Lyon Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

Fourvière Hill and the Basilica

Fourvière is the hill that rises steeply above the Saône on Lyon's west bank, and its white basilica, built between 1872 and 1884, crowns the skyline from almost anywhere in the city. Inside, the mosaics, marble and gilded ceilings are richly decorated, while the esplanade beside it offers the classic panorama over the rooftops, the Presqu'île and, on clear days, the distant Alps.

Just below the basilica lie the Roman theatres of Lugdunum, founded in 43 BC as the capital of Roman Gaul; the larger theatre still hosts summer performances. On the hop-on hop-off bus you reach the hilltop without the steep climb, so allow about an hour up here before taking the next bus down. Morning light is best for photos of the view, and the basilica is calmest before noon.

Vieux Lyon, the Renaissance Quarter

Vieux Lyon is one of the best-preserved Renaissance districts in Europe and the heart of the Historic Site of Lyon, listed by UNESCO in 1998. Its narrow streets are lined with tall pastel houses built by merchants and bankers in the 15th and 16th centuries, with spiral staircases, inner courtyards and the famous traboules, covered passages that cut through buildings from one street to the next.

The Gothic cathedral stands at the southern end of the quarter, facing the Saône, and the lower station of the funiculars to Fourvière is right beside it. Is Vieux Lyon worth visiting? Without doubt: plan at least an hour and a half to wander, browse the small shops and stop for lunch. Get off the bus here, explore on foot, then cross a footbridge to the Presqu'île to pick up the bus again.

Place Bellecour and the Presqu'île

The Presqu'île is the narrow strip of land between the Rhône and the Saône, and it is Lyon's elegant city centre. Place Bellecour, a vast open square of pinkish gravel, is the main starting stop of the bus and the location of the tourist office. From there, pedestrian shopping streets lead north past grand 19th-century facades towards Place des Terreaux, where the 17th-century City Hall faces the Fine Arts Museum.

Further north the Presqu'île climbs into the slopes of Croix-Rousse, the old silk-weaving district. Boarding at Place Bellecour is the simplest way to begin your Lyon hop-on hop-off bus tour, because it is reached easily by metro lines A and D. Allow time here for cafés, shopping and the riverside quays, which are lovely at sunset.

Parc de la Tête d'Or

Parc de la Tête d'Or, on the left bank of the Rhône, is one of the largest urban parks in France, opened in 1857 and covering more than 100 hectares. It has a lake with rowing boats, wide lawns, a rose garden, large botanical greenhouses and a free zoo with giraffes, lions and an African plain, which makes it a favourite stop for families travelling with children.

The park is open every day from early morning until the evening, with longer hours in summer, and entry is free. Plan one to two hours if you want to see the greenhouses and the zoo, then return to the bus stop at the gates. In spring and early summer the rose gardens are at their best, while autumn colours make the lake especially beautiful.

Confluence District and the Rivers

At the southern tip of the Presqu'île, the Rhône and the Saône finally meet. The former port and industrial area here has been rebuilt as the Confluence district, with bold modern architecture, riverside promenades, a large shopping centre and the futuristic Musée des Confluences, a glass-and-steel museum of science and societies standing right at the meeting point of the two rivers.

From the open top deck, the drive along the quays shows how much Lyon is shaped by water, with its bridges, footbridges and houseboats. The Confluence stop is a good place to visit the museum, which needs two to three hours, or simply to walk the waterfront. A 2-day pass lets you split the city in two: the old town and Fourvière one day, the Presqu'île, the park and Confluence the next.