Lyon from the UK: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Lyon, when to go, the visa for British travellers and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Plan my Lyon tripDay to day in Lyon, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | £24 | £29 |
| A balanced mix | £40 | £45 |
| Mostly restaurants | £51 | £56 |
- Local transport: about £5 a day. Taxi: £2 to start, then £1.13 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about £18 a day for food.
- Tourist tax: about £2 a person a night, paid at your stay.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, visiterlyon.com, en.wikivoyage.org; in GBP at today's rate.
When to go
5°F
7°M
11°A
16°M
19°J
24°J
27°A
26°S
22°O
17°N
10°D
6°
The most pleasant months are April to October. February is the driest month (46 mm of rain) and November the wettest (85 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit France, place by placeCompare: France or Italy · France or Spain · France or Portugal · France or Greece · France or Switzerland · Ireland or France
Visa for British travellers
No visa needed for a holiday
Official source: gov.uk, checked 2026-10-01. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Lyon
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvièrechurch · a couple of hoursFunicular from Vieux Lyon metro; mosaics inside and the crypt below; free
Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptistechurch · a couple of hours14th-century astronomical clock inside; the archaeological garden alongside shows earlier churches
Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocusemarket · a couple of hoursCovered food hall near Part-Dieu: oysters, quenelles, Saint-Marcellin cheese and praline tarts; lunch at the counters
Musée des Confluencesmuseum · half a dayScience and anthropology museum at the tip of the peninsula; tram T1 to Musée des Confluences
Roman theatres of Fourvièreruins · a couple of hoursFree to wander; the Lugdunum museum is dug into the hillside beside them; Nuits de Fourvière concerts in summer
- Esplanade de Fourvière viewpointviewpoint · a couple of hours
Terrace beside the basilica over both rivers and the red roofs; walk down through the Jardins du Rosaire
Vieux Lyonold town · half a dayRenaissance quarter of St Paul, St Jean and St Georges; go in the morning before the terraces fill
Parc de la Tête d'Orpark · half a dayLake with rowing boats, free zoo, rose garden and greenhouses; metro Masséna
La Maison du Terroir Beaujolais, Beaujeumuseum · a couple of hoursOpen March to December. Open March to December
- Antic Wineother · a couple of hours
Vieux Lyon wine shop, Tue-Sun
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Lyon cost?
Food and getting around come to about £29 a person a day eating street food, £45 with a balanced mix and £56 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Lyon?
The most pleasant months are April to October. February is the driest month (46 mm of rain) and November the wettest (85 mm); daytime highs run from 5 to 27 °C over the year.
Do British travellers need a visa for France?
No visa needed for a holiday. Checked on gov.uk on 2026-10-01; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Lyon?
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, Musée des Confluences, Roman theatres of Fourvière.
Your whole Lyon trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from the UK, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
Plan my Lyon trip