LYON MINI GUIDE
Caleb and I LOVED Lyon! It was such a different vibe than Paris – a bit more laid back and friendly. It’s a beautiful city, surrounded by a fabulous wine region, and it has so much history!
Did we mention it’s considered the gastronomic capital of France?! Yep – even more than Paris! Some of the food is not for the faint of heart but you have to try it all!
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WHERE TO STAY
There are a ton of different neighborhoods (called arrondissements) in Lyon, which means there are plenty of options to find something that fits your budget. Lyon is much more budget friendly than Paris!
The most central neighborhoods are La Presqu’lle or Confluence. These will have the most going on and be the best for walking the city. Some other great options are in Vieux Lyon (old Lyon) or St. Jean.
Speaking of walking, regardless of where you stay you will either be able to walk or use public transport in Lyon – no need to rent a car!
Below, we have linked to some places we’ve stayed and some that are on our “wish list” for the future. We usually save money on hotels (since we’re never there!) so we can spend more on food, drinks, experiences etc!
WHAT TO DO
There is literally SO MUCH TO DO in Lyon. Below, we’ve linked to some great activities you should consider during your stay!
- Get lost in old Lyon’s side streets and traboules (hidden passages that used to be used by silk workers)
- Visit the Musee de Beaux-Arts
- Vist the Les Halles de Lyon market
- Visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière for views of the city
- Do a rooftop French cooking class
- Our favorite – go on a food tour!
- Visit La Croix-Rousse, a historic neighborhood once a hub of the silk industry (and see the mur des Canuts mural)
- Wine tasting in a Land Rover, anyone?
- Go wine tasting in nearby Beaujolais (we loved this region!
- Or stay in Lyon for wine tasting
- Explore by bike with some food tastings!
- Go on a walking tour of Old Town
- Have a French apero (like happy hour) at one of the spots on our map below!
WHERE TO EAT:
We loved so many places in Lyon, but here are 3 of our favorites:
Antoinette Pain & Brioche
Why it’s here: They supply bread to restaurants in the city, and it was our favorite bakery. It is SO good.
What to order: They are known for bread, and their small multi-chocolate bread is INSANE. It’s their best seller, and it changed our lives. Their flavored brioches are also great.
Le Poêlon d’Or
Why it’s here: This bouchon is so cute and good! Also, it is one of the few protected as a true bouchon!
What to order: We loved the pike quenelle and wine-poached egg.
Abstract
Why it’s here: This is SUCH a cool bar. It’s one of the only in the world where they make their OWN spirits out of flavors in a lab. They don’t buy any alcohol!
What to order: The menu changes, but the lemon yogurt drink was AMAZING, and Caleb loved the martini patisserie.
Want more food help?
This mini guide is meant to get you started.
If you want our full food strategy — including what to order, backup spots, sample food days, and the private map we actually used while filming — we put it all into the Full Lyon Food Guide.
It’s designed to cut down on second-guessing and panic-Googling when you’re jetlagged, hungry, and prone to making questionable food decisions.
>> CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE <<
OUR BEST TRAVEL RESOURCES
Here are some of our best overall travel resources to make your trip better/easier! These apply to anywhere you visit in the world:
- Our ultimate Europe travel guide with EVERYTHING you need to know.
- Check out our master list of all the best activities we’ve done across the world.
- Check out our master list of hotels we’ve stayed at across the world!
- We save the most money on flights using this service.
- These are all the traveling essentials that we use and recommend!
- Our favorite platform to find tours – from bucket list items to cheaper admission to popular attractions.
- We score the cheapest deals on rental cars with this site.
- How we get free service in all the countries we travel to without wifi.
- Or, our favorite SIM card company if you don’t want to change phone service carriers.
- We love this pass for getting into swanky airport lounges for free. (CCC readers get 20-30% off yearly membership!)
