3 quick trips - Arty city breaks

For a holiday that will stimulate the mind and your appetite, this year, we’ve chosen three cities offering fine arts, food and music in equal measure

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Lyon

Long considered a gastronomic hotspot thanks to legendary chef Paul Bocuse, its atmospheric ‘bouchon’ bistros and Michelin stars, this elegant city at the edge of the Alps is now home to a bold new culinary destination, Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie (citegastronomielyon.fr). This is a state-of-the-art cultural centre that celebrates all things food. Inside, you’ll find dozens of exciting, interactive exhibits and a tasting kitchen, all of which employ inventive ways to tell the story of Lyon, French gastronomy and food culture around the world.

Set on the banks of the Rhône, close to where it converges with the Saône just south of central Lyon, the Cité is set in a wing of the Grand Hôtel-Dieu, a former hospital. Once the gateway to the city, it’s a palatial edifice that features cloisters, courtyards and bell towers, and is home to restaurants, shops, a food hall and a 144-room hotel. The heritage of the hospital, closed since 2010, is celebrated in many of the exhibits dedicated to the link between food and health. Indeed, in the museum’s central atrium where your visit starts, the altar from the former hospital chapel sits under a giant pharmacist’s spoon sculpture that hangs from the soaring dome.