Visiting Lyon in one day is not a bad option. Although it is one of the best cities in France, in the Gallic country you will never have days left over. Although you will have many things to do, if you are short on time you can discover the essentials of Lyon in one day. In this post we detail the places you should visit, the distances and the time it will take you to get around Lyon. It is a great alternative to get to know the third most populated city in France!
Contents of this article
How to move on this route through Lyon in one day
the route by Lyon in a day is designed to be done entirely on foot. So prepare yourself! It is a fast option, in addition, you will pay more attention to every detail.
🚶♂️ Total walking distance: 9.3 kilometers between attractions. Remember that this distance does not include what you walk inside the cathedral or around the monuments. This route of Lyon in one day requires good footwear so you don’t get tired halfway. So pack your most comfortable shoes!
Where to stay to visit Lyon in one day
The ideal way to complete the entire route through Lyon in one day is to sleep one night in the place to start very early in the morning. and get the most out of it. We recommend you sleep in the historic center or near the train station. This will save you the time of transfer from the hotel to the important sites of Lyon.
Suggested hotel:
Hotel Mercure Lyon Center – It is very close to the train station Lyon-Perrache, so you won’t waste time getting to the hotel and dropping off your bags. Furthermore, it turns out Cheap and relatively close to the center.
Where to stay in Lyon: best areas and hotels
LYON IN ONE DAY: VISIT ITINERARY
1. Stand in the Place de Bellecour, the best place to start your visit to Lyon in one day
We start our route Lyon in one day in the beautiful Place de Bellecour. It is the heart of Lyon and the atmosphere is very nice. So it’s a mandatory stop! Did you know that it is one of the largest squares in Europe? It is over 300 meters long!
you will see the King Louis XIV in full center on a horse. there is also another statue of The Little Prince and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the famous character of the children’s story together with its writer. This is located at the west end of the plaza. There you will find the Lyon tourist information office, an art gallery and a very large Ferris wheel. Although it is better to go up another time!
2. Photograph the National Opera
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 16 minutes | 1.3 kilometers
The second stop on this itinerary Lyon in one day will be the famous Lyon Opera. It was built in 1831 by Jacques Germain Soufflotcreator of the Pantheon of Paris. So you can already imagine how pretty it is! Several years later some renovations were carried out by the French architect Jean Nouvelthe same person who was in charge of the Torre Agbar in Barcelona.
The result of these two interventions was a architectural masterpiece. This Lyon jewel features a glass dome with six additional floors and five floors underground. It’s huge!
3. Discover the neighborhood The Red Cross
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 25 minutes | 1.7 kilometers
continuing with our Lyon route in one day, we headed towards one of the most famous sites in the city. Is about an elevated neighborhood that you must visit. It is said that years ago its streets were lined with silk workshops. Luckily, some are still preserved and you can enjoy them.
Here was a textile center, where more than 30,000 workers lived during the 19th century. Even, the renowned French brand Hermès continues to produce its legendary silk scarves near Lyon. Today it has become a neighborhood with a very lively atmosphere and full of urban art. It cannot be missing from your itinerary around Lyon in one day!
4. Photograph the fresco of the Lyonnaise
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 22 minutes | 1.7 kilometers
after meeting the Red Cross, we recommend you go to the cool of the Lyonnaise. Is an unmissable stop on our route through Lyon in one day. The city has various frescoes scattered throughout the city. But this is the most famous. Here you will find 31 historical figures and important in the region. Among them are Louise Labé, Abbe Pierre, Paul Bocuse, Frédéric Dard, the Lumiere brothersMrs Recamier, The Little Prince and his creator Saint-Exupéry. Can you identify them?
What impresses the most is its size, it has more than 800m². So spend a lot of time admiring every detail!
5. Cross the Saint Vincent Footbridgeone of the best things to do on your route through Lyon in one day
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 2 minutes | 130 meters
a few minutes away the Saint Vincent Footbridgea bridge that crosses the picturesque Saone River. But it is very important because survived destruction during the Second World War. It is a very narrow red painted iron structure, almost 3 meters wide and is for pedestrians only.
So you can enjoy and walk around here to continue with the route through Lyon in one day! Also, some good photos on this site are not bad at all.
6. Eat in a corkFoodies
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 5 minutes | 350 meters
On our itinerary Lyon in one day it is also necessary to make a stop to eat. But not in a normal restaurant, but in a real cork lionés. That’s how you know the traditional restaurants serving specialties of the city.
Among the local dishes that you can try are onion soup, Lyon salad or dumplings. Very good! It is easy to identify what are the corks they have a badge on the door. You can also get to know Lyon from your palate! eat in a cork It is not the cheapest, but it is something very typical and that we believe cannot be missing from your itinerary around Lyon in one day. In this case, in this restaurant you can eat a menu for €34.
7 restaurants where you can eat cheap in Lyon
7. Stroll through Vieux Lyon and its traboules
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 3 minutes | 230 meters
After recovering energy, we go straight to Vieux Lyon. It is one of the largest medieval and renaissance neighborhoods in Europe. This city has a lot of history and this area is the best example. It was founded in the year 43 BC. and in Vieux Lyon the cobblestone alleys are still preserved next to the Saona river that are incredible. Like the buildings where wealthy business families once lived.
Here you can also admire the famous traboules, very characteristic in Lyon. Are small passages that cross the inner courtyards of the buildings. You will have to look for them very carefully so that you do not miss them, because some hide authentic architectural wonders. Open your eyes wide to explore every corner!
8. Visit the Lyon Cathedral
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 3 minutes | 230 meters
To continue our tour of Lyon in one day we cannot forget the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. This temple was built from 1180 to 1480. They took a long time! The style is Gothic, but it also has Romanesque touches. Despite how long it took, we can say that the result was worth it.
Outside you will see the famous astronomical clock dating from the 14th century. The automatons move with the time change and it’s great to see this little show. Inside the cathedral you will be able to see the stained glass windows with biblical scenes, which also give it a very special light and color. One of the obligatory stops on this itinerary through Lyon in one day!
9. Meet with history at the Gallo-Roman Theater
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 18 minutes | 1 kilometer
After visiting the cathedral, it’s time to climb the Fourvière hill, where some of the main attractions to see in Lyon in one day are located. The first stop will be to see the Gallo-Roman theater. This was created by the Romans and is the oldest in France, as it was built in 15 BC. It’s been up a long time! Its maximum capacity was 10,000 spectators.
And although a lot of time has passed, the theater is still working. Especially during the summer when plays and shows take place. Best of all, access is free. A place in Lyon that you cannot miss!
10. Visit Our Lady of Fourvière al atardecer
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 5 minutes | 400 meters
This basilica is located at the top of the Colina de Fourvière but it is there for a special reason. This represents the triumph of christian values about the Lyon socialists of 1870. Almost like a religious trophy! His design impresses anyone, but also his style, it has a mix of Roman and Byzantine. It is a very beautiful basilica and worth admiring!
If you plan to visit Lyon, it is very important that you know that It is only open to visitors from April to October. So separate your dates very well! This is the place ideal for watching the sunset because in front of the basilica there is an ideal esplanade to see everything from above with the beautiful colors of the sunset over Lyon.
11. Photographing the metallic tower of Fourvière
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 2 minutes | 170 meters
¡Your route through Lyon is almost over in one day! It’s time to find the best place to photograph the metallic tower of Fourvière from afar. you’ll see that looks a lot like the Torre Eiffel. But if you get very close you will notice that only it is a simple telecommunication tower nothing pretty But the shape is quite similar to the Parisian monument. It is a curious place to see in Lyon in one day!
12. Dine at IT – Trattoria
🚶♂️ Walking distance: 27 minutes | 2.1 kilometers
And to end our route through Lyon in one dayWe recommend you eat at this restaurant. It is a very tasty Italian place with great prices. It is ideal to end your day with a delicious pasta dish, a very good pizza and a cool glass of wine. Also, who doesn’t like Italian food? To lower your food, we recommend you walk along the banks of the Saona River. The panorama is incredible!
BUDGET FOR THIS ITINERARY THROUGH LYON IN ONE DAY
Below we tell you in detail the necessary budget per person to carry out this tour of Lyon in one daywithout taking into account the price of the hotel.
💰 Total budget per person: €45.20
🎟 Attractions (€0) – All the attractions are free.
🍽 Meals (€45.20) – Lunch at Fines Gaules – €34 and dinner at IT Trattoria – €11.20.
MAP WITH THE BEST THINGS TO SEE IN LYON IN ONE DAY
On the following map you will find marked the itinerary to visit Lyon in one day. So you just have to enjoy!
Source: https://lostraveleros.com/lyon-en-un-dia/
