Lyon Weekend Guide: The BEST Itinerary for 2 Days in Lyon + FREE Map

Where to Stay For A Weekend in Lyon 

Depending on how many days in Lyon you’re staying, you might not choose the same area and type of accommodation. But when staying only 24 hours in Lyon or 2 days, you need to be as central as possible so you can make the most of your trip and avoid losing time in transportation. 

In Lyon, the most central neighborhoods are the Vieux Lyon (Old Town), the Presqu’île island between Croix-Rousse and Perrache, and Fourvière. 

Nesrine and I have chosen to stay on the Presqu’île at the Best Western Hotel De Verdun, only 10min walk from the Place Bellecour. 

📍The hotel location was ideal as it was central and close to the best places to visit in Lyon. 

⭐️ The hotel itself was great: it’s an affordable 3-star hotel, modern and beautifully decorated with all facilities. And the staff is really welcoming and helpful! 

🗺 This place was the starting point for this 2-day itinerary in Lyon. So, of course it’s the best accommodation to follow this itinerary! 

If you want to see other hotel options, you can check on Booking.com, you’ll find the best offers and rates in Lyon. 

How to Get Around in Lyon

We mainly walked around the city and let’s face it, we’ve walked a lot. My phone says 25,500 steps per day (20km)! 

But it was a real pleasure to wander around Lyon this way as the city has lots of hidden gems. We bumped into some spots that weren’t initially in our itinerary, and it’s always exciting when it happens. I love visiting cities this way because for me, it’s part of the experience of discovering new places. 

➡️ If you choose to only walk, you need to know that there are lots of sloping areas that can be tiring to climb. Also, Lyon is quite big and some attractions are spread out all over the city. So, bring good walking shoes that don’t hurt your feet!

➡️ The best option to do the following itinerary would be to combine walking and public transportation. Indeed, you won’t be able to avoid walking in the Old Town. But you’ll save time and sweat by taking the metro or the bus sometimes (I’ll tell you when in the itinerary below). 

• Bus/Metro/Tramway/Cable car: you can buy a 48h-hours ticket for 12€. It’s free for children under 4. You can check other options and point of sales here.
• Lyon City Pass: if you plan to visit museums and paid attractions, you should take this pass that will give you free access to public transportation and to 23 museums + other discounts. Book here.

Lyon also has other options that can be more pleasant than the metro when visiting a city, such as electric scooters or bikes that you can find everywhere. 

Tip: If you have a car, you can park for free on the Quai des Etroits, about 20min walk from the Old Town. It’s the only free parking around. We’ve left our car there for the weekend, and didn’t pay a cent! (Believe me, parking is unbelievably expensive in Lyon so you don’t want to go around by car).

Enough talk, let’s visit Lyon in 2 days! 

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Day 1 Itinerary

Of course, this first day itinerary starts with Lyon must-see sights. To do so, we’ll discover some part of the Presqu’île and continue the visit on the left bank to explore the Vieux Lyon and its surroundings, after crossing the Saône river. 

For info, Nesrine and I left the hotel to start this itinerary at 10.00am. 

1. Place Bellecour 

We’ve chosen to start our visit with the Place Bellecour which is the city’s ground zero, located in the center of Lyon, on the Presqu’île. We arrived on this square via the Victor Hugo street, a shopping avenue.

Place Bellecour is the largest pedestrian square in Europe on which stands the equestrian statue of Louis XIV. Between November and February, you can also see a big wheel of 60 meters high. From the square, you can see the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière and the Metallic Tower. 

You’ll find the tourist info office where you can grab a paper map of the city if you need one. 

2. Place des Célestins

From the Place Bellecour, we accessed the Place des Célestins in 5 minutes through the Emile Zola street. 

Quiet and peaceful, this place hosts the Célestins Theatre, which is one of the few theaters in France still operating for over 200 years. It’s also the only Italian-style theater of the 19th century preserved in Lyon.

Surrounded by magnolias, the square is beautiful especially in spring when the flowers bloom. 

3. Place des Jacobins

Just after the Place des Célestins, you’ll find the Place des Jacobins, which is definitely one of the prettiest squares in Lyon. 

The fountain, all in white and decorated with beautiful sculptures, is surrounded by gorgeous 19th-century buildings that photographers will love for the angles and perspective they offer.

You can sit on one of the benches around the fountain to admire the place and feel the vibe of Lyon.  

4. Passerelle du Palais de Justice 

You’ll have several bridges to cross the Saône river to the Vieux Lyon, but the closest one from the Place des Jacobins is the Passerelle du Palais de Justice. It’s only 4 minutes walk.

But besides being the closest one, it’s also one of the most outstanding bridges in town!

The red structure is actually a hanging walkway for pedestrians connecting the Presqu’île to the Old Town, offering a wonderful view over the impressive courthouse and the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière just above, overlooking the city. You’ll love walking on it! 

View of the basilica and the courthouse from the Passerelle du Palais de Justice

5. Lyon Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint Jean)

After crossing the river, you’ll enter the Old Town and arrive within minutes to the Lyon Cathedral, one of the most important monument of the city.

Located in the heart of the historic district right next to the courthouse, you’ll first discover the remains of an ancient cathedral that dates from the 5th century. The scenery of the Cathedral with these ruins is incredible. 

Built between 1175 and 1481, the Cathedral mixes roman and gothic styles and has remarkable stain glasses. The building also has an astronomical clock indicating the date, the positions of the moon, the sun and the Earth, as well as the stars above Lyon.

The facade of the cathedral

6. Vieux Lyon (Old Town)

Also known as the St Jean district, some parts of the Vieux Lyon date back to the Medieval period, and others to the Renaissance. Classified as a UNESCO heritage site, this historic district surprises with its small cobbled streets and its atypical museums.

It’s in this district that you’ll find most of the famous bouchons, the typical restaurants where you can taste the local gastronomy.

You’ll also find the traboules, these crosswalks that go under houses and buildings allowing to go from one street to another. There are hundreds of them and their architecture is really unique.

I recommend having lunch in the Vieux Lyon before heading to the next stop. You’ll have plenty of options, from fast-food to exceptional bouchons.

 

If you have time, I definitely recommend going to the Food Traboule, a food court run by chefs where you’ll be able to eat almost anything you want. No need to book in advance, but note that you might queue to get into the restaurant (it’s really quick especially at lunch). 

7. Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière

After a walk inside the Old Town, head to the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon’s most iconic landmark. The basilica is located on top of the Fourvière hill.

To get there, you’ll have 2 options: 

• Climb the Montée des Chazeaux and cross the Parc des Hauteurs: you’ll have to climb large stairs and continue climbing in the park up to the basilica. This way will take about 20min and will make you sweat. 
• Cable car from the métro Vieux Lyon: it’s included in your 48-hours ticket or the Lyon City Pass. If you don’t have a ticket, you can buy one there for 2€. 

At the top of the esplanade, you’ll have a breathtaking panoramic view of the whole city, with the Alps and the Mont-Blanc in the background. 

And above all, don’t miss entering the magnificient basilica: the inside of it is even prettier than the outside!

8. Metallic Tower of Fourvière

Right behind the Basilica, you’ll find the Metallic Tower of Fourvière, which is a communication tower of 85 meters built in 1894.

The tower is called the “mini Eiffel Tower” because of its resemblance with the famous Parisian tower. Nesrine and I were really surprised when we arrived in Lyon as it really looks like the Eiffel Tower.

There’s not much to do there, but you’ll love taking a photo of this tower.

9. Ancient Theatre of Fourvière (Théâtre Gallo-Romain) 

About 10 minutes walk from the Metallic Tower, you’ll find the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière which is the oldest Gallo-Roman theater in France. 

While the site was built in the 1st century BC, it was only discovered recently in the beginning of the 20th century. The site is now classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, and it’s one of the most magical places in town. 

If you’re in Lyon in June or July, you won’t be able to visit it as it’s used for Les Nuits de Fourvière, a festival with circus, theater, music, and film presentations that takes place every year. 

Just few meters away from the Theatre, you can find other Gallo-Roman remains, the Odéon and the Thermes Antiques, as well as Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman museum.

10. Saint George Church 

Let’s go down from the Fourvière hill and go back to the Old Town! It’s a 10-min easy walk from the Ancient Theatre to the Saint George Church, but if you don’t want to walk, you can take the cable car back to the Old Town. 

View from the Passerelle St George

Built in the 19th century in a Neo-Gothic style, the church is beautiful both inside and outside. 

Standing alongside the river, you can admire the church from the Passerelle St-George, another hanging walkway. You’ll definitely have the best view from this Passerelle. 

That’s all for DAY 1! 

After this journey, nothing better than a good diner in a cosy place to rest before going back to your hotel. Here are some options: 

• Carmelo: about 15min by bus or by walk from the St George Church, you’ll be able to eat some excellent Italian food at a good price in a pretty place. 
• La Mère Jean: this is a renowned bouchon in Lyon where you can taste some local food, located only 5min by bus and 12min walk from the St George Church. 

Day 2 Itinerary

For the 2nd day, we’ll start again from the Presqu’île, head north to Croix-Rousse and other districts before making a loop back to the Presqu’île. You’re going to walk a bit more than Day-1, but you’ll be able to use public transportation almost whenever you want!  

Again, Nesrine and I left the hotel to start this itinerary at 10.00am.

1. Saône Riverfront

We started the day with a nice 15-min stroll along the Saône Riverfront, precisely on the Quai Saint Antoine. The banks have been well arranged with pedestrians paths down by the river and on the streets to walk safely and enjoy the views.

view from the Saône Riverfront

You’ll indeed have amazing views of the city while walking on the banks: the colors of the buildings, the several picturesque bridges and barges on the Saône river with the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière overlooking the city create a perfect scenery. 

If you prefer, you can ride a bike as you’ll find cycle paths along the banks, but also everywhere on Lyon’s main traffic routes.

2. Fresque des Lyonnais

We arrived at the Fresque des Lyonnais from our hotel via the Quai Saint Antoine in 12-15 minutes by walk. 

The Fresque des Lyonnais is a famous trompe-l’oeil mural that portrays 30 people of Lyon who have made history. You’ll be able to see the Lumière Brothers, Paul Bocuse, Antoine Saint Exupéry, the Abbé Pierre and more.

The Fresque is really huge as it’s 800 m2, you definitely can’t miss it! 

3. Escaliers Prunelle (Rainbow Stairs)

It’s a 10-min walk from the Fresque to the Rainbow Stairs, but it’s going up as you’re entering the Croix-Rousse district. 

The Rainbow Stairs was made by the people living in the Croix-Rousse hill themselves in 2015!

Me on the Rainbow Stairs

There’s not much to do around, so you can skip this if you want to avoid climbing for 10min. But it’s a beautiful stop for photos.

4. Amphitheater of the Three Gauls

You’ll arrive to the Amphitheater within minutes after climbing the Rainbow Stairs and going through the Botanic Garden.  

Built in 12 BC, the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls is part of the sanctuary of the Three Gauls which was dedicated to Rome and to the Emperor Augustus. It was reconverted in the 2nd century into an amphitheater and had a capacity of 20,000 people. But a large part of it has been been filled in to make the botanical garden in the 19th century, so it’s not as big as it used to.

I strongly recommend to climb on top to get a view of the monument from above.

5. Jardin de l’Esplanade de la Grande-Côte

From the Amphitheater and after climbing the UNESCO-protected street Montée de la Grande-Côte for about 10min, you’ll arrive at the Jardin de l’Esplanade de la Grande-Côte, a small garden. 

The path is really sloping so prepare yourself! But the street is so typical of Lyon with its traboules and its colors. 

The garden itself has nothing special except its exceptional view over Lyon that will make you forget the climb. It was definitely my favorite view I had in Lyon, you can’t miss it!

I recommend having lunch around la Grande-Côte and the Jardin de l’Esplanade before continuing the itinerary. You’ll have several options around.

 

Nesrine and I had a brunch at Le Desjeuneur, a cool place where you can eat a full brunch for 17€. If you choose this place, you need to book in advance here.

6. Mur des Canuts

You’ll arrive at the Mur des Canuts in a 10-minute walk from the Jardin de l’Esplanade (don’t worry, only flat ground this time). You can also take a bus from the Croix-Rousse station that will take you there in 8 minutes. 

The Mur des Canuts is another trompe-l’oeil mural of 1,200 m2 that reflects the life and atmosphere of the Canuts neighborhood. It’s the most famous painted wall in Lyon, and the biggest in Europe!

We sat on one of the benches in front of the mural with Nes to observe all the details of it. It was a really cool break!

7. Parc de la Tête d’Or 

From the Mur des Canuts, it takes about 20min walk to arrive at the Parc de la Tête d’Or. We couldn’t find any public transportation that can take us directly there so we walked, but you can take a bike or an electric scooter that you can find on the street.

The park is an attraction much appreciated by tourists as well as the people of Lyon. It’s the ideal place for outdoor activities and you can visit the free zoological park, the rose garden, the botanical garden or enjoy a train or a pedal boat ride on the lake.

We had a really great time in the park, and it’s also a nice place to rest or to get tanned if you’re there in summer! 

8. Opéra National de Lyon

Back to city center! From the Parc de la Tête d’Or, it would take you about 20 minutes by walk to arrive at the Opera. You can also take a bus that will take you there in 14 minutes. With Nes, we’ve chosen the fastest solution by riding an electric scooter. 

The Opera of Lyon is a beautiful building standing on the Place de la Comédie. It was built in 1831 and renovated in 1993, that’s why its architecture is quite modern.

9. Place des Terreaux

Right behind the Opera, you’ll find the famous Place des Terreaux, a huge square where the beautiful town hall of Lyon stands. It’s one of the prettiest historic building in the city.

The square and the whole neighborhood is really lively, day or night. When the weather is good, the best thing is to have a drink or a café in one of the terraces on the square while enjoying the view over the town hall and the amazing Bartholdi Fountain.  

Just in front of the fountain, there’s the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon that’s nice to visit for art lovers.

10. Saint Nizier Church

On our way back to the hotel, we came across the Saint Nizier Church, only 5-minute walk from the Place des Terreaux. 

Located in the heart of the Presqu’île, this church is one of the oldest in Lyon. Its outside architecture is wonderful, and you’ll be able to have amazing views of it from the narrow streets around (that’s how we found it, by following the narrow streets). 

Unfortunately, the church was closed when we were there, but they say the inside is really worth a visit!

End of the two days in Lyon!

I hope you’ve liked this itinerary and found everything you need for your Lyon weekend break!

Oh wait, find a bonus just below that will be a game changer when you’ll be in town 👇

Get the 2 days in Lyon itinerary Map

OK, that’s quite a lot to visit in 2 days, I grant you that! But as said before, don’t hesitate to skip some spots or to modify it accordingly with your own travel style and pace. 

I’ve made a free map of this itinerary to make it easier for you to follow, especially when you’ll be there (I used it myself!). I also included a few bonuses and recommended restaurants.

Get it for free right here 👇

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3 days in Lyon or More

When visiting the city, you might fall in love with it (as I did) and want to spend 3 days in Lyon or more. I know, I wanted to spend 1 more day there, but couldn’t because of our schedule. 😢

If yours allows it, you can check this guide of the best things to do in Lyon to complete this itinerary. 

I hope you enjoy your trip to Lyon! If you have any question, let me know in the comment below 😃

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