Limassol
Heart of the wine country
Commanding the broad sweep of Akrotiri bay at the island’s southernmost point, Limassol is the island’s main port and the hub of its flourishing wine industry.
Once the harbour of two ancient city kingdoms – Amathus, to the east, and Kourion (or Curium) to the west – these days its also a cosmopolitan holiday resort with a busy shopping centre, countless tavernas and restaurants, and a nightlife to suit all tastes.
Most of the holiday accommodation is strung out along the coast road heading south and east, where you’ll find well-maintained beaches of pebble and dark sand. The best known is Ladies Mile, over five kilometres long, close to the salt lake of Akrotiri, home to thousands of migratory birds. The large hotel and apartment complexes here are like mini-resorts in themselves, with their own large pools, tavernas, restaurants, shops and nightclubs.
If you tear yourself away from the poolside gin and tonic, you’ll find yourself spoilt for choice when its comes to great days out! In Limassol itself you’ll find and art gallery, several museums and of course, plenty of shops. Just west of town, surrounded by beautiful gardens, stands the square keep known as Colossi Castle, the Grand Commanderi of the Crusader Knights of St John. Richard the Lion Heart married Berengaria of Navarre here in 1191, and crowned her Queen of England.
A little further along the road in the direction of Paphos lies the Roman hilltop city of Cirium, with its wonderfully preserved 5th-century mosaic floors, early Christian basilica, fascinating museum, and magnificent 3,000-seater amphitheatre commanding truly spectacular aerial views down over the coastline to Kourion Beach.
Finnaly, Limassol is probably the best base for exploring the dramatic scenery and wooded trails of the Troodos Mountains. Walking through dappled shade in the cool pine-scented air, you can discover rushing torrents and waterfalls, Byzantine churches, and countless unspoilt villages where you’ll receive a warm welcome form the friendly locals.
As you can see, there’s certainly never a dull moment when you choose to stay in lovely, lively Limassol!
