You have planned for your short weekend to visit Lyon in 1 day. Well, my self-guided walking tour could help you discover the most beautiful sites of Lyon in 1 day. Simply follow my route on foot on the attached Google Maps to discover the most beautiful places in Lyon.
This tourist circuit makes a loop which can be done leisurely on foot in one day (see route map below).
How to visit Lyon in 1 day?
To visit Lyon in 1 day, you have several possibilities:
- Lyon private tour with a guide
- Discover Lyon by bike
- Half-day group tour of Lyon with a guide
- Visit Lyon on your own on foot in 1 day following my walking tour. This circuit allows you to see most of Lyon. See details below.
Itinerary for a one-day visit to Lyon
Here is the program and the itinerary which allows you to visit Lyon in 1 day and which you can follow with my self-guided tour (map below):
- Morning: Visit to the main squares of Lyon:
- Place Bellecour
- Place des Jacobins
- Celestins Square
- Célestins Theater
- Afternoon: Continuation with the visit of Old Lyon:
- Saint John Cathedral
- Hill of Fourvière
- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
- Juldunum
- Restaurant Christian Tedoie
- Gourguillon climb
- Traboules of old Lyon
- Evening: Hermès restaurant dinner cruise
Walking tour to visit Lyon
Here is the tourist circuit of Lyon to follow on foot with the route on Google maps downloadable below:
Visits to do during your day in Lyon
Departure from the circuit from Place Bellecour. It is the heart of the Lyon Presqu'ile, a large square where the Lyonnais gather for all types of events (sporting, cultural or political). You will of course take a photo of the statue of Louis XIV on his horse and why not have a little coffee to start the day off right!
Then, you will leave via rue Emile Zola, to join the 1st stop on my tour: One of the most beautiful squares in Lyon, Place des Jacobins!
Then taking rue Jean Fabre, you will arrive at Place des Célestins and then discover the Théâtre des Célestins which is a magnificent Italian-style theater.
By joining the Quai Tisitt, you will take the Pont Bonaparte which allows you to cross the Saône to arrive in the heart of Old Lyon (medieval and Renaissance district). The best thing to do will be to start visiting Saint Jean Cathedral and admire its gigantic rose window, its menacing gargoyles and its majestic Gothic architecture.
Then I advise you to go to the funicular station which is located at the Vieux-Lyon metro station. So, with the funicular, you will go directly (and more easily than on foot) to the Coline de Fourvière.
This is where the Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica is located, which has overlooked the city of Lyon since the end of the 19th century.
From the basilica esplanade, you will have a panoramic view of Lyon. You can visit the basilica which was built to thank the Virgin for having spared Lyon from the Prussian invasion in 1870.
Then the circuit continues via rue Roger Radisson to turn into rue Cléberg to enter the Lugdunum site. This is the ancient site of Fourvière, entry to which is free. You can visit the large Gallo-Roman theater (15th century BC), the Temple of Cybele or, further down, the Odeon which has preserved some beautiful mosaics.
Which restaurant for your visit to Lyon?
To continue the route, you will have to take rue Clébert, go back down Place de l'Antiquaille to rue Pierre Marion to arrive at number 4 of the street. This is where I advise you to take a lunch break: at the Christian Têtedoie restaurant.
It's a good deal for lunch because this gourmet restaurant offers gourmet and refined cuisine with a menu priced at €24 and in a really nice setting (panoramic terrace).
Visit Old Lyon
Now that you have regained your strength, I suggest you do the Montée du Gourguillon in the opposite direction!
Going down rue Pierre Marion, you will turn left onto rue des Farges to reach Montée Gourguillon which you will go down again. This street (little known to tourists) is one of the oldest streets in Lyon with its cobblestones and its medieval houses from the 15th century. You can admire rare half-timbered houses in Impasse Turquet, a street perpendicular to Rue Gourguillon.
Visit the Traboules of Lyon
At number 2 of the street, a traboule opens which goes up to Chemin Neuf. You can take it to reach Place Beauregard and take the stairs of Montée des Épies.
A but you surely think of yourself as a traboule? What is this ?
These are small passages characteristic of the city of Lyon that allow you to cross from one street to another or from one district to another. Lyon has more than 300 which have become real tourist attractions. If you want to visit them, there is an app (Mobile application to download) which allows you to follow itineraries specifically dedicated to visits to the traboules.
And if you want to discover it for yourself, here is the list of the most visited traboules:
- Rue Royale / Quai Lassagne
- 6-8 small rue des Feuillants / 19 place Tolozan
- 2 Place des Terreaux
- 4 rue Désirée / 7 rue Puits-Gaillot
- 3 place Louis Pradel / 1 rue Luigini
- 5 rue Joseph-Serlin / 2 place Louis Pradel
- 13 rue de la Poulaillerie / 2 rue des Forces
- Passage de l'Argue
- 2 rue Charles-Dullin / 1 rue Gaspard-André
After getting lost in the alleys and traboules of old Lyon, you can return to your hotel to relax before dinner.
Rhone cruise
And to finish in style, why not have dinner while taking a beautiful boat cruise on the banks of the Rhône? It was a report some time ago that gave me this idea: View report
The advantage is that you can spend a romantic evening along the water while discovering monuments that you will not have had time to visit in my circuit " Lyon in 1 day "!
To do this dinner cruise at Hermès restaurant (provided by the Cie Les Bâteaux Lyonnais), you have to go to 16 Quai Claude Bernard (Left bank of the Rhône at the foot of the University Bridge) just 10 minutes walk from the hotel which I present to you below. Remember to book at 04.78.42.96.81!
Where to stay to visit Lyon on foot?
For a little one weekend in Lyon, I recommend that you choose a hotel well placed to be accommodated in the most beautiful districts of Lyon (beware of areas to avoid in Lyon). Its location is ideal so as not to waste time in transport and to be close to restaurants and shops while being quiet.
My good plan ishotel La Residence because it is really perfect in terms of services, has an ideal location and all this at an unbeatable price for Lyon! Indeed, it is located in a pedestrian street on the Lyon peninsula, a 3-minute walk from Place Bellecour and 450 meters from the old town.
View this hotel on Booking.com
I hope my circuit inspires you. If you prefer to let yourself be guided to visit Lyon, here is a good plan: Guided tour of Old Lyon. So, perhaps for the Festival of Lights or a whole weekend in Lyon: Lyon in 2 days or a combined circuit Lyon - Annecy