Lyon Sightseeing: Hills, Romans, Squares
Lyon Sightseeing: Hills, Romans and Great Squares
Lyon is built on two hills and two rivers, and its sights sort neatly by where you stand. Start high, work down, and finish on the flat.
Fourvière hill
The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière was completed in 1896 and is the city’s pilgrimage church, not its cathedral. Entry is free every day. Hours change with the season and run later in summer, so check fourviere.org . The esplanade looks across the red roofs to the Presqu’île and the Part-Dieu towers, and on clear mornings to Mont Blanc.
Just below, the Roman theatres of Lugdunum are free. They open from 07:00 to 19:00 from 1 October to 30 April and until 21:00 from 2 May to 30 September. The Lugdunum museum charges €4 normally and €7 during temporary exhibitions. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month.
Vieux Lyon
The real cathedral is the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, at the foot of the hill. It was built between 1180 and 1476 and is free to enter. The astronomical clock chimes at 12:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. The old town’s Renaissance streets are among the best preserved in Europe, and UNESCO listed them in 1998.
The Presqu’île squares
Place Bellecour is one of Europe’s biggest open squares, with a statue of Louis XIV and a smaller one of Saint-Exupéry and the Little Prince. Walk north to Place des Terreaux, where the Bartholdi fountain stands in front of the Hôtel de Ville. The Musée des Beaux-Arts on the same square charges €8 for the collections and €12 with temporary exhibitions, and is closed on Tuesday.
A painted wall
The Fresque des Lyonnais, at the corner of quai Saint-Vincent and rue de la Martinière, is a trompe-l’oeil mural of local figures on painted balconies. It is free and visible from the street.
Where the rivers meet
The Confluence district at the southern tip has modern architecture and the Musée des Confluences, priced at €12 and €7 reduced. Walk the Saône banks from Perrache for the best approach.
Getting around
A single TCL ticket costs €2.10 and a 24-hour pass €7.10. Validate on boarding, since inspectors fine on the spot. Both funiculars take a standard ticket. The Lyon City Card is €32 for 24 hours at the counter or €29.90 online, with longer options up to €68 or €63.90 for 96 hours.
Pickpockets favour Part-Dieu, Place Bellecour and Vieux Lyon’s busiest streets, so zip your bag. After dark, take care around Place Gabriel Péri.
Guided options
If you want commentary on the Roman and Renaissance layers, compare Lyon sightseeing tours and check what each one includes.
See the walking tours page for routes on foot, and the 3-day Lyon itinerary for a plan that pairs these sights with meals.
Tip: do Fourvière first thing, when the esplanade is quiet, and walk down through Vieux Lyon rather than riding the funicular both ways.