Lyon Travel Guide

The Lyon metropolitan area, the largest in the Rhône-Alpes region, lies in a strategic location in the natural plain of the Rhone Valley. It is surrounded by the Beaujolais country in the north, the Monts du Lyonnais in the west, and the plains of the Dombes and Isère in the east and north.

Both a European metropolis and capital of the Rhône-Alpes region, Lyon covers 4787
hectares (11,830 acres) and has 472,305 inhabitants. It is France's second largest metropolitan area (Lyon + 56 towns) with 1.417 million inhabitants.

Half way between the sea and the mountains, the city is characterized by duality. The two hills overlooking the city : Fourvière and Croix-Rousse and the two very different rivers running through Lyon reveal the two faces of the town. Another remarkable feature is the location at the confluence of the two rivers, the Rhone and Saône.

It is in Lyon and only in Lyon…

...That you can walk through 2000 years of history, stroll through the different
neighbourhoods chosen by UNESCO as a part of World Heritage, and see everything from
Roman architecture to today’s boldest creations.
...That the Museums with all their different specialties: silk, cinematography, fine arts, the French resistance, printing, and sometimes surprising themes: models and films decors not forgetting the murals, located in areas that testify to Lyon’s architectural wealth over the centuries.
...That there is always something interesting going on: the biennial dance and modern art festivals, the Opera or even the Festival des Nuits Sonores – The Nights of Sound. Even in the heart of winter, the city lights up and simply buzzes with life during the Festival of Lights, Lyon’s biggest and most popular celebration that combines tradition with state-of the art technology at the service of creativity and the arts of illumination.
... That you can go shopping in total peace of mind, in the heart of the “Presqu'île”, strolling gently from square to square, from luxury shops to fashionable boutiques, or into creators’workshops.
... That you can succumb to the charm of a calm evening, by dining on a boat cruising
gently on the Rhone and the Saone down to their confluence.
... That you can test new means of urban transport, getting onto a Vélo'V or being driven in an electric cyclopousse, to visit the riverbanks, the squares and the gardens at your own personal pace.
... That you can taste cuisine from the world over, from the traditional Lyon “bouchons” to the most original “brasseries”, or savour the gourmet delights of our multi-starred restaurants.
...That you can find both the joyful atmosphere of a Mediterranean city and the
effervescence of a highly inventive town full of imagination, a place to live in at all times and seasons.

Source : En.lyon-france.com