Cheap Flights to Lyon

What are the best things to do in Lyon?

Fourvière

Fourvière is a popular hilltop district and its attractions are must-visit spots for travellers who book tickets to Lyon. Fourvière is where Romans first founded the city in 43 BC, and the ruins of two Roman amphitheatres are still located there. The first was built in 15 BC, and the second was constructed a bit later in the second century AD. Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière is another major landmark to see while holidaying on cheap flights to Lyon. The basilica features an elaborate design, and its hilltop location means you’ll spot it from vantage points all over Lyon.

Institut Lumière

A fun fact about Lyon is that it was the birthplace of filmmaking. French brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière invented the first motion-picture camera, which they called the cinématographe, and made their first short film in 1895. The Institut Lumière is a museum that you can visit while holidaying on flights to Lyon to learn about the Lumière brothers and the birth of the French film industry. Explore exhibits to see the earliest examples of filmmaking equipment and watch some of the Lumière brothers’ films that revolutionised entertainment.

The Traboules

Head to the neighbourhoods of Vieux Lyon or La Croix-Rousse to discover a unique side to Lyon through its Traboules. They’re a series of hidden passageways that were originally built to provide easy access to the city’s rivers. There are hundreds of Traboules, and about 40 are open to visitors holidaying on cheap flights to Lyon. No two are the same, and each Traboule has unique design elements like pastel colours or Renaissance-style arches. You could play detective to track down the Traboules while visiting the city on return flights to Lyon, or join a guided tour to see them while also learning more about their history.

What is the best way to get around Lyon?

There’s a comprehensive transport network to make the most of while holidaying on flights to Lyon. The Rhonexpress train zips between Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) and Part-Dieu station, so you can easily reach the city after arriving on flights to Lyon. Part-Dieu is one of the main train stations, and you can connect to metros and trams from there.

The metro system is one of the best ways to get around while holidaying on return flights to Lyon. It’s made up of four lines that travel to 40 stations all around the city and suburbs.

Many tourist hubs around Lyon can be reached by metro, but there’s also a tram for most other places. Travellers holidaying on flights to Lyon can travel all over the city and suburbs on six different tram lines.

Some of Lyon’s most famous attractions are located on Fourvière Hill. It’s a tough walk to the top, but tourists visiting France on cheap flights to Lyon can also catch a funicular. There are two funicular lines, and each one departs from Vieux Lyon station. The first offers service to the Ancient Theatre of Fourvière, and the other connects Vieux Lyon to Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière.

The metro, tram, and funicular will get you to the major tourist hubs in between return flights to Lyon. There are also more than 140 bus routes plus taxis and Ubers to get you just about anywhere you want to go while you’re visiting France with flights to Lyon.

When is the best time to visit Lyon?

Each season in Lyon offers something unique. Daytime summer temperatures average 27°C, and this nice weather brings a lot of tourists into Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS). Hotel rates go up a bit in the summer, but this is also an excellent time to wander through the city and take long French-style coffee breaks at outdoor cafes.

Consider booking your airfare to Lyon for the autumn or spring shoulder seasons to avoid summer crowds and price hikes. Temperatures typically reach between 12° and 20°C, so you can enjoy long walks around the city in weather that isn’t too hot or too cold. Make sure to visit Parc de la Tête d’Or if you book tickets to Lyon for an autumn or spring holiday – the park bursts with colour between the autumn foliage and spring blooms.

Winter temperatures cool to about 6°C during the day and 0°C at night with some snow. Most of winter is low season, so you can find excellent hotel rates by booking airfare to Lyon at this time. However, there’s one exception – Fête des Lumières is a major December event that brings in crowds of close to two million people. Visitors holidaying on winter flights to Lyon outside of this event can enjoy a quiet atmosphere. Winter is also an excellent season to sample hearty food from the traditional bouchons in Vieux Lyon.