9 Best Tours & Experiences in Lyon, France
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Any trip to Lyon wouldn’t be complete without experiencing a tour of its iconic food, history, and neighborhoods.
One reason I love Lyon’s tours is that most of them are locally guided and offer well-rounded, immersive experiences!
If you’re new to the area, you will soon discover that Lyon is an incredibly fun city with a deeply rich history, culture, and cuisine. And as the gastronomic capital of France, it’s no surprise that Lyon offers some of the best food and wine tours in the region.
But as you’ll come to discover for yourself, Lyon is much more than meets the palette.
The city also boasts gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage Sites and neighborhoods dripping with old-world charm and history.
Lyon is truly a fusional city where remnants of the Middle Ages meet in strange harmony with modern life.
I still get “pinch me” moments thinking about how I got to live there for over a year!
In this guide, I’m sharing the top tours to take so that you can experience authentic Lyon.
The tours range from boat tours to wine tours to walking tours to bike tours and more, and cost anywhere between $15 and $100. There is something for every budget and interest!
So without further adieu, here is my list of the best tours of Lyon, France!
The Best Tours & Experiences of Lyon
1. La Saône River Sightseeing Cruise
- 🏷 Price: < $15
- ⏰ Duration: 1 hour
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5, 1120+ reviews
- ➡️ Click here to book
If you are only visiting Lyon in a day and are short on time, then this 1-hour river cruise is a great way to see and hear about Lyon’s long history.
On this quintessential Lyon boat tour, you will float by the historic district of Vieux Lyon while listening to commentary in French and English from your guide.
The boat will turn around at the confluence of the two rivers of Lyon—La Rhône and La Saône—which will allow you to see and learn about their distinctions and importance throughout Lyon’s history. As such, you will also float by the very modern and contemporary district of Lyon, appropriately named “La Confluence”, with its uniquely-designed museums, buildings, and residences.
Tip: The cruise will depart and return beside the pedestrian bridge Passerelle du Palais de Justice. And, while there is outdoor and indoor seating on the boat, it would be wise to arrive early to snag your desired seat (especially in the summer).
Or How About This 3-Course Gourmet Dinner Cruise?
The same company, Les Bateaux Lyonnais, also offers a 2.5-hour lunch cruise or romantic dinner cruise.
Similar to the 1-hour day cruise, you will learn about the history of Lyon on these boat tours. However, this time, slow down the journey and turn up the romance!
With the lights illuminating the city at night and a gourmet 3-course dinner, this boat tour turns into a romantic dinner cruise that will make your experience of Lyon extra special.
✨ PS — Save money with the Lyon City Card pass ($30) which already includes a free river cruise (April–October), plus unlimited free public transport, entrance to 23 museums, and more. Get the details here.
2. Vieux Lyon Food Tour with a Local
- 🏷 Price: < $85
- ⏰ Duration: 4 hours
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5, 130+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide | Book this experience on Viator
Seeing as Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, you can’t visit the city without indulging in its food! On this 4-hour guided food tour, you will get to sample approximately 17 different Lyonnais dishes at 5 local establishments across Vieux Lyon.
There are all types of flavors found in Lyon, but the city is most famous for its regional specialties, which you can discover in one of the traditional “bouchons Lyonnais” of Lyon. Many of these local restaurants are clustered in Lyon’s old town.
But, wait! This Lyon food tour doesn’t just introduce you to its food! You will also glean insight from your local Lyonnais guide, who will tell and show you Old Lyon’s must-see highlights including the famous secret passageways (traboules), the historic Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptise, and more.
Consider it lunch to go, maybe? In any case, if you’re a foodie, you won’t want to miss out on this guided tour. Please note that this tour cannot cater to restricted diets (i.e. vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc).
3. City Center Lyon Discovery Tour by Segway
- 🏷 Price: < $35
- ⏰ Duration: 1 hour
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5, 60+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide
If you want an easy introduction to the city, a segway tour is a fun and quick way to cover a lot of ground in little time. This is a GetYourGuide-Certified tour, with high ratings and reviews.
On this brisk, one-hour tour, you will glide on your segway through the city center and along the banks of the Rhône River. Along the way, pass through three classic Lyonnais plazas:
- Place des Jacobins
- Place des Céléstins
- Place Bellecour (the biggest pedestrian square in Europe!)
If you would like to extend your time to have a bit more fun in the sun and explore more of Lyon’s top attractions, you can book this 1.5-hour tour or 2-hour tour that takes you along both sides of the Presqu’Île to see the Rhône and Saône rivers and Parc de la Tête d’Or.
4. Lyon & Croix-Rousse by E-Bike with Tasting
- 🏷 Price: < $55
- ⏰ Duration: 3 hours
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.8/5, 75+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide
Want to see even more of Lyon? If so, this locally guided e-bike tour of Lyon will take you on a fun excursion exploring the beating heart of Lyon, starting with my favorite district—the boho neighborhood of La Croix-Rousse (where I lived for a year!)
Ride up to the hill of Croix-Rousse with ease on your e-bike to learn about the district’s colorful history of the silk weavers, the traboules, and the Canut Revolt.
Finish off the tour by discovering various nooks and crannies of Croix-Rousse and Hôtel de Ville and a final tasting in an understated wine bar.
This guided tour will take you off the city’s beaten path to give you an atypical experience of Lyon.
5. Half-Day Beaujolais Wine Tour From Lyon
- 🏷 Price: < $105
- ⏰ Duration: 4 hours
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.6/5, 115+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide | Book this experience on Viator
Seeing as you are in the heart of the Rhône-Alpes region of France, going on a wine tour is a must. Luckily, there are half-day wine tours from Lyon that take you into Beaujolais wine-making country located just 40 minutes north of Lyon.
This area of the Rhône region is known as Pierres Dorées (Golden Stones) due to the characteristic golden stonework of its storybook medieval villages.
On this tour, not only will you get to taste and learn about the different Beaujolais wines, but you will also get to visit one or all of the charming towns of Châtillon d’Azergues, Oingt, or Bagnols.
This half-day wine discovery tour from Lyon is very well-rated and would be ideal if you are spending 2 days in Lyon or even 3 days.
6. Customized Private Walking Tour of Lyon
- 🏷 Price: < $45
- ⏰ Duration: 2-6 hours
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5, 245+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide
If ever you want a private walking tour of Lyon, this locally guided and fully-customizable walking tour will allow you to see the best of Lyon tailored to your preferences.
Depending on how much time you’d like (from 2 up to 6 hours), this tour will not only show you the top attractions and things to do in Lyon, but also insider insight into where to buy groceries, the best way to get around, and more.
I would recommend this tour for you if you came to Lyon with a special interest or are burning with questions to make the most of your time 1:1 with a local. Walk away from this private walking tour (pun intended) with a newfound understanding of not only the city but also its people and culture.
7. Musical Walking Tour of Lyon with Wine Tastings
- 🏷 Price: < $55
- ⏰ Duration: 2.5 hours
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.9/5, 11+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide
Music and history lovers will especially appreciate this fun tour of Lyon! On this quirky music and wine tour, a local Lyonnais, who is passionate about music and the city, will take you on a guided walking tour highlighting Lyon’s musical heritage.
“Experience Lyon through its music heritage as you journey through the town’s musical scenes and history through interacting with the historical, social and architectural influences.”
Lyon Pedicab Tours
Before your tour finishes, you’ll waltz into a wine bar (or two) near the bohemian Croix-Rousse neighborhood and listen to local Lyon artists and musicians.
8. Self-Guided Audio Tours of Lyon
If you prefer to explore the city at your own pace, then the French company REWIND offers you an immersive self-guided tour of Lyon with the aid of various audio guides (4–11€).
The stories of each place to visit in Lyon are recounted by professional guides and actors and will automatically trigger when you begin your self-guided walk. You can start from anywhere in the city.
Here are several different DIY audio guide tours of Lyon:
- La Croix-Rousse Neighborhood Audio Guide
- Vieux (Old) Lyon Audio Guide
- Fourvière Hill & Gallo-Roman Ruins Audio Guide
They also offer a fun Lyon Scavenger Hunt and a French Resistance audio guide. After your digital purchase, download the Rewind app to access your DIY tour on your smartphone.
9. Lyon Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
- 🏷 Price: < $25
- ⏰ Duration: Valid 1 Day
- ⭐️ Rating: 4.3/5, 530+ reviews
- ➡️ Book on GetYourGuide
Lastly, if you have a full day to spare in Lyon and wish to see a bit of everything the city offers, then you can see the sights of the city from the top of an open-top double-decker tourist bus.
Valid for one day, this ticket allows you to hop on and hop off at Lyon’s most popular attractions—from Fourvière Hill to Parc de la Tête d’Or to the famous food market of Les Halles de Paul Bocuse.
Alternatively, and for nearly the same price, you can purchase a 1-Day Lyon City Card pass which grants you unlimited public transport (metro, tram, bus), plus free entrance to 23 museums, 40+ activities, and includes a guided cruise.
Whether you choose to discover Lyon via its flowing rivers or riverside quays or via its regional wine on a day trip tour, I’m sure you will leave Lyon with fond memories. Please come back and let me know what you think of your tour and the city!
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