Lyon may be France’s most underrated city. One of my favorite destinations in France, Lyon has a truly unique combination: a compelling (and well preserved) history spanning two millennia, a proud and abundant food culture, an agreeable climate, beautiful scenery and architecture, and enduring artisanal traditions. It’s a city that is dynamic and cosmopolitan, while simultaneously feeling rooted in place. We designed our Inside Lyon trip, first introduced in 2025, as a whirlwind four-night adventure intended to showcase the many sides of Lyon, from the enchanted cobblestone lanes and hidden passageways of Vieux Lyon to the vibrant street art and bustling squares of the Croix-Rousse neighborhood, the former heart of Lyon’s silk industry.

What follows is a window into our Inside Lyon trip, and a portrait of a city that deserves your attention.

The City’s History, Experienced Through Its Neighborhoods

Any serious encounter with Lyon must begin at the top of Fourvière Hill, where the sprawling ancient ruins compellingly recall the time when Lyon was the capital of Roman Gaul. Founded in 43 BCE by the Roman general Lucius Munatius Plancus, Lyon, or Lugdunum as it was called then, became one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, serving as the administrative capital of Roman Gaul and a key hub along Rome’s road network. At its height, the city boasted a population estimated at between 50,000 and 100,000 inhabitants, an extraordinary scale for the ancient world. The most impressive remnants of this ancient era is the hilltop theater complex (which is among the best-preserved in France, and still actively used). While all our groups make a visit to the impressive ruins atop the hill, some of our travelers opt to linger among the artifacts of the well-presented Gallo-Romain museum. It’s easy to understand why: the site’s collection of inscriptions, mosaics, and everyday objects bring the ancient city vividly to life.

At the Roman Amphitheater

From Fourvière, we descend into Vieux Lyon, the city’s UNESCO-protected Renaissance quarter. Here, the architecture tells the story of Lyon’s remarkable second act. Beginning in the late 15th century, Lyon emerged as one of the most important commercial and financial centers in Europe, largely thanks to its role as a hub for Florentine merchants and bankers who followed the lucrative silk trade north of the Alps. Their influence left a permanent mark on the city’s built environment. Indeed, while a few key landmarks – most notably, the Cathedral St. Jean – testify to Lyon’s medieval past, it’s really the era of the Renaissance that shaped the neighborhood as we experience it. Our groups always enjoy exploring the teeming 16^th-century towers, elaborate courtyards, and secret passageways (the traboules) that are the treasured vestiges of this era.

The Maison du Crible (the “Pink Tower”)

While exploring the neighborhood with our groups, I always call attention to the distinctive color palette of these buildings. The abundant use of pastels of yellow, ochre, orange, and pink is no accident. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the influx of wealthy Italian merchants brought the vibrant aesthetic of the Tuscan Renaissance to the city. They opted for warm tones that stood out against traditional French grey stone. To achieve this look, local builders turned to natural ochre pigments sourced from nearby regions. The result was the durable shades of pink, orange, and beige that we see today. (The uniformity of the neighborhood’s appearance also owes to the strict historic preservation laws introduced in the 1960s and first implemented in Vieux Lyon and Sarlat-la-Canèda, a town we visit during our Périgord Experience week, but that’s a story for another day).

It was indeed a clever design choice, effectively bouncing sunlight down into Lyon’s famously narrow, winding streets and giving the neighborhood a warmth and coherence that sets it apart from any other historic quarter in France.

Of course, the story of Lyon is also incomplete without reference to silk. The links between the city and this luxury commodity began during the same Renaissance era that transformed Vieux Lyon; it was Florentine merchants who first introduced the silk trade to the city. Still, while the city’s link to silk had existed for centuries, the relationship deepened and accelerated greatly in the early 19^th century. It was the invention of the Jacquard loom in 1804 that transformed Lyon into the undisputed capital of European silk production. The Jacquard loom was a mechanized weaving device that used punched cards to automate complex patterns. Our groups always make a point to visit one of the few remaining 19^th-century silk workshops, and our travelers are always amazed at the sophistication and complexity of these machines. (Their use of punched cards to inform the textile patterns frequently draws comparisons to early computers reading binary codes).

Richly Decorated Silk Textiles Produced By The Jacquard Loom

The invention of the Jacquard Loom drew thousands of workers to the city, and the hillside neighborhood of the Croix-Rousse, previously sparsely populated, grew rapidly to accommodate them. The neighborhood’s architecture reflects this history in a literal way: the tall ceilings of its spare, modestly decorated buildings — known locally as the “canut” apartments, or “silk workers’ apartments” — were designed to accommodate the looms’ considerable height and working-class inhabitants. By the mid-19^th century, there were roughly 30,000 Jacquard looms operating in this hilltop neighborhood.

During our visits to the Croix-Rousse, we like to visit the landmarks that testify to the neighborhood’s rich history, past and present. We always include a stop at the impressive Mur des Canuts, a vast trompe-l’oeil mural that depicts the contemporary Crois-Rousse neighborhood and its inhabitants. First painted in 1987 and updated several times since, it remains a striking tribute to the neighborhood and represents an early form of contemporary urban revitalization. In past visits we have also descended the Montée de la Grande Côte, a long, steep stairway that bisects the neighborhood and offers a vivid sense of its topography and working-class character, before passing through the Cours des Voraces. The Cours des Voraces, distinct in its design, is also a remarkable piece of social history; it served as a gathering place for the canuts, Lyon’s silk workers, during their frequent labor uprisings of the 19^th century.

Inside Lyon group at the Mur Des Canuts

In past visits we have also descended the Montée de la Grande Côte, a long, steep stairway that bisects the neighborhood and offers a vivid sense of its topography and working-class character, before passing through the Cours des Voraces. The Cours des Voraces, distinct in its design, is also a remarkable piece of social history; it served as a gathering place for the canuts, Lyon’s silk workers, during their frequent labor uprisings of the 19^th century.

The Beauty of Lyon and Its Geography

Eminently walkable, Lyon is a city that rewards exploration, and our Inside Lyon groups do plenty of it. The geography of the city is what makes it so interesting. With two rivers winding down its center and bounded by two impressive hills, waterfront strolls and panoramic vistas are always within reach. The Saône flows along the western edge of the Presqu’île, its gentler currents making it the natural backdrop for the riverside cafes and the boat tour that opens our trip. The Rhône, broader and brisker, bounds the eastern side. Between the two rivers, the Presqu’île concentrates the city’s commercial and architectural energy. Above it, to the west, Fourvière rises steeply with its basilica and Roman ruins. To the north, the Croix-Rousse offers a different kind of altitude, one that’s looser and more bohemian, with terraced cafes and views that stretch across the entire city.

These geographic features add an extra level of interest to even the smallest moments. Our Inside Lyon groups always search for opportunities to savor our surroundings. One highlight during our inaugural Inside Lyon trip was a coffee break in the picturesque courtyard of the Museum of Fine Arts, with its fountains, statues, and leafy trees providing an idyllic setting for afternoon conversation. Better still was the same group’s spontaneous decision to grab ice cream along the Saône after our farewell dinner, which occasioned one last opportunity to enjoy the city’s illuminated landmarks. At other occasions, our groups have enjoyed surprise stops for a coffee break along the Rhone.

Our group bases in the Presqu’Île, and it is in this part of Lyon where we see an especially stately side of the city. Much of the grandeur of this central district owes its existence to the urban renewal projects of the Second Empire period (1850s and 1860s), when Lyon’s prefect Claude-Marius Vaïsse oversaw a sweeping modernization of the city center inspired by the Baron Haussmann’s concurrent transformation of Paris. The rue de la République (formerly called the rue Impériale) was the centerpiece of this effort. It’s a broad, elegant thoroughfare lined with ornate facades that runs along the central part of the peninsula. The surrounding squares add further distinction. The Place des Célestins, which serves as our home base during the trip, is anchored by the Théâtre des Célestins, an opulent 19th-century theater whose illuminated facade makes it a particularly beautiful sight on a quiet evening. The Place des Jacobins, with its spectacular Fontaine des Jacobins, and the Place des Terreaux, home to the monumental Fontaine Bartholdi (sculpted by the creator of the Statue of Liberty) complete a trio of public spaces that rival those of any city in France.

The fountain in the Place des Jacobins

The most dramatic expression of Lyon’s 19th-century ambition, however, sits not on the Presqu’île but atop Fourvière Hill itself: The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, completed in 1896. Its silhouette, with four ornate towers rising above the city, is the defining image of Lyon’s skyline, visible from nearly every corner of the Presqu’île below. (The interior is equally extravagant: an exuberant mix of mosaics, marble, and gilded decoration makes it one of the most richly adorned religious spaces in France.)

The interior of Lyon’s Basilica

Eating in the Gastronomic Capital

Lyon is famously known as the “gastronomic capital of France,” and our trip includes several food-focused activities designed to test the city’s culinary reputation. The designation itself has a precise origin: it was first coined in the mid-1930s by the food critic Curnonsky, who argued that Lyon’s chefs possessed an unmatched ability to source exceptional local ingredients. And indeed, looking at Lyon’s position on the map, you would be hard-pressed to choose a better place to procure a rich variety of high-quality and local ingredients. Drive two hours in any direction from Lyon, and you find regions with their own distinct offerings. To the east, the Alps and Savoy contribute some of France’s finest cheeses. From the south come the wonderful olive oils and sun-ripened produce of Provence. Burgundy to the north provides extraordinary Charolais beef and Bresse poultry, widely considered the finest chicken in the world.

Beyond the fine ingredients, though, was a distinct culinary tradition nurtured across generations by a remarkable lineage of chefs. Chief among them were the “Mères Lyonnaises,” a succession of women chefs who, from the 19th century onward, defined the character of Lyonnais cooking: generous, technically precise, and rooted in the region’s finest produce. Eugénie Brazier, the most celebrated among them, became in 1933 the first person to hold three Michelin stars simultaneously across two restaurants, a record that stood for decades. From there, the lineage continued with Paul Bocuse, Brazier’s most famous student, who became the global ambassador of French cuisine and whose name now adorns Lyon’s beloved market hall, which our groups always make a point to visit. Entering into this iconic space is indeed a feast for the senses. Wonderful smells and colorful, appetizing foods beckon from every angle. It’s here that we’re introduced to countless iconic foods: delicious local charcuterie, the famous quenelle lyonnaise with its accompanying crayfish sauce, a variety of local cheeses, and my personal favorite, the “Cervelle de Canut” (“Silk worker’s brains”). If the name sounds off-putting, rest assured that it’s really just a fresh mix of farmer’s cheese, red wine vinegar, chives, and garlic, served on a crusty baguette.

An array of cheeses at Les Halles

Of course, during our trip we always like to indulge in a gastronomic meal befitting the city’s culinary reputation. Last year, our groups enjoyed meals at a fine dining restaurant affiliated with the prestigious culinary school Paul Bocuse founded in the early 1990s. It was always a treat; over a five-course meal, we enjoyed Michelin-star caliber food with the added bonus of watching ambitious students hone their craft from the open kitchen. On more recent visits, we’ve dined in a restaurant under the direction of Guy Lassausaie, a chef awarded the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France distinction in 1993 and the holder of a Michelin star at his own namesake restaurant.

With Paul Bocuse after a gastronomic meal

Beyond Lyon: The Beaujolais Region

A highlight of the Inside Lyon itinerary is the relaxed day we spend exploring the countryside around the city. In particular, Beaujolais, the bucolic region north of the city, offers a beautiful contrast to dynamic Lyon.

Of course, a portion of this day trip is focused on wine. When most of us think of Beaujolais, our minds go to Beaujolais Nouveau, the inexpensive, hastily produced wine that appears on store shelves every November. But the region’s better wines tell a different story entirely. Beaujolais produces a spectrum of styles: the light, easy-drinking village wines made from the Gamay grape that make agreeable companions at the dinner table; and the ten crus of Beaujolais (Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, and their kin), which offer surprising depth and complexity. Beaujolais is truly one of my favorite wines, and I always joke with travelers on the tour that one of my missions is to have them leave as converts as well.

Enjoying a glass of Beaujolais with lunch

Wine is only part of the story, though. Situated at the edge of the Massif Central, the region features prominent hills, with vineyards seemingly placed upon every available slope. It’s a picturesque sight to behold. Adding to the region’s allure is the golden-hued stone of its villages. We spend most of our daytrip into the countryside in a particular part of Beaujolais known as the region of “pierres dorées,” or “golden stones.”

The Beaujolais landscape

The region earned its name thanks to a specific type of local limestone which, for centuries, provided building blocks with a distinctive honey-like appearance. On a sunny day the villages look absolutely stunning. Our groups often enjoy a leisurely lunch in Thiezé before walking off our meals in the ever-charming village of Oignt, classed as one of France’s most beautiful and mercifully spared the crowds of tourists.

Hopefully, this post gives you a sense of the many wonders we encounter in this unique corner of France. Over the course of three and a half days, we cover cultural, culinary, and geographic terrain, combining must-see sites with plenty of surprises, hidden gems, and quiet moments. It’s indeed a wonderful place to spend a few days.

In 2027 we’re offering Inside Lyon May 8 – 12, May 12 – 16 and August 31 – September 4.  These four-night trips can be combined with several of our seven-night Experience trips. If you book Inside Lyon with one of our seven-night trips, your transportation between the two locations is included.  Learn more about our 2027 trips on our website!

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Enjoy these other posts about Lyon and our Inside trips:

Encountering Lyon: One of France’s Best Kept Secrets

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Drew Fedorka joined European Experiences in late 2022. As our Vice President of Operations, most of his responsibilities focus on administrative operations stateside, but he's also involved in leading and developing trips. In addition to leading Inside Lyon, he's the co-leader for our trips in Normandy, Alsace, the Perigord, and Cornwall. Born and raised in Connecticut, Drew later moved to Florida, where he attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando and earned a B.A. and an M.A. in History, with special focus on European history. Returning to the northeast, he started a PhD in French history at New York University in 2016. He received his doctorate in 2024. Drew’s passion for European travel started early. When he was seventeen, he participated in a summer college preparation program at Cambridge University. In the years since, he has returned to Europe regularly and for increasingly lengthy stretches. One of the most rewarding aspects of his doctoral studies was the extended periods he spent in France – about two years in total. During that time, he traveled widely across Europe, fostering meaningful connections and gaining a deeper appreciation for the French art de vivre (the “art of living”).