The city of Lyon has enough on offer to satisfy anyone visiting for a weekend break. It’s a very lively ànd liveable city, with plenty of attractive restaurants, terraces, squares, small parks and (four) riverside(s).

Because of the hills and the city’s size, you’ll have to pack good walking shoes as you will easily set back several kilometers.

On my first day here I explored the current city center and the Croix-Rousse hill. I immediately halted for lunch on one of the terraces at the square in front of the Hôtel de Ville. This is a great place, a bit like the market squares in Belgium. Then I walked on (and up) to the former silk workers neighbourhoods. Not a whole lot is left of that now, it’s mostly a residential area. One relatively small section still has terraced roads.

The next day, a Sunday, I got started at 8 a.m. and made my way to the other hill: Fourvière. This part of the city, on the left bank of the Saône, feels more monumental than the area I walked in yesterday. Crossing the bridge your eyes immediately turn to the landmarks Fourvière Basilica and St. Jean Abbey. To get there it’s best to take the funicular railway. The service to Fourvière is suspended for the moment, so I had to take a detour and walk from there. I passed the large Roman theatre and had a quick look. Most impressive however is the Fourvière Basilica. I am not that keen anymore on visiting churches and cathedrals, but this is a sight not to be missed. Its exterior is like a fairy tale castle, while the interior is full of large mosaics.

Down at the foot of the hill is a neighbourhood called Vieux Lyon, where it is possible to see some of the old courtyards and passageways used by the silk workers (traboules).

France’s nomination dossier for this site points out a large number of separate buildings within the historic area. I did have trouble finding a number of them – the city center is quite large (after all, Lyon has half a million inhabitants) and the monuments are sometimes a bit hidden between or behind shops and restaurants.