Lyon

At the foot of Fourvière hill, Old Lyon boasts one of the largest collections of Renaissance architecture in Europe and is the most visited quarter of the city. Without a doubt the quarter's main attraction is the Primatiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral, a gem of Gothic architecture.

Another must-see is the Palais de Justice courthouse (place Paul Duquaire, 69005 Lyon), built by Louis-Pierre Baltard, father of the architect of Les Halles, the covered market in Paris. The courtrooms inside still have the furniture and decor Baltard designed. From here you are not far from the Rue des Trois Maries where the bistro of the same name is well worth a visit. Sample some Lyon specialities in this cosy, intimate restaurant.

The Place Bellecour area sits in the centre of Lyon at the point of convergence of the main streets constructed under the Second Empire. The nearby streets of the Carré d’Or are today home to Lyon's luxury boutiques.

Place Bellecourt, 500 metres in length and varying in width from 220 to 280 metres, was once considered to be the largest square in Europe, before it lost its title to the Place de la Concorde in Paris in 1755. This area is a shopper's paradise. Decitre (6 and 29 place Bellecour 69002 Lyon) is a huge bookshop split between two premises looking out onto the square. It was established 100 years ago and stocks over 80,000 titles.

Time for a break? Head for the wonderful Place des Célestins from where you can admire the magnificent theatre façade.

Lose yourself in the maze of steep lanes which lead from this lively, working class area down to the Rhône, the Saône and the Presqu’île. 

The fully-pedestrianised Montée de la Grande-Côte takes you directly to the Croix-Rousse Plateau. An ancient walkway, which begins behind Place Terreaux is lined with small shops and art workshops. It then crosses a landscaped garden leading to a magnificent esplanade from where you have an uninterrupted view over the golden rooftops of Old Lyon and the Presqu’île.

To rest your legs after all that walking, head to the Jardin des Chartreux (36, cour Général-Giraud 1st arr). Once part of the ancient domain of the Carthusian monks, the gardens offer some beautiful views over the Saône valley.

Tip: don't forget the Croix-Rousse organic market (Saturdays, 6:00AM to 13:30PM) on the Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse.

Fourvière Hill was classed a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1998. Budding archaeologists will enjoy exploring the archaeological site comprising a Romanesque theatre, ancient music hall and thermal baths at the foot of the hill, towards the Rue des Farges. These sites come alive with culture each summer at the  Nuits de Fourvières festival.

The Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière basilica was built in the style of a fortress by Pierre Bossan. The interior decor is staggering. Gothic meets Byzantine, coloured marble combines with mosaics... Take a guided tour to learn about the extraordinary decor from a completely different angle.

Tip: Feeling peckish after all this? Have a well-deserved break at the Restaurant de Fourvière, (9, place de Fourviere, 69005). Sitting to the right of the basilica, its shaded terrace offers one of the most beautiful views over Lyon.

Home of French gastronomy at its best, Lyon never ceases to serve up a surprising number of top quality regional specialities. The city has one of the largest concentrations of restaurants in France: bistros, brasseries and Michelin-starred restaurants cultivate an exceptional culinary culture.

The archetypal Lyon establishment is the 'bouchon' serving regional specialities: the cervelle de canut herbed cheese spread, quenelle dumplings, the famous Lyon tripes… These small restaurants were initially run by 19th century female chefs known as the 'Mothers' and nowadays serve up generous helpings of simple, authentic family recipes. The city is also home to many chefs of international renown, the most famous of which is indisputably Paul Bocuse, who has three Michelin stars. He serves some delicious, highly original dishes at his Collonges restaurant.