

| Flights to Lyon | |
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Known as the culinary capital of France, the town of Lyon is situated in east central France in the Rhone-Alpes region. It’s a beautiful city with a long and colourful history and plenty of architecture, gardens, and more to see.
The nearest international airport for flights to Lyon is the Saint-Exupery International Airport (airport code: LYS). It's 20 kilometres away from Lyon, and one of the busiest airports in France. Nearly a dozen airlines have flights to Lyon from South Africa, so there is plenty of choice. Both South African Airways and Lufthansa have a 1-stop route going through Munich, or Iberia makes a connection in Madrid. British Midland offers a different route fro their flight to Lyons, connecting first in Frankfurt and then in Manchester. |
| Lyon’s history goes back thousands of years as it was first founded as a Roman colony in the year 43BC. Lyon has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the city has managed to retain elements of its past, and now features some remnants from several different and important periods in the city’s history. For this reason, and others, Lyon is a popular tourist destination as there’s plenty to see here.
Historic Site of Lyon The World Heritage Site is named the Historic Site of Lyon and includes four specific parts of the city: the Roman district, the Renaissance district, the silk district, and the Presqu’ile, all of which have a number of things to see. The Roman District The Roman District features several impressive Roman ruins including those of a large amphitheatre, called Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls. Near the ruins on a hillside in the Fourviere part of Lyons is the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyons which focuses on the Gallo-Roman civilisation in Lyon. The nearby ruins include the Odeon of Lyons, a smaller amphitheatre, and the Ancient Theatre of Fourviere. Museums in Lyon In addition to the Gallo-Roman Museum Lyons has several other notable museums. The Fine Arts Museum is one of the largest art galleries in France and is the city’s main museum. The museum is housed within a former convent from the 17th century and features works from many famous names including Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt. Lyon also has a contemporary art museum and a decorative arts museum, as well as the Gadagne Museum which tells the history of Lyons. Architecture in Lyons Beyond Roman times you’ll find Lyons has an excellent selection of architecture from other periods in its history. From the Middle Ages and Renaissance period there are many churches, and Lyon’s medieval cathedral, Saint-Jean, dating back to the 13th century. From the 17th and 18th centuries there are some wonderful examples of architecture including the Town Hall and one of the largest squares in Europe, Place Bellecour. |