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Lyon, the second largest city in France, is also the capital of the Rhone-Alpes region. Known as a gastronomic and historical city with a thriving cultural scene, Lyon is really an up and coming city with strong European ties. The newly-renovated city lies on two rivers and contains approximately 1.2 million people in the greater Lyon area, with a large percentage of those people college students attending one of Lyon’s outstanding schools. Have a wild spring break by making Lyon your destination. Book early with StudentUniverse!

Lyon Pictures

Things to do in Lyon

Lyon doesn’t have world-famous monuments, but it does have different kinds of interesting neighborhoods that are fun to walk around and usually lead to hidden architectural marvels. Most sights and attractions in Lyon are free, such as churches, traboules, and parks. If you are planning to see many different museums, one of the only things that does cost money, then it might be worth it to get a Lyon City Card, which offers unlimited rides on the public transport network, free entry to major museums and exhibitions, and one guided tour per day per person. The best things to make sure to see are the View from Fourviere basilica, Streets and traboules in Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), traboules in Croix-Rousse, Parc de la Tete d’Or, and the astronomical clock in St. Jean Cathedral. Also be sure to hit up Vieux Lyon, or Old Lyon, which consists of a narrow strip along the right bank of the Saone, and is the largest Renaissance area in Europe. It’s home to such great sights as the St. Jean Cathedral and St. Jean Archaeological Garden. There’s also tons of museums to be seen in Lyon, with the best ones definitely being the Musee d’Art Contemporain, a contemporary art museum, Institut Lumiere- Musee vivant du Cinema, a cool trip through the history of cinema, and Centre d’Histoire de la Resistance et de la Deportation, a museum located in the former Gestapo regional headquarters, depicting daily life in Lyon under the German occupation. Also be sure to hit up the many different parks and gardens that the city has to offer.

Nightlife in Lyon

Lyon has many different types of things to do at night, take your pick! There’s the English and Irish pubs concentrated in the Old Lyon area, with the best ones including Albion, Johnny Walsh’s, Wallace, St. Jame’s Pub, and The Smoking Dog, all are great. There’s always English speaking staff at all places. It isn’t customary for people to card you and the legal drinking age is 16, so have fun! If you like some good live jazz then head over to Le Bec de Jazz, on 19 rue Burdeau, where the music is hot and the atmosphere is hotter. There’s also Le Phoebus, a great pub with live African and reggae music. Romantic getaways in Lyon are also quite nice, with boat parties and cruises going on almost every day of the week. If that sounds like you then take a look at Sirius, Q-Boat, and Marquise for a beautiful evening out.

Dining in Lyon

Most restaurants in Lyon post their menus with the prices displayed outside, and prices always include service, bread and tap water. Make sure to ask for a carafe of water to avoid paying for bottled water; go ahead, runoff from the Alps make France’s drinking water excellent. There are chains and typical restaurants all throughout the city, depending on your tastes. Traditional restaurants in Lyon are called bouchons, and are definitely a must-do. Local dishes include Salade Lyonnaise (Lyon salad), Saucisson Chaud (hot sausage), Quenelle de Brochet (dumpling), Tablier de Sapeur (marinated tripes), Andouillette (sausage made with tripes), Gratin Dauphinois, and Cervelle de Canut. For a great, cheap meal of bouchons hit up Chez Mounier or Le Layon, both great choices.

Shopping in Lyon

Most shoppes close around 7pm, with some larger places open a bit later. Mostly everything is closed on Sundays, except some places in Old Lyon. The largest downtown mall in Europe, La Part-Dieu, is found on the Boulevard Vivier-Merle, but Saturday afternoons are to be avoided as it is often a peak shopping time. Lyon also features streets with small shops, including the rue de la Republique, rue du President Edouard Herriot, rue Gasparin, rue Emile Zola, rue des Archers, rue Victor Hugo, rue Auguste Comte, and Carre de Soie. For your food shopping check out the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, which has the best food at a moderate price. Also visit Antic Wine, on 18 rue du Boeuf, which features exceptional wines from all over the world, including a selection of Rhone valley wines and an incredible collection of old Burgundies.

Lyon Travel Tips

• Smoking is prohibited in all closed public places, including bars.
• Weather is temperate in Lyon and never very harsh.
• Be careful for charity con men.