Enjoy a sojourn to Lyon - the gastronomic capital of France and a UNESCO world heritage city. Relax upon arrival with a private airport pick up, view the major sites on board a hop-on hop-off bus, and enjoy a shared tour to discover the hinterlands with its miles of vineyards and picturesque villages. With a balance of shared tours and time at leisure with numerous optional activities such as the city pass which gives you access to cruises, museums and many of the city's main sites and other excursions, this tour will give you a great sense of what Lyon and the Beaujolais have to offer while you stay in comfortable, central accommodation.

Day 1
Lyon
Airport transfer with private vehicle and English speaking driver. A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Discover the lovely town of Lyon and enjoy fanstastic views of the city from open top deck buses. Your pass is valid for one day and allows you to discover Lyon at your own pace and hop on and off at any of the 9 stops. Listen to the original commentary with personal earphones, in English. Lyon has a huge number of restaurants, ranging from well-known gastronomic temples to simple market side-stalls. Leading the new gastronomic revolution in Lyon is restaurant Nicolas le Bec (14 rue Grolée, 04 78 42 15 00, www.nicolaslebec.com). Léon de Lyon (1 rue Pléney, 04 72 10 11 12, www.leondelyon.com, closed Mon & Sun) is an institution, and another place to check out is the bistro annexe Le Petit Léon (3 rue Pléney, 04 72 10 11 11, lunch only). Lyon Plage (85 quai Joseph Gillet, www.lyon-plage.com, 04 72 10 44 44), a hotel and spa, has a large brasserie with a great atmosphere and serves delicate, delicious dishes. The bouchon (a small, intimate bistro) is a Lyonnais institution. Several cluster around the Hôtel de Ville; try Café des Fédérations (8-10 rue du Major Martin, 04 78 28 26 00), Bouchon des Carnivores (8 rue des Marronniers, 04 78 42 97 69) or Le Garet (7 rue du Garet, 04 78 28 16 94) near the opera house. Note that most places close at weekends. Hotel Mercure Wilson Lyon (3*) hotel is a short distance from the banks of the Rhone, between Place Bellecour and the Part Dieu business district. The hotel boasts entirely renovated rooms with the latest in modern decor featuring broadband WiFi Internet, LCD TV, minibar, safe, feather bed and airconditioning. Private parking facilities are available onsite. Lyon is one of the most beautiful Renaissance towns of Europe, immaculately preserved houses and shops line quaint cobbled streets retaining much of the atmosphere of centuries past. It's here that you can enjoy the city's famous cuisine in the lively bouchons (traditional inns) The city has a myriad of attractions apart from those related to food, not least its fabulous wealth of architecture and historical buildings. There are still Roman ruins from the ancient settlement, including a theatre on Fourvière Hill where performances are still regularly held. Lyon was at the forefront of the silk industry in the early-19th century. The weavers' houses can still be visited in the Croix Rousse district of the city, evoking a still palpable sense of the thriving industry that was once native to this area.

Day 2
Lyon
Enjoy a shared (3.5 hr) excursion to discover the beauty and rich landscapes of Southern Beaujolais. The yellow ochre colour of the Golden Stones villages is absolutely unique and has earned the name of Beaujolais' Tuscany". Stop at the medieval village of Oingt, classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Salles Arbuissonnas' 12th century cloister, and Vaux en Beaujolais, a typical village where the best selling writer Gabriel Chevallier housed Clochemerle, his colourful novel. Along the way you will get to do two wine tastings before being to Lyon. (Pick up and drop off is at Lyon Perrache train station. Hotel pick up available on request).

Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Consider acquiring the Lyon city Pass which puts the UNESCO city of Lyon at your finger tips. The card entitles you to unlimited access to 19 of the most prestigious museums in and around Lyon, (restricted to one entrance per day and per museum), unlimited tours of the city: guided tours, self-guided audio tours, boat tours (April 01 to October 30), entrance to the observatory tower of Fourviere , unlimited use of the public transport system. The "Ticket Liberte" offers access to all bus and metro lines, unusual guided tour of the Fourviere Basilica rooftops, admission to concerts including 'Expresso Concerts' with the Lyon National Orchestra and in the Amphitheater of the Lyon National Opera, admission to The Zonzons Puppet Theatre, discount at Celestins Lyon Theatre and 10% off at Galeries Lafayette Lyon Part-Dieu (except Red Points items and departments) and at Lyon Visitors Bureau Boutique (except books). The card can be for 1, 2 or 3 days. – Please contact your Kensington Tours Sales Advisor if you are interested in adding this to your tour. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 3
Lyon
Enjoy any number of shared tours from Lyon including a full day excursion discovering the vineyards of Beaujolais visiting the Hameau Duboeuf with its 30,000 square metres wine park and 25 exhibition rooms before enjoying a wine tasting and a typical Beaujolais lunch. Then discover the great vineyards of the area and the charming village of Beaujeu, former capital of the Beaujolais. Alternatively, if you prefer to just do a half day excursion to leave some more time at leisure, you could consider a half day shared tour to discover the 10 Beaujolais Crus that are the jewels in Beaujolais' crown , engaging in a wine tasting and finishing with a visit to the charming village of Beaujeu (as described above). Please contact your Kensington Tours Sales Advisor if you are interested in any of these options. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax in your hotel. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price).

Day 4
Lyon
Transfer using a local taxi (easily available and economical). Kensington Tours donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.