Lyon is a French city situated in the East Central region of France known as Rhône-Alpes, between the cities of Paris and Marseilles. The residents of Lyon call themselves the Lyonnais and there are more than 484,000 of them within the city precincts. The name Lyon comes from the Celtic God names 'Lugoves, Lugh, Laon and Leiden'. Below are the top travel attractions in the city.

1. Vieux Lyon

This is a renaissance district within the city of Lyon and also the city's oldest district. Travelers venture into this old district to see the renaissance architectural marvels as well as the artifacts within the buildings. The Saint Jean quarter in the district is still home to the Saint Jean Cathedral, the seat of authority to the Primate of Gaul. A visit to this district will take you back the memory lane and show you how far Europe has come.

2. Aquarium du Grand Lyon

Nature buffs will marvel at the beauty of the Aquarium du Grand Lyon, which is located at the confluence of Rhône and Saône rivers. The aquarium features 47 tanks with 1 million liters of water that hosts more than 5000 fishes from more than 300 species.

3. Maison de la danse

This is the most popular theater in Lyon. It was opened in 1980 before moving to its current location in 1992. It is home to some of the most prolific talents in dance in the Rhône-Alpes region. Apparently, it also hosts the creative arts company that taps and trains these talents.

4. Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon

This is municipal owned museum located in what was formerly a Benedictine convent of the 17th and 18th centuries. It is home to some of the finest collections of arts ranging from Egyptian artifacts to modern arts. The works of Théodore Géricault, Georges Braque and Henri Laurens are displayed in this premise.

5. Parc de la Tête d'Or

This is an urban park located in the heart of Lyon. It occupies 17 hectares (290 acres) of land and features a large lake on which boating takes place as well as small zoo with giraffes, elephants, tigers and other animals. Sporting facilities within the park include; velodrome, boules court, mini-golf, horse riding, and even a miniature train. If you are travelling with kids, this would be a good place to spend your weekend in.

Lyon is one of the most famous footballing cities in Europe. It is in the class of Barcelona and Madrid in Spain, and Manchester and London in UK, Turin and Milan in Italy and Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. If you love sports, you will find your home in Lyons Football Club. Make sure your holiday in the city counts by venturing in as many attractions as you can.