Lyon

Lyon is France's third-largest city and one of the most popular tourist destinations, situated at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers. The city is home to some incredible museums and palaces, as well as some exciting pubs and clubs.

Travelers will enjoy fantastic shopping opportunities and delectable cuisine. Lyon's historic center was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The "exceptional testimony to the continuity of urban settlement over more than two millennia on a site of great commercial and strategic significance" was cited by UNESCO in making the designation.

The Roman district and Fourvière, the Renaissance district (Vieux Lyon), the silk district (Slopes of Croix-Rousse), and the Presqu'île, which features architecture from the 12th century to modern times, are all part of the historic site. The narrow passageways (called traboules) that pass through buildings and connect streets on either side are well-known in both Vieux Lyon and the Croix-Rousse slopes.

Traboules are thought to have been built for the first time in the 4th century in Lyon. The traboules allowed residents to quickly travel from their homes to the Saône, as well as canuts on the Croix-Rousse hill to reach the textile merchants at the foot of the hill.

• Key attractions: Museum of Fine Arts, Vieux, Lyon Cathedral, Parc de la Tete d’Or, Palace Bellecour, Fourviere, and Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourviere