Lyon presents the second-largest metropolitan area in France—surpassed only by our beloved Paris—and is the third most populous city in the Gaulish nation, barely rivaled by the bohemian Toulouse. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and a witness to the origin of cinema by the Lumière brothers at the end of the 19th century, it also witnessed the success of Paul Bocuse, one of the fathers of Nouvelle Cuisine, the birth of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of the classic The Little Prince, and it was the epicenter of the silk industry thanks to the workshops in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood, connected by the traditional traboules. Not to mention that it conquered us from start to finish in the seventh episode of Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s series The New Years, led by Ana, the protagonist, between late 2024 and early 2025.
Eclipsed on numerous occasions by its sister cities Paris, Bordeaux, or Marseille, the ancient capital of Roman Gaul is that rough diamond always ready to show its best. A destination that exudes history at every turn, mouthwatering cuisine, architectural heritage that captivates, and a cultural legacy that makes the first time you visit seriously consider staying for a long spell to savor it with all five senses. We can start with a weekend… and the rest will take care of itself!
Fourvière and Lyon’s Grand Dame
We begin this tour of Lyon from the heights. The two hills are the protagonists, named after the district in which they sit: Fourvière and the Croix-Rousse. It will be the former to which we direct these initial steps to discover in full detail a city that still has much to tell. It is here that we are welcomed by Lyon’s grand dame, its most precious jewel and one of the first must-see visits: the Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica. We can reach it after a pleasant ride on the well-known ‘Fourvière funicular‘ that carries us directly to it.
