Lyon

The ancient city of Lyon is France's third largest city and a pinnacle for history, culture and delicious French cuisine. Established by the Romans as Ludgunum over 2000 years ago, the city is more than meets the eye, distracting you with its historical remains and fine renaissance architecture to keep you from finding the secret passageways and hidden gems scattered across this fascinating city.

Apart from being one of the oldest surviving cities of the glorious Roman empire, Lyon is also famous for being the birthplace of cinema, starting from the invention of the cinematograph by the Lumiere brothers. The gothic and European architecture of the buildings of the city is amplified by the two rivers that flow through the area, River Rhone and River Saone. The natural beauty of the city is amplified by the two hills that surround it, Fourviere and Croix-Rousse, both of which are scenic vistas populated with more fo the classic architecture and facades that make Lyon popular. Much of the historic sights are found in these areas, along with Vieux Lyon and Presqu'ile, all of which combined form the UNESCO World Heritage site of Historic Lyon. The Roman Amphitheatre and its surroundings are the only remains of the ancient site of Ludgunum. The Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere is one of Lyon's prime Cathedrals, a massive edifice combining Roman and Byzantine architectural styles from the 19th century that is the site of Lyon's most famous festival, Fete des Lumieres of Festival of Lights. But Lyon's historical trip doesn't stop there, as it is home to over a 100 museums, all detailing various portions of French culture and lifestyle in the most informative way that is sure to reel you in and keep you in the city. Musee des Beaux Arts has to be the top of that list, proudly standing as France's largest museum of Fina Arts. The gastronomic capital of the gourmet-loving France, Lyon has specialised restaurants called 'bouchons', quaint little cafes where you can have some of the best Lyonnais cuisine to that'll drive you into a food coma. If not a bouchon, most of the restaurants are sure to leave you wanting more.