Lyon

One of Europe's largest Renaissance-era neighbourhoods, stretching along the west bank of the Saône river. The tightly packed streets of Saint-Jean, Saint-Paul, and Saint-Georges are lined with pastel-coloured townhouses, street-level bistros, and secretive traboule entrances. Ducking into these passageways — look for the small signs or discreet metal plaques on doorways — is one of the most memorable things you can do in Lyon. The best-known traboule network runs from Rue Saint-Jean to Quai Romain Rolland. Allow at least two hours to wander without a map.

An ornate Romano-Byzantine basilica dominating the Fourvière hilltop above the city, visible from almost every point in Lyon. Built between 1872 and 1896 as a thanksgiving offering after Lyon was spared from Prussian invasion, its white facade and four square towers are the city's most iconic silhouette. The interior is a mosaic-covered extravaganza of gold, marble, and painted vaults. Take the funicular from Vieux Lyon metro station for panoramic views on the way up, or walk via the steep Montée des Carmes for a workout.

Two remarkably intact Roman amphitheatres — the Grand Théâtre (seating 10,000) and the smaller Odéon — carved into the Fourvière hillside, dating to the 1st century BCE and expanded under Hadrian. The site is free to enter and the views over the city from the upper tiers are outstanding. Every June and July the theatres come alive for Les Nuits de Fourvière, a prestigious summer festival featuring world music, opera, theatre, and dance under the stars.

The covered food market that defines Lyon's gastronomic identity, named after the legendary chef who died in 2018. Inside the art deco hall on the east bank, some 60 specialist traders sell extraordinary charcuterie (rosette, saucisson, andouillette), quenelles de brochet, fresh cheeses, Bresse chickens, truffles, and the house-made pralines roses that colour Lyon's famous tarts pink. The morning bustle is best on Saturdays. Several stalls have counter seating for oysters and wine — go mid-morning with a glass of Beaujolais.

A striking deconstructivist science and anthropology museum at the very tip of the Presqu'île peninsula, where the Rhône and Saône rivers merge. The building itself — a faceted steel-and-glass "crystal cloud" by Coop Himmelb(l)au — is as much the attraction as the permanent collections inside, which span natural history, human civilisations, and speculative futures. The outdoor terrace at the confluence point is one of the best viewpoints in Lyon, looking up both rivers simultaneously.

One of the largest squares in Europe — and the largest pedestrian plaza in France — Place Bellecour sits at the heart of the Presqu'île peninsula between the two rivers. A colossal equestrian statue of Louis XIV presides over the red-gravel expanse, which acts as the city's social hub and event space. The surrounding Presqu'île district is Lyon's commercial and cultural spine: Rue de la République for shopping, Place des Terreaux for the Opera and Beaux-Arts museum, and a dense grid of bouchons and brasseries between the two rivers.

An enormous 117-hectare urban park on the east bank of the Rhône, with a lake, botanical gardens, a rose garden with over 16,000 plants, and a free municipal zoo home to giraffes, bears, and zebras. The park is completely free to enter — Lyon residents treat it as their backyard, jogging around the lake, paddling boats, or watching the flamingos in the wetland reserve. The entrance gates are Haussmann-era ironwork treasures. A stunning respite from sightseeing.

The Croix-Rousse hillside north of the Presqu'île retains the soul of Lyon's silk-weaving past, with wide-windowed canut apartment buildings (designed to maximise light for the looms), independent food shops, and a lively morning market on Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse. At the top of the hill, the Mur des Canuts is a 1,200-square-metre trompe-l'oeil mural depicting neighbourhood life in photorealistic detail — residents, cafés, balconies, and cats — updated three times since 1987. Find the hidden self-portrait of the artist.

A remarkable architectural collision on Place des Terreaux: the 19th-century neoclassical facade of the original opera house has been topped with a dramatic semicircular glass barrel vault by Jean Nouvel (1993), housing rehearsal rooms and a rooftop terrace bar. The opera company is one of France's most adventurous, with a strong reputation for contemporary and rarely performed works. Evening performances often sell out — book online well in advance. Even without a ticket, the exterior at night is one of Lyon's best urban views.