace. The most popular type of car rental among small groups of travelers in Lyon is a TopLevel.

Another very popular type of car to rent in Lyon is a TopLevel. This car is particularly popular among couples and solo travelers touring the city of Lyon.

Check out all options available in Lyon and book the car rental for your upcoming adventures in France below.

Search for car rental in Lyon

Get ready to hit the road and explore the beautiful city of Lyon. Find the best deals on a variety of popular car rentals in Lyon, France, or any other destination in Europe by using the search tool below.

Enter your pick-up and drop-off location, driver's age, and dates. Click the green button to view your options.

Popular destinations to visit after Lyon

Photo of woman walking on the famous Bellecour square with Louis king statue traveling in Lyon city in France.

The city of Lyon is just one of the many unique and scenic destinations you can visit in France. So if you're itching for another cultural adventure, a relaxing road trip, an action-filled city break, or a memorable weekend getaway, know that France has it all.

France is calling, and the country is asking you to experience its culture and diversity to the fullest! Take the opportunity to visit other captivating places in France that are as magical as the city of Lyon. The most popular travel destinations in France are listed below. Click on the name of the place you want to explore next to learn more about it.

All the best destinations in France

When unsure of where to go next, use the map below. This map shows the locations of all the best destinations in France. Use the map to plan your trip and find the best routes.

Domestic flights from Lyon

Photo of cityscape image of Lyon, France during sunset.

A taste of France through a visit to Lyon can often reignite a traveler's passion for adventure. When this happens, the best way to satisfy this wanderlust is to book a domestic flight from Lyon to another remarkable destination in France.

To begin your search for the best or cheapest flights from the city of Lyon to other spectacular locations in France, jump to the last section of this travel guide.

Popular domestic flights from Lyon

Travelers in France can catch flights to domestic airports in Nice, Nantes, Montpellier, Marseille, and Rennes. Domestic flights in France are operated by 10 airlines: easyJet, Air France, Volotea, Air Corsica, and Wizz Air. There are around 36 scheduled flight routes operating to Lyon on a weekly basis.

From Lyon, travelers can book scheduled flights to 31 domestic destinations. The most popular flights from Lyon depart to many top-rated destinations in France and are offered by easyJet, Air France, and Volotea.

Search domestic flights from Lyon

Traveling to another city or region in France? Use the flight search tool below to quickly find the cheapest one-way or round-trip flights from Lyon to different local destinations.

Enter all the necessary information and click or tap on the Search button to see a list of the available domestic flights in France on the selected dates.

Most popular countries in Europe

Link to appstore phone
Install Europe’s biggest travel app

Download Europe’s biggest travel marketplace to your phone to manage your entire trip in one place

Scan this QR code with your phone camera and press the link that appears to add Europe’s biggest travel marketplace into your pocket. Enter your phone number or email address to receive an SMS or email with the download link.