Posted on September 21, 2012 by sguese

Roman Forum and surroundings (Photo credit: KayYen)

Perfectly perched at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone Rivers, Lyon boasts an intriguing history over the last 2,000 years. It is a city where heritage comfortably mixes with contemporary. Long known for the silk industry, today Lyon continues to make a name for itself with its outstanding art museums, dynamic cultural life and thriving university scene. However in a city that offers so much to travelers, wallets can take a beating paying up for entrance tickets and admission fees. If you want to save some of your cash and do Lyon on a budget, here are four freebies to take advantage of while in town.

Roam Tete d’Or Park

Luckily for cash strapped travelers in Lyon, Tete d’Or Park comes with no price tag. The park is one of the largest urban parks in France, spanning a total of 105 hectares. Most come here in the springtime to admire its magnificent international rose garden. Tete d’Or Park is also home to France’s leading botanical garden with over 20,000 plant varieties along with a zoo space where you can see zebras, giraffes, antelopes and lions. The expansive and complete park rests right in the heart of Lyon.

Peek in Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviére

Measuring 66 meters long, 19 meters wide and 27 meters high, it’s hard to miss Lyon’s Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviére. Perched up on Fourviere Hill, the church is covered in intricate mosaics and 19^th century French ecclesiastical architecture. A visit to the fortress-like church is easy on a budget conscious traveler’s wallet. The walk up Fourviere Hill won’t cost you a penny to see the church along with the panoramic vista of Lyon. From this vantage point, you can marvel at the city bridges and the rooftops of the medieval town.

Snake Through Vieux Lyon’s Traboules

Lyon is famous for its traboules, the awe-inspiring covered passageways from one street to the next through corridors through houses. While some date back to Roman times, the silk weavers of Lyon constructed many in the 19^th century. They were used to facilitate the transport of silk in bad weather. The Unesco site spans 24 hectares of the city. Along the way, you will see inner courtyards, galleries and spiral staircases. Some of the most celebrated passageways include those linking 27 Rue St-Jea with Rue des Trois Maries, 54 Rue St-Jean with 27 Rue du Boeuf and 31 Rue du Boeuf with 14 Ruede la Bombarde.

Step Back into The Past at Théatres Romains

Visitors don’t have to travel far in their car hire Lyon to find another one of the city’s best freebies. Théatres Romains stands as the former Roman theater-odeum complex. It remains the most ancient theater in all of France. The complex was built by order of Augustus from 17 to 15 B.C. The site was expanded during the reign of Hadrian. Travelers can see the odium orchestra floor that still covers in wondrous mosaics of marble and porphyry. The archaeological site is free to visit.

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