When I traveled to Portugal a few years ago, I had a layover in Lyon, France. The layover until the next flight was 10 hours. So I decided to walk around the city and get to know it in that short time. I say this briefly because Lyon is the third largest city in France and it takes a few days to be able to say that I got to know it. I got off the train at the Part-Dieu station. I started on foot, because it seemed to me that it was the best way to get to know the city. The wide streets led me to the Rona, and its flow naturally directed me to the old part of the city.
I crossed the bridge and entered Vieux Lyon, where everything changes. The streets became narrower, paved with stone, and the buildings towered over each other. I walked slowly, looking at the facades and windows, behind which everyday life can be seen. I was particularly drawn to the trabulas, passages that connect courtyards and hidden streets. I entered some of them out of curiosity, exited to completely different places. Lyon is famous for its traboules, secret passages between buildings that allow you to break up your journey. It is said that there are about three hundred of them and that they were the secret weapon of the local population during the German occupation in World War II, and today they are also a tourist attraction.
view of Lyon from the plateau where the Cathedral of Fourviere is
The road took me to the Cathedral of Saint Jean. Later I headed to the Fourvière hill. I went up to the top by funicular, but I went down on foot, because I wanted to see the city from different angles. From the vantage point, Lyon stretched out in front of me, with two rivers dividing it and joining it at the same time. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière dominated the space, and I went inside and walked around the interior, staying briefly in each part.
Descending the hill, I reached the Roman amphitheater.
I spent the afternoon in Presquill, a part of the city between the Rhone and the Saone. The streets were full of people, shops and cafes. I was passing through the Bellecour square, one of the largest in Europe, and stopped to watch the passers-by. I sat down in a small bistro, ordered a coffee and watched the city live at its own pace. I felt like a part of that daily flow, even though I was just a passerby.
Later I continued to the Croix-Rousse quarter, the former center of silk weavers. The climb was tiring, but the narrow streets and stairs kept surprising me.At the top, I came across small squares and a market, where people were talking and shopping.
I stopped by the Cinema Museum and headed towards the train station. Night was starting to fall, so I had a chance to see part of the city at night.
Thank you for reading my post. All the best
Dragan
