Situated between Paris and Marseilles, Lyon is the third largest city in France. The city’s history can be traced back to the year 43 BCE, and retains enough historical significance to be named as a World Heritage Site. In addition to historical and architectural landmarks, Lyon is also considered by many to be the culinary capital of France. It boasts an extremely diverse business community, and hosts the headquarters for Interpol, the international intelligence agency.
Instructions
1. Visit the Roman Theaters. Constructed in 15 BCE, Lyon’s Grand Theater is the oldest theater in France and was designed to hold nearly 10,000 spectators. An excavation project completed in the 1940s revealed that what was once thought to be an amphitheater was, in fact, a complete theater. The Odeon, a smaller sister to the Grand Theater, is considered the largest Odeon outside of Athens. When completed, it was covered by a wooden roof and played host to poets, musicians and theater performances. Today it still hosts modern dramatic and musical performances (see Resources below).
2. Tour the Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilization. Located on the hill of Fourvière, this museum offers an impressive history of the Lyonnaise region, as well as the origins of Lyon. The museum collection boasts ceramics, glassware, tools and objects which reflect domestic life of the era, which are divided among 17 galleries. The museum is open limited hours during the week, so check the website for an updated schedule (see Resources below).
3. Explore the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere. Completed in 1876, the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere is located on a hill high above the town of Lyon. This Basilica-style Christian church is filled with mosaics, carved marble and stained glass windows. There is an observatory and adjacent terrace that offer panoramic views of Lyon (see Resources below).
4. Enjoy the culinary offerings of Lyon. Boasting some of the best gastronomic establishments in France, you could spend months exploring everything that the city has to offer. In addition to the wide range of cafes and bistros, Lyon is host to some of the culinary world’s most famous restaurants. At the top of your “must see” list should be Chef Jean-Paul Lacombe’s Leon de Lyon on rue Pleney, Paul Bocuse’s--located just 5 miles north of the city on rue de la Plage--and Le Bistrot de Lyon on rue Merciere (see Resources below).
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