How to spend the ultimate weekend in Lyon

I commission a lot of our France content and any time Lyon is recommended, it's praised for its relaxed lifestyle, world-famous gastronomic culture and artistic history.

So when Lyon Tourism invited me to check it out for myself, my first question was, ‘When?’ My second question was, ‘What’s on the menu?’

Having visited the city, here's how I'd recommend you spend your time to see the best of Lyon in a weekend.

Planning your trip

When to arrive: Anytime you like. If you travel midweek, you will be less likely to need reservations at some restaurants. Summer Saturdays are usually the only time you might find Lyon a little too busy.

How to get from the airport: Getting to Lyon city center couldn’t be easier. Step outside the terminal and follow the signs (and the people) to the railway station across the road. The Rhônexpress (€15.20, one way) will take you to the city center in about 30 minutes.

Getting around town: There are plenty of public transport options to get around: bus, metro and tram. If you have time and the inclination, it is lovely to stroll. If you plan on taking a lot of public transport, the Lyon City Card is a good investment; it will work on all public transport and give you access to museums and other activities too. Cards are valid for between one and four days, and prices start at €26.90 for 24 hours.

Where to stay: I stayed at Collège Hôtel, a school-themed hotel inside an Art Deco building (keep an eye out for the chair display on the walls outside). Another option is the hostel Pilo, which is suitable for travelers from all backgrounds with everything from dorms to dedicated family rooms. It also has a full schedule of events every week.

If budget is no issue, book into the 5-star InterContinental Lyon in the grounds of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, a meticulously renovated former hospital whose history is interwoven with the city.

What to pack: Smart-casual is the way to go. In Vieux Lyon (the Old Town), there are cobblestones so it's best to leave the heels at home.

Friday

Morning: Grab a coffee and a praline pastry at a local bakery. Praline is a Lyonnais speciality and you’ll see the neon pink color everywhere, usually in a praline tart or brioche. Use the tooth-aching sweetness to fuel a hike up to Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière (or take the funicular, which is a little easier on the legs).

Pop into the church to admire the mosaics detailing the connection between the Virgin Mary and France. Outside is a panoramic viewpoint of Lyon. Here’s a great chance to orient yourself for the rest of the trip as you can see the two rivers, the Rhône and the Saône, on either side of ‘the peninsula.’

How to spend the day: Begin your descent but don’t go too far – start with the Roman theaters of Lugdunum. The feeling of stepping into an ancient theater is worth the €4 entry fee alone, but there’s also a museum on site. The theater is still in use today. If there is a concert running during your stay – like the Nuits de Fourvière – be sure to book a ticket.

You have a choice of two great picnic spots nearby for a leisurely lunch: the pocket park Jardin des Curiosités or the rose-filled Jardin du Rosaire. Both have fantastic city panoramas to drink in the view and the bottle of wine you packed (yes, it is socially acceptable to drink it at a picnic lunch in France).

Make your way back to Vieux Lyon for some gentle exploration for the rest of the afternoon; ambling through scenic laneways and independent boutiques. Don’t leave without traversing through at least one public traboule, covered stone corridors providing snaking shortcuts. These often run at the back of apartments. They are only public spaces by the grace of the residents, so respect them by remaining quiet as you pass through.

Dinner: Let your first dinner in Lyon be at a traditional bouchon. Essentially a local version of a bistro, bouchons have a history of serving silk workers and their focus is on local, hearty dishes in a relaxed environment. There are 22 officially certified bouchons, which are marked with an official symbol, though many other restaurants bear the name.

I visited Les Fines Gueules and made a valiant effort at tasting most of the menu. Typical dishes are designed to keep a worker going for the rest of the day so come famished and expect homey deliciousness like poached eggs in red wine with bacon, terrines, veal sausage, fish souffle, mini raviolis and, of course, praline tart for dessert.

After dark: La Cave des Voyageurs is the perfect place to get an after-dinner drink, with an extensive selection and expert staff (with excellent English) to give you a good-value recommendation. It's comfortable and cozy for a solo traveler, and I spent a lovely hour nursing a glass of Beaujolais, alternating between my own thoughts and watching newcomers to Lyon making friends and swapping numbers at the other side of the bar.

Saturday

Morning: Go deeper into a facet of Lyonnaise life by visiting Maison des Canuts, a small museum and workshop dedicated to the city’s silk industry, which has been intertwined with Lyon's history for five centuries. There are excellent guided tours at 11am and 3:30pm. Silk scarves are also available to buy at reasonable prices, as well as fabric purchased by weight.

Then go on to explore Grand Hôtel Dieu. Once a hospital dating from medieval times, the site has been completely renovated with cafes, courtyards, gardens, boutiques specializing in items made in Lyon, and a luxury hotel.

How to spend the day: Get to Les Petites Cantines in Vieux Lyon for lunch at 12:30pm (book ahead). This network of neighborhood kitchens is designed to get communities cooking together to combat loneliness and this is one of the only branches in a touristy area. You are welcome to join in the morning to help prep the food, but just enjoying the meal is perfectly fine too. Sit at a communal table and chat with locals in a convivial atmosphere – rusty, basic French is welcome! Prices are low and the food is excellent home-cooked fare (think lasagne, salads and gratin). It will be an experience you talk about for weeks afterwards.

Continue the community atmosphere by spending an afternoon in Les Pentes de la Croix Rousse area, exploring the vintage and boutique shops full of clothes and art, and hopping between coffee shops. This area is particularly good for street art as well, so always look up.

Dinner: Book ahead for a memorable meal in one of Lyon’s top restaurants. The city has 21 restaurants with Michelin stars (and plenty more incredible ones that don’t). I can’t recommend L’Atelier des Augustins enough. Its food philosophy? Everything served is sourced from within 200km of Lyon (with the exception of some spices), and every menu is a surprise.

When I visited, the overarching theme was earthy, spring and floral flavors: wild garlic brioche with blackberry jam, white sausage with snails, fish with peas and strawberries, pigeon and rhubarb served three ways. The biggest surprise was a Champagne tasting course which I’d never experienced before, and now I can confidently assure you that Champagne really does go with everything.

Sunday

Morning: Grab a pastry and a giant sandwich or quiche for later at Boulangerie du Palais, then chill out for the morning at Parc de la Tête d’Or, one of France’s largest urban parks. You can take a bike or segway tour with ComhiC (around the corner from the bakery), or rent a scooter or bike yourself to explore independently. The highlights are a botanical garden and rose garden, and on sunny days you can rent paddleboats to go out on the lake.

How to spend the day: After your picnic lunch, make your way down river to Musée des Confluences. It houses fascinating permanent exhibitions on the origins of life, societies and the meaning of death, to name just a few. Its temporary exhibitions can cover everything from epidemics to love, so leave time to explore. For a bonus, you have wonderful views of ‘the confluence’ where the two rivers of Lyon finally meet, the perfect last look at the city from a different perspective.

No doubt you’ll be leaving Lyon well fed, content and with a list of several other restaurants you’d like to visit. Don’t forget to save them for your inevitable return to this wonderful city.

AnneMarie McCarthy visited Lyon at the invitation of Visiter Lyon. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies for positive coverage.