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For me, Lyon in the past has mostly been a drive through on the way to somewhere else. While doing some research I realized that it was a city with a lot to offer – and only a relatively short train ride away from Dijon. So I hopped on the train one day to explore.

Lyon - Boat on river
Boat on the river
Lyon - Skyscraper
Modern cityscape
Lyon - River walk
Pretty river walk

When I arrived I was met by dark clouds and pouring rain. I wanted to visit some Roman ruins up on a hill, and decided to walk there even with the rain pouring down. In the end I was glad I did – there were so many great photo stop along the way. I made a stop at the Paul Bocuse market to get some refuge from the rain.

Lyon - Tourist square
Rainy main square
Lyon - Bocuse market
Exploring the Bocuse market
Lyon - Swan
A swan enjoying the rain
Lyon - Sunshine on the river
The sun did come out for a few minutes!

At the top of the hill I decided to visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. The Basilica was built in the late 1800s and overlooks the town. The church part itself is stunning, but my favorite was the basement. Here artists from different countries have made altars reflecting their culture. There is a balcony outside offering the most incredible views of Lyon.

Lyon - Basilica
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
Lyon - Inside the Basilica
Impressive decorations inside the basilica
Lyon - Angel sculpture
One of the many impressive sculptures
Lyon - Viewpoint
Impressive view of Lyon

My next stop was the Roman ruins, and luckily the rain had almost stopped at this point. The ruins consist of two amphitheatres as well as some smaller structures. One of the theatres was closed for renovations, but I got to explore the other one. I also visited the Roman museum, hidden in the surrounding hillside. The museum told the history of the Romans in Lyon through and impressive collection of artifacts. I could have spend the entire day just in the museum!

Lyon - Roman amphitheatre
Pretty view from the Roman amphitheatre
Lyon - Roman ruins
Old ruins meet a modern city
Lyon - Roman coins
Roman coins
Lyon - Roman artifacts
Some of the many Roman artifacts at the museum

Back outside, the sun had finally come out. This allowed for some pretty photo stops on the way to the train station.