Menu
Menu
Menu
Lyon is the third-largest city in France and despite this, it feels calm, relaxed, and smiling. The ancient Roman city has maintained its beauty for thousands of years and in fact, it is the only city in Europe that has not been damaged by any shelling or fighting. Lyon will allow you to soak up a magical and ancient atmosphere, meet good museums (11 different museums in the city), and impressive buildings, spend time in a wide variety of places and also participate in the famous annual festival of lights, which will be worth your visit even especially.
Lyon loves the good life, the good food, the bike paths, and the lots of greenery that adorns every possible corner of the city. In addition, there are lots of lakes and rivers that you can spend time in and spend a few hours of rest and pampering in nature, without leaving the city for a moment.
The good news is that Lyon is cheaper than Paris and Bordeaux (the first and second largest in France) and therefore you can find very good hotels there and on a small budget. If in Paris for the same price you could settle for a hotel with 2-3 stars, for the same amount you can enjoy a pampering hotel in Lyon at a level of 4 and even 5 stars.
In the cheap, good, and central segment, you will find the Hôtel Vaubecour which includes a lift, very comfortable rooms, and warm and cordial family accommodation, Hotel de Bretagne, Hotel ParkSaône (3 stars on the banks of the River Seine) and Best Western Lyon Saint-Antoine of the Best Western chain known for good value Its in relation to price.
Recommended 4-star hotels in the city are MHL – Maison Hotel Lyon with spacious and very well equipped apartments, Grand Hotel des Terreaux located near the old town, and Hôtel Le Roosevelt located near some of the best restaurants in Lyon (the hotel includes air conditioning!), Okko Hotels Lyon Pont Lafayette in the heart The sixth district (about 20 minutes walk from the city center and close to public transport) and the family-friendly boutique Hôtel Silky by HappyCulture that maintains good prices.
5-star hotels in the city already offer a majestic, renaissance, and classic world at a high level. You should check the hotels: Cour des Loges, Villa Maïa, Villa Florentine, and Hotel Le Royal Lyon – MGallery by Sofitel. They all offer a very high standard, spa complexes, gourmet meals, and unique design.
Lyon is a place of good food, which many even consider it the capital of French cuisine. The city abounds in good, recommended, Michelin-starred, modern and addictive restaurants. Wherever you go you will find small bistro fresh food, restaurants offering food from the world like Japanese, Indian or Italian, very high-quality cafes and also good markets, including the March March de la Croix Rousse which is very worth getting to know, because to All the great chefs in France tend to come to buy fresh and fine merchandise.
The Lyonese food offers meat, feta and fat dishes in layers baked in dough, poached egg in wine and mushroom sauce, blood sausage stew, fish patty souffle, local almond and nut praline, steaks, croissants, brioche and everything is served in sparkling restaurants of cleanliness, with great professionalism and kindness .
Lyon is located an hour and a half away from the Alps and the beautiful lake town of Annecy. In other words, it is very close to the famous ski towns and Mount Mont Blanc, the city of Geneva in Switzerland, the city of Dijon, and the vineyards of Beaujolais. Therefore you will find both tourists who visit the city especially and hikers who will continue from here to the ski towns in winter. This means that every season you will find vibrant tourism here, new people to meet and lots of interest.
The Sun River and the Ron River connect in the south of the city. The city center is actually a kind of peninsula created by the rivers. This peninsula is perfect for shopping and elegant and luxurious shopping, but also for meeting the typical ancient, classic, and warm side of the city.
Tet d’Or is a large, green, and beautiful park with golden gates at the entrance and a huge lake in the center, where you can go boating. The abundance of lawns and corners will allow you to wander pleasantly, take a break from the world, rest in the shade and also visit the zoo inside, which includes pandas, zebras, sand cats, and a selection of other animals.
The impressive and special Basilica of Lyon can be seen from almost every corner of the city and can help you get around at any stage. It was built in the 19th century and is known as the “Inverted Elephant” due to its interesting outline. The interior of the basilica is magnificent and very spectacular and it is definitely worth climbing to it on the long staircase to view it from all over the city.
The eternal debate between France and the US over the beginnings of cinema will probably always remain the same, but here the two founding fathers of fine French cinema are honored. Brothers Louis and August Lumiere are considered the inventors of cinema, film, projector, and the camera. Some of the first movies ever made were shot right here. The museum commemorates the brothers’ special pioneering work and includes rare items from the beginning of the industry.
The Roman Theater of Forbia was built in the 15th century BC by the famous Roman general Augustus Caesar. This ancient amphitheater still reflects the admirable size and marvelous well-preserved architectural construction. Miss the experience.
The St John’s district will take you into the real Middle Ages in Lyon. Paved streets, small courtyards, beautiful squares with restaurants and cafes, ancient buildings, the Puppet Theater Museum, the History Museum, and much more.
Is there a competitor to the Louvre in Paris? Well, if you are a true art lover and appreciate large and impressive collections, the answer is perhaps. The Museum of Fine Arts is the city’s official cultural treasure and its location in a large building that was once used as an abbey abandoned during the French Revolution. The museum displays a huge abundance of items, paintings, and sculptures across over 70 exhibition rooms.
Outside the Museum of Fine Arts is the Place de la Tru, which was probably built in the 13th century. In the past, the square was used as a gathering place for watching the execution, but today it is a much more optimistic and relaxed place. In the square, there is a fountain with a unique sculpture by August Bartholdi, the French sculptor known for his larger and better-known work – the Statue of Liberty in New York.
The chic and fashionable district of the city, with a unique atmosphere that is not to be missed. The Crowe Ross district is the fourth district in the city and is located on a hill 254 meters above sea level. The alleys of the quarter are paved with stone, the construction is special and ancient and the maze of streets is magical for wandering. Here you will also find a large variety of second-hand fashion stores and lots of street art.
Lyon Cathedral named after John the Baptist was built over 300 years before it was consecrated in the 14th century. The facade of the building is very impressive, including about 280 stone medallions and an ancient astronomical clock. In addition, it is impossible not to notice the powerful and mesmerizing organ that was added to the cathedral in the 19th century.
Jules Sennis was a resident of Lyon who was unfortunately informed that he had cancer. He assured himself that if he survived, he would establish a flower garden in the city. After recovering, Sennis spent the next 25 years of his life building one of the most beautiful gardens in Lyon, named after his mother. Here you will find a huge variety of colorful, colorful, fragrant flowers, lemon trees, unique herbs, mosaics, and stone pillars.
The wonderful indoor market named after Paul Bukiz will allow you to get up close and personal with the local produce, taste, purchase, and tour rich and interesting stalls. Here you will find prestigious restaurants, cheeses, meats and sausages, desserts, pastries, and more than 50 different and wonderful stalls.
One of the equal museums in Lyon, which opened in 2014 near the confluence of the Rhone and Hahn rivers. The place is named after them, the “Merging Museum”. Here you will get an amazing glimpse into the history of world creation from the big bang through the creation of humanity and animals in nature, the process of evolution, and the formation of various human societies.
The city offers a combined museum and public transport card (Lyon city card) that will allow you to enter 20 museums for free, travel freely on public transport, join a variety of free tours and even cruise the Rhone and Hons rivers. The ticket costs 25 euros per day and up to 55 euros for 4 days. In addition, the ticket provides a free transfer from the airport (which costs 42 euros for the regular fee).
Another option is to use the tourist bus that stops at 14 different stations and in all the important places of Lyon. You can get off and get on at any station and get an electronic guide about the city.
Lyon is not particularly recommended for driving so it is best to use the car only when leaving the city or for the purpose of getting there. In the city, you will find regulated car parks at a cost of 1.6-2 euros per hour, or around 15 euros at a daily rate. Night hours in parking lots are more expensive. If you prefer to avoid the city car parks, you can park in the car parks outside the city at more affordable prices and from there continue on foot or by public transport.
If you still prefer to drive inside Lyon, know that sidewalk parking involves a fee. Usually between 9 am and 7 pm and costs 2 euros per hour (sometimes the first quarter of an hour is free). The thing is, these parking lots can not be utilized for the long term, because they are limited to parking for up to an hour and a half only. Please note that the gas stations in the city are open at different times (some 24/7, some close in the evening) and offer self-service with payment on credit. The payment on credit to your attention, including a currency exchange that increases the price of refueling by a good few percent. The price is 1-3 euros per liter of gasoline.
There are about 5 weekly flights between Israel and Lyon, mainly through Transavia and EasyJet. The flight lasts 4 hours and 45 minutes. Direct flights to Lyon are a relatively rare and more expensive affair and therefore many prefer to fly through companies like Air France or other European airlines to and from Paris to continue the connection to Lyon. It is also possible to book a flight to Paris at a cheaper rate and from there continue by direct train to Lyon from the airport. It is also possible to fly from another European city in the country and from there to continue to Lyon by connection. In this context, you will be happy to know that the longer the waiting time at the connection destination, the lower the price of the ticket. And yet, a very long wait (sometimes 6 and even 10 hours) may not be right for you, especially if your trip time is limited or in a family trip situation that includes young children and adults.
The ideal way to get to Lyon, according to most surfers, is a low-cost flight to Paris via the easy and attractive flight system of EasyJet, Transavia, Alitalia, and sometimes Tap that will allow you to get cheap, fast, and continue to central Lyon by fast train (about two hours). Please note that at the box office the price of the train ticket can be expensive (around 80 euros one way) so it is best to book it in advance online and save up to 50% off the ticket price.
Another option is to fly to Geneva (Switzerland), which is the closest city to Lyon Airport. You can land in Geneva and from there board a train that will reach the city in an hour and a half and also meet you with a beautiful view along the way. Please note that you must board the train from the airport and change trains within the city, including checking passports.
The recommended and official season for city trips is between the months of June and November. The weather is warm and very comfortable for hiking and meeting with the beautiful outdoor areas of the city. And yet, it should be remembered that these months make the city crowded and crowded, long queues are possible at the entrance to attractions and to this is added the lack of air conditioning of the various businesses and a large part of the hotels, which we Israelis are very not used to.
Therefore, if you prefer to avoid queues, reduce prices and travel in less rainy weather, the spring months (March to May) may be more suitable for you. This season, temperatures are around 20 degrees during the day but sometimes drop to 4 degrees at night. Equip yourself with very warm clothes.
If you can find more flexibility regarding arrival dates, the following option may be perfect for you: Every year, on December 8, the city of Lyon celebrates its famous Fête des Lumières. This is an amazing, grandiose festival, rich in colors, vibrant and bustling, where all the buildings of the city are decorated with colorful lights and impressive lighting performances take place in the city sky. Of course, throughout the days of the festival, there are also lots of different shows and people from all over the world come to be hosted in the city these days.
