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About the destination: Historically renowned for its silk exchange and medieval fairs, Lyon is France’s second largest city and one of Europe’s finest gastronomic capitals. The heart of Lyon lies on a spit of land between the Rivers Rhône and Saône, and is split by the city’s artery, rue Victor Hugo. Part-Dieu, on the east bank of the Rhône, is the city’s financial district. The vieille ville, on the west bank, is a neighbourhood of 17th and 18th century houses and cobblestone lanes. Best seen from across the Saône, the Cathedrale St-Jean rises amid red tiles and grey stone, oblivious to the passing barges. It’s noted for its strongly articulated nave and flamboyant rose windows. From the Fourvière esplanade you can gaze down onto the urban sprawl. There is a large selection of museums with spectacular collections in Lyon, exhibiting everything from fabrics and banking to Gallo Roman life and local history. In Lyon, people don’t eat, they dine. You cannot leave without indulging yourself with the great cuisine lyonnaise. Of course whatever you eat, wash it down with a local Beaujolais or a white burgundy from the neighbouring Mâcon villages.

About the destination: Torroella de Montgrí is a coastal municipality on the Costa Brava, and small town in Catalonia, Spain. The town lies on the north bank of the Ter river, a few kilometres before it flows into the Mediterranean. The beach resort of L'Estartit also is part of the municipality, as are the Medes Islands and a large part of the Montgrí Massif.

About the destination: Dijon is the capital of the eastern French region of Burgundy. Dijon is perhaps best known for its mustard, which is still produced locally, but it is also one of the most beautiful cities in France, and its historic buildings and byways were not heavily damaged by bombing in World War II and are largely intact.Dijon was for some time the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy. The dukes were great patrons of the arts, so Dijon was a major center of Gothic and early Renaissance music, painting, and sculpture, attracting some of the greatest and most famous artists and musicians from Flanders in particular. The music the great composers left behind can be performed anywhere, but it is particularly in the fields of sculpture and architecture that masters left a lasting mark on Dijon.Today, Dijon is a cosmopolitan city, with universities in the center and industrial plants on the outskirts. Traffic is restricted in the center of the city, so many parts of central Dijon are quiet and relaxing. While perhaps not an ideal city for a whole holiday, it’s definitely worth a day trip.