Lyon, France

Lyon is one of the most incredible cities I have visited so far. The entire center is a World Heritage cite, so the city is incredibly old and full of culture. Every corner you turn there is an amazing monument, statue, or fountain that puts the cites in other cities to shame.

I only stayed in Lyon for two days, and unfortunately my hostel was a bit out of the way, but there were so many beautiful places to visit while I was there. On my first day I walked around one half of the city and checked out the main square. I went and got picnic materials and ate in the square while I watched life go by for the locals. There was an amazing local market down one of the rivers that runs through the city, and so many beautiful squares nestled between shops that it's hard to explain. I ended the day in the public park, one of the biggest and most impressive parks I've ever been to, and took a sunset walk back to my hostel.

The next day I hiked, so many stairs I can't tell you, up to the Roman ruins in Lyon and they were breathtaking. The ruins are in amazingly good shape and they give you the most incredible view of the city below. I sat on a nice patch of grass in what used to be a Roman room and took everything in. The ruins consist of two sites, both of which look like amphitheaters, one bigger and one smaller. There are also some artifacts of old columns and stonework. The way so much of it is intact is just awe inspiring.

Next to the ruins is the church, which is so simple on the outside but so ornate on the inside, and surrounded by beautiful gardens and walking paths. I sat in the church for a while to take it all in, and on my walk back down I got to just admire the views. Downhill from the church is the old part of Lyon, although all of it is old this part is particularly historic, and here I enjoyed so many wonderful side streets and shops while I hunted for the troubous, which are secret tunnels that connect streets. Lyon is famous for them, but those things are hard to find. I did come across a couple of them and they are amazing, I plan to come back here at some point and hunt for more.

From Lyon I had an epic train journey to Madrid, but that will have to wait for another day.