Worth getting out of bed for
Highlights the best Limassol has to offer, from art and culture to fun-packed activities; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.
- Viewpoint
- Gaze upon the enchanting rock-formations of Petra tou Romiou to the west of Limassol. These rocks are claimed as the mythological birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty.
- Arts and culture
- The island of Cyprus boasts centuries of rich history. The 14th-century Limassol Castle close to the Old Port, is inhabited by the treasure-heavy Mediaeval Museum. Richard the Lionheart is reputed to have married Princess Berengaria of Navarre in the small chapel on site. The Archaeological Museum on the crook of Kannigos and Vyronos streets accommodates a medley of local archaeological finds dating from the Neolithic Age to the Roman period. The six-roomed Folk Art Museum is a lovingly-restored house, which provides an insight into 19th-century Cypriot folk art.
- Something for nothing
- Feed treats to clapped-out burros at the Cyprus Donkey Sanctuary (www.donkeycyprus.com), in Vouni village; a worthwhile excuse to spend a day in the handsome Troodos foothills.
- Shopping
- The traditional shopping streets are St. Andrew’s and Anexartisias. Don’t negotiate the cobbled St. Andrew’s Street in anything other than flats so stock up on cheap leather sandals. Whilst there, enhance your poolside panache by snapping up silk harem pants and sheer, sequin-emblazoned tops by hot Cypriot designer Pantelis Mitsu, of Mitsu Mitsu. For feel-good frittering of your Cyprus pounds, visit the Cyprus Handicraft Centre on Themidos 25.
- Daytripper
- Mythological hounds should sniff out Amathus, just east of Limassol, said to have been established by one of the sons of Heracles. The ancient city-kingdom of Kourion is lauded for its marvellous Greco-Roman theatre. Move away from the coast to the verdant interior and you will find several World Heritage-listed Byzantine churches boasting extraordinary frescoes. Panagia tis Asinou near Nikitari and Agios Ioannis Lampadistis in Kalopanagiotis are particularly fine; check with the tourist office for visiting times.
- Best beach
- Governor’s Beach 25 kilometres outside Limassol is decorated with ivory-coloured rocks and caves. Follow the sandy, king-size coastline of Lady’s Mile beach; the crystalline waters attract sun-revellers but there is a distinct lack of shade so come prepared, poised, with parasol in hand.
- Activities
- For a relatively small island there’s a wealth of activities to choose from year-round. Scuba-diving (www.cydive.com), kite surfing, water-skiing and windsurfing are all very popular, particularly in summer. Golf is a major draw, particularly in the cooler months and it’s possible to take a jeep safari into the wilds of the Troodos mountains; Cyprus Adventure can organise a number of activities (www.cyprus-adventure.com). From January to March it’s even possible to enjoy some gentle skiing on the slopes of the magnificent Mount Olympus. Limassol lies in Cyprus’s main wine producing region and you can spend an enjoyable afternoon wine tasting in the village of Agios Ambrosios (www.agiosambrosios.org) or at the EKTO and Olympus wineries in Omodhos (www.etkowines.com) northwest of Limassol.
- And...
- The Cyprus Tourist Organisation (CTO) offers free walking tours, with English-speaking guides, in and around Limassol. Contact the CTO on (+357 25 362 756) for more information.
Diary
- March The ten-day Limassol Carnival is an excuse for the locals to parade the main streets decked out in all manner of fancy-dress. May The Festival of the Flood takes place along the coast with a procession to the sea where people sprinkle water on each other, perhaps to commemorate the birth of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. July Sup KEO beer at the Limassol Beer Festival (www.limassolbeerfestival.com). Early September brings the Limassol Wine Festival, which takes place in the Municipal Gardens and show-cases folk dancing and music, along with the splendid local vino. Also at this time of year the Kypria International Festival is a month-long cultural festival where a host of events focused on music, theatre and dance are staged throughout Cyprus, particularly Larnaca, Nicosia and Limassol.
