Lyon

You want to visit Viex Lyon (old town) and the Presqu'île district. Lyon is France's food capital so bring your appetite.

There are several good museums in the city, too, including the Resistance Museum.

LYON tourist info site
http://ee.france.fr/en/discover/lyon-4

There are two train stations. One is a pretty good distance from town. First check which station you are coming in on. That will give you an idea whether you need to plan a taxi into town.

I'm a history buff (pre-1500) so my top sights in Lyon are the amphitheaters and Roman museum. Take the funicular up the (steep) hill then walk to the site. There is a basilica up there too. It's nice but not old enough to have any historical significance.

Afterward, wander the old town center. Essentially a swath between the bottom of the funicular and the river. That area also has most of the traditional restaurants so it's a good choice for finding lunch or dinner.

Read a good guidebook before you go to get the most out of your trip based on your interests. Whatever those are.

The more i remember about our visit to Lyon, the more i like that city. It is "Paris lite," if that makes any sense. I've previously posted here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/france-tours-lyon-and-aix-without-a-car-part-1

And here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/lyon-and-marseille-ny-times-article

If we were to go back, we would spend much more time on the Rhone River side of town. It is a place i think we are going to go back, even if we have seen most all of the highlights. i do disagree with the opinion that the Notre Dame is not historically significant. It was built on top of the site of a Roman Palace, and to us, it is the terminal flourish,... a 19th century statement, of all that one can throw at building a NEW church with the modern tech of the time. In this sense, it is like Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris. Yet this one in Lyon is better in my opinion. :)

How much time are you spending in Lyon?

We stayed there three nights in August and loved it. Great restaurants, lots to see. We stayed in the Vieux Lyon and did not regret it. Walking distance to cross the river, near the Cathedral. You don't need a car, the transportation system is very good.

I was just in Lyon last summer. I have to say it's not among my favorite cities but there were a few things I really enjoyed. First, the old town, Vieux Lyon, is quite charming. Especially the traboules, which are covered (almost hidden) walkways, hundreds of years old (originally built to protect the silk as it was moved from one location to the next). Google them, you'll find lots of info and you can also get a map that shows the location of some of them.

Second, the Musee Conflulences, one of the best anthropology museums I've seen. Not that large but very worthwhile. And third, if you have time for a day trip, Pérouges, an historic village an easy train ride away. Incredibly well preserved.

I describe all these in my trip report - https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/blog/2019/10/lyon-and-dijon-france-july-2019

We enjoyed visiting the large park on the northeast side of Lyon. I think the name was "... d'or". We also found the cuisine there quite good, although recommend avoiding the Bocuse restaurants, which are overrated. You might want to take one of the guided bus tours, which takes you through the old silk production area. Peter