Lyon Travel Guide: 24 Hours itinerary (Solo Female Traveller Friendly). SAVE this post for future reference when you start to plan your own trip!
This is my ideal one-day plan for Lyon (in suggested itinerary order for anyone who is staying fairly centrally and is happy using public transport/ enjoys short, flat walks). It is also good to note that I followed this itinerary on a Sunday - (a very quiet day in France - most shops stay closed all day, however all of these attractions were open!)
10am: Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière (free)
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière (via Cable Car) Head to the funicular station “Vieux Lyon Cathédrale Saint-Jean” and purchase a return ticket at the machine for €3. The journey lasts just a few minutes, where you are transported to one of the highest points in Lyon. Take in the breathtaking scenic views of the city, enjoy a cup of coffee at the cafe and enjoy the stunning interiors of the Basilica, all within seconds walking distance from each other.
12pm: The Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière (free)
A short walk down-hill of the Basilica takes you to the historical Roman Amphitheatre or “The Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière”. There is a lovely museum to walk through, that details the life of the old, outdoor theatre, leaving you to wonder the ruins yourself or sit amongst the gardens. The outdoor theatre is FREE to enter year round, and like many museums in France, the first Sunday of the month meant free entrance for the museum portion too!
3.30pm: Guided Sightseeing Cruise (£12 with an advance, online booking)
If you head back to the funicular station, just a few minutes from the Gallo-Roman museum, you can head back down the hill to where our morning began. The Vieux Lyon station is just a short bridge crossing away from the starting location of the river cruise meeting point!
At 3:30pm, there is a boat departure for an hour-long tour in French and English. I had a lovely, long, local lunch then joined the cruise queue. The boat takes you along the famous river Seine, detailing the history of the buildings that line the river, along with interesting anecdotes and fun facts!
5pm: Parc de la Tête d'Or (free)
5pm: Parc de la Tête d'Or (free)
From where I was staying in the centre of the city, Parc de la Tête d'Or was just a short, inexpensive bus ride away. The bus is a common, safe and easy way to get around the city. The C5 took me right up to the golden gate entrance, complete with cinematic carousel, romantic couples on the boating lake and beautiful giraffes who were happy to pose for my pictures.
Lyon was just showing off at this point. If I had longer than 24 hours, I would have set aside a whole day for this park - it quickly became my new favourite (in the world) It is FREE to enter the park and admire the zoo and gardens. It is pretty large. I set aside just over an hour for a whistle stop tour, but I recommend leaving longer for activities and chilling!
Finally, I head back to my hotel for an evening with a movie and room service dinner! I haven’t quite built up the confidence to go for dinner alone just yet… maybe next time!
Where to stay?
I stayed at the wonderful Mercure Hotel (Plaza Republique). It was affordable, centrally located and well managed. My room was perfect for what I needed. I was extremely comfortable there! Not to mention the wonderful hotel breakfast buffet that I had missed from travelling so much. If the Mercure isn’t for you, have a look at some nearby hotels/bnb’s as I highly recommend that location for a short trip.
Eb x
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