Spending a weekend in Lyon and not sure where to start? Lyon is one of France’s richest cities for cultural, gastronomic and architectural experiences, but you need to know where to look. Here is our guide to the 10 absolute must-dos in Lyon for a weekend, written by locals.
All ten stops are mapped below. Tap “Show on map” to locate a place, or “Directions” to navigate from wherever you are.
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Le Petit Musée du Vin Our place
We start with ours, and not only out of pride: it is one of the few Lyon experiences where you genuinely learn something while enjoying yourself. One hour in 19th-century vaulted cellars, then a tasting of 8 wines.
Thursday and Friday evening slots go quickly, especially in high season.
Metro D or Tram T1, Guillotière stop. A 10-minute walk from Bellecour.
See the visit route -
Vieux Lyon and the traboules
The largest Renaissance quarter in Europe after Venice, a UNESCO world heritage site. Silk workers used the traboules to carry their cloth down to the river out of the rain. The one at 54 rue Saint-Jean is the most striking.
Many are on private property. Push the door gently, close it behind you, and avoid them after 10pm.
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Fourvière basilica
The basilica crowns the hill that prays. Ride the funicular up, walk back down through the Rosary gardens. On a clear day you can pick out Mont Blanc.
The Roman theatres next door are free and open to wander.
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Halles Paul Bocuse
The temple of Lyon gastronomy. Cheesemongers, charcutiers and oyster bars: quenelles, brioche sausage, pink praline and a dozen oysters at the counter.
Saturday lunchtime for the buzz, Tuesday morning to have the producers to yourself.
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Croix-Rousse and Mur des Canuts
The hill that works, once home to the silk weavers. Village atmosphere, artists' studios, and the largest painted mural in Europe.
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Dinner in a bouchon
You cannot leave Lyon without eating in a bouchon. Tablier de sapeur, pike quenelle, cervelle de canut and a pot of Beaujolais.
Look for the Bouchons Lyonnais Authentiques label. It separates about twenty real ones from the tourist traps.
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Cruise on the Saône
An hour on the water shows the city at its best: the coloured facades of Saint-Georges, the Fourvière hill, the Presqu'île quays.
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Musée des Confluences
A vessel of glass and steel set where the Rhône meets the Saône. Science, anthropology and natural history in a design that works as well for children as for adults.
Tram T1 to the Musée des Confluences terminus.
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Parc de la Tête d'Or
One of the largest urban parks in France, linked to the Presqu'île by the Rhône walkways. Rose garden, lake, free zoo and wide lawns.
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Guillotière street art
The city's most cosmopolitan district is also its freest canvas. Murals, paste-ups and stencils turn over from one month to the next.
1. Visit the vaulted cellars of Le Petit Musée du Vin, the off-the-beaten-track experience
For something beyond the usual tourist circuit, Le Petit Musée du Vin is one of Lyon’s most original addresses. Hidden in the heart of the Guillotière neighbourhood (Lyon 7th), it offers an immersive journey through 19th-century vaulted cellars : one hour of sensory discovery covering the history of wine, terroirs, winemaking and the trades of the vine.
The highlight: the tour ends with a self-guided tasting of up to 8 selected wines, and you leave with your glass as a gift.
- Price: from €25 / person, all inclusive
- Duration: approximately 1 hour
- Open: Thursday to Sunday, practical info
- Address: 3 rue Passet, Lyon 7th (10 min walk from Bellecour)
Perfect for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, an experience your travel companions will ask you to repeat.
2. Get lost in the traboules of Vieux-Lyon
The traboules are Lyon’s best-kept secret, these covered passageways cut through Renaissance buildings to link two streets via interior courtyards. A number of them are accessible to the public in Vieux-Lyon (5th arrondissement) and La Croix-Rousse (4th).
Best done with a guide or by following the Tourist Office map.
3. Take the funicular up to Fourvière
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière dominates Lyon from the heights. The funicular (departing from Vieux-Lyon) climbs in a few minutes to the forecourt, with a sweeping panoramic view over the entire city.
Not to miss: the basilica’s interior mosaics, and the Roman ruins of the ancient theatre right next door.
4. Browse the Halles Paul Bocuse, the belly of Lyon
The Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse (Lyon 3rd) is the temple of Lyonnais gastronomy. Fromageries, charcutiers, pâtissiers, chocolatiers, fishmongers, everything Lyon does best is gathered under one roof. Perfect for a Saturday morning.
Tip: arrive before 10am to avoid the crowds and take time to taste on the spot.
5. Explore the Croix-Rousse neighbourhood
La Croix-Rousse (“the hill that works”) is the neighbourhood of the Canuts, the silk workers who built Lyon’s fortune. Today it’s the city’s bohemian and creative district, with its markets, artists’ studios and pétanque grounds.
To do: the Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse market on Saturday or Sunday morning, and the Canut traboules.
6. Dinner in a Lyonnais bouchon
Lyon without a bouchon is like Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Lyonnais bouchons are the city’s traditional restaurants, with their checked tablecloths, tabliers de sapeur and pike quenelles. Several well-regarded bouchons are clustered around the rue des Marronniers and Vieux-Lyon.
Book ahead, especially at the weekend, the best tables fill up fast.
7. Take a cruise on the Saône or the Rhône
Lyon is built between two rivers, the Saône and the Rhône, and it’s from the water that you best understand its geography. Guided commentary cruises are offered from the city-centre quays.
A romantic option for a couples’ weekend, or simply a way to see the city from a different angle.
8. Visit the Musée des Confluences
The Musée des Confluences (Lyon 2nd), with its spectacular glass and steel architecture at the tip of the peninsula, hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions on science, societies and cultures.
9. Walk along the Banks of the Rhône
The Banks of the Rhône (left bank, Lyon 7th) are one of France’s most beautiful promenades. Developed as a 5km greenway, they run along the river between the Pont Wilson and the Parc de Gerland.
On Saturdays and Sundays, it’s the ideal spot for a picnic, cycling or a simple stroll by the water.
10. Discover the street art of the Guillotière neighbourhood
The Guillotière neighbourhood (Lyon 7th), often overlooked by tourists, is one of Lyon’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan areas. It’s home to numerous street art works, colourful food markets and restaurants from around the world.
It’s also where Le Petit Musée du Vin is located, the perfect opportunity to combine both.
Planning your Lyon weekend: practical tips
- How to get here: Lyon is accessible by TGV from Paris (2h), Marseille (1h45) or Bordeaux (3h15). Lyon Part-Dieu station is the main hub.
- Getting around: The TCL network (metro, tram, bus, Vélo’v) covers the whole city. A 24h Pass is available at the airport and at the station.
- Book ahead: many experiences (wine museum, bouchons, cruises) fill up at weekends. Book in advance via Smeetz for Le Petit Musée du Vin.
To go further with the planning, our full 2-day Lyon itinerary breaks the neighbourhoods down hour by hour. If your stay includes a Sunday, the guide to things to do in Lyon on a Sunday lists the best Sunday options, including which museums open that day. See the museum page to book a slot.
Lyon is waiting for you, and so are its cellars.