If

If
Lyon isn’t on your travel hit list, it should be. Often
overlooked as a tourist destination, France’s second city may not
be as chic as Paris or as glamorous as Nice, but
it more than makes up for it by being exceptionally friendly, fun
and easy to get around – not to mention uncommonly pretty.

The Vieux-Lyon district, with its distinctive Renaissance
architecture, is particularly picturesque, while the Les Pentes
area is brimming with designer shops and cool cafés, making it the
place to be. Meanwhile, the left bank of the River Rhône has been
redeveloped and lends itself very well to an afternoon stroll and a
drink on one of its many barges on a sunny day.

Dubbed the
gastronomic capital of France, what Lyon is probably best known
for its exceptional food. In fact, the saying goes that if Paris is
the country’s heart, then Lyon is its stomach – words that ring
even truer when you consider that the foundation of Lyonnaise
cuisine is the “bouchon” or butcher’s house, a traditional eatery
specialising in all forms of innards and offal.

Lyon is easy enough to navigate on foot, or using the
hassle-free Vélo’v bicycle system. If the long, steep walk or bike
ride through the old town to the top of Fourvière Hill isn’t your
bag, grab a taxi to the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière at the
very top and then walking down to enjoy the spectacular views.