Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

zooming by throughout the night (pro tip: pick up a pair of free earplugs at the front desk). It’s a small price to pay for the warm duvet, great air-conditioning, and welcoming atmosphere during your entire stay.

       i Dorms from €21, privates from €65; reservation recommended; no wheelchair accessibility; Wi-Fi; linens included; towels not included; laundry €5 for wash and dry, detergent €1; breakfast €4, 7am-11am; kitchen

       HO36 OPÉRA ($$)

      9 Rue Sainte-Catherine; 04 78 28 11 01; www.ho36hostels/lyon-opera; reception open 24hr

      The key when it comes to this hostel is location. Steps away from the Parc National de L’Opéra, Hôtel de Ville, and the Musée des Beaux Arts, Ho36 Opéra offers a convenient option with ensuite bathrooms, an open patio, and a spacious common bar-café area with tables and chairs reminiscent of a hipster’s living room. While the hostel is comfortable, it does have some drawbacks: the bathroom doors inside the rooms lack locks (so you might find yourself becoming closer to your roommate than you ever expected), the lights tend to flicker, and there were only two open outlets in our room. In the end though, the hostel makes up for it with budget prices and a free welcome drink of beer or wine upon arrival.

       i Dorms from €25, privates from €85; cash only; reservation required; BGLTQ+ friendly; no wheelchair accessibility; Wi-Fi; linens included; towels included; breakfast €8

       SLO LIVING HOSTEL

      5 Rue Bonnefoi; 04 78 59 06 90; www.slo-hostel.com; reception open 24hr

      With an open courtyard, hammocks, and twinkly fairy lights, Slo Living Hostel truly encourages you to take a deep breath and live slo. This hostel is a great place to meet fellow travelers as you pause in the courtyard or indoor common areas after a long day of sightseeing in Lyon. With spacious rooms, clean communal bathrooms, and relatively comfortable beds (which is saying a lot for a hostel), Slo gives you the chance to feel at home, even if you’re traveling alone. And if you can splurge on a private room, you won’t be disappointed by the lively, bright décor on the walls.

       i Dorms from €20, privates from €90; reservation recommended; max stay 7 nights; wheelchair accessible; Wi-Fi; linens included; breakfast €5

       SIGHTS

      CULTURE

       LES HALLES DE PAUL BOCUSE

      102 Cours la Fayette; 04 78 60 32 82; www.halles-de-lyon-paulbocuse.com; open Tu-Sa 7am-10:30pm, most restaurants close around 6-7pm

      Here lies the answer to all your food cravings. The holy grail of all things food, wine, and spirits, Les Halles de Paul Bocuse has everything you could imagine: boulangers, fromagers, charcutiers, pâtissiers, and so on. Walk through stall after stall of delicious and delectable aromas and pick up some of your favorite French staples. Although there are several restaurants for you to choose from, they might be a little out of your backpacker budget. Instead, stop by in the mid-afternoon and pick up a personalized assortment of fine wines, mouthwatering cheeses, and flavorful sausages to go.

       i Stall prices vary; wheelchair accessible

       OPÉRA NATIONAL DE LYON

      Pl. de la Comédie ; 04 69 85 54 54; www.opera-lyon.com; ticket office open Tu-Sa noon-7pm; opera runs Sept-July

      Situated right behind the grand Hôtel de Ville is the (arguably) grander Opéra National de Lyon, a massive glass-topped building. Throughout the year, the opera hosts dance performances, concerts, plays, special events, and, oh yeah, operas. Tickets don’t come cheap for a place as fancy as this, but, if you’re lucky, you can snag one for just €5 right before the show. Even if you’re not seeing a performance, though, you can sit on the steps and listen to musicians perform or watch young teenagers practice dance performances on the opera’s steps.

       i Tickets from €16, €5 tickets on sale 1hr before a show (if available); minimum age 5 years old; wheelchair accessible

       VIEUX LYON

      69005 Lyon 5ème; 04 72 10 30 30; hours vary by store

      Yeah, you’re not in Paris, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your perfect Les Mis moment. On the Fourvière side of the Saône lies Vieux Lyon, the Old Town. Walk through its cobblestone streets, which strongly resemble the set of Les Mis, or, perhaps more accurately, eighteenth-century France. There’s even a little dip in the middle of the sidewalk that looks like a “drainage system” for sewage thrown out the window. It’s kind of gross when you think about it… or even if you don’t. Flat walking shoes are highly recommended for your stroll through the winding streets lined with bouches authentiques and local boutiques. In the center of Vieux Lyon is the metro station, which gives you full access to funiculars going up Fourvière.

       i Free; last funicular back to Vieux Lyon from Fourvière 10pm; no wheelchair accessibility

      LANDMARKS

       LA BASILIQUE NOTRE-DAME DE FOURVIÈRE

      8 Pl. de Fourvière; 04 78 25 86 19; www.fourviere.org; basilica open daily 8am-6pm, Mass daily 7:30am, 9:30am, 11am, 5pm, museum daily 10am-12:30pm and 2pm-5:30pm

      This nineteenth-century church stands tall atop Fourvière Hill. Decked out in gold and ornate patterns in greens, pinks, and teal blues, the basilica’s magnificence commands respect. Check out the detailed paintings of scenes from the Bible, but don’t stop there: head down to the crypt, a space just as ornately decorated as the basilica itself. Once you’ve finished, walk to the back of the building, where you’ll find a perch from which you can view the entire city of Lyon and the Saône River. Apart from the views, the basilica bears historical significance, as it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who is said to have protected Lyon during the Franco-Prussian wars.

       i Free; discovery tour free Apr-Nov 9am-12:30pm and 2pm-6pm; discover roof and places of basilica June 1-Sept 30 M-Sa 11am, 2:30am, 4pm, Su 2:30pm and 4pm €10, youth €5, with Lyon City Card free; last funicular back to Vieux Lyon 10pm; wheelchair accessible

       CATHÉDRALE SAINT JEAN DE BAPTISTE

      Place St Jean; 06 60 83 53 97; www.cathedrale-lyon.cef.fr; open M-F 8:15am-7:45pm, Sa 8:15am-7pm, Su 8am-7pm

      In the middle of Vieux Lyon stands the Cathédrale Saint Jean de Baptiste, the seat of the archdiocese in Lyon, considered by some to be the seat of the French church, making it a pretty big deal. The cathedral is a beautiful sandstone color with distinctive red doors, high ceilings, and intricately decorated stained-glass windows. Inside the left nave of the church, check out the horloge astronomique, a clock that mirrors the movement of the stars. The treasury of the church holds artifacts from the Byzantine Empire for your crash course in Lyonnais history. Behind the church is Palais St. Jean, which has a library just in case you’re looking for more books about Lyon’s ties to Catholicism.

       i Free; wheelchair accessible

       PASSAGE THIAFFAIT

      Between Rue René Leynaud and Rue Burdeau; store hours vary

      Passage Thiaffait used to be a crime-infested