Limassol(Greek: Λεμεσός) is the second largest city (after the capital, Nicosia) of Cyprus. Following the Turkish invasion in 1974, it has become the principal sea port and has also developed into a significant tourist destination.
Getting there
By plane
Paphos International Airport
Larnaca International Airport
Each Airport is about 70 km from Limassol Town Center, as there is no airport in Limassol
By boat
from Agios Nikolaos (Kriti), Beirut, Haifa, Port Said and Rodos
has some interesting information about the Marinas in Limassol where you can get berthing for your boat.
St. Raphael Marina on the outskirts of Limassol
from Ashdod, Israel
Traveling around
Taxi is the most popular means of transportation for tourists, but are expensive.
There is an effort to improve the bus system, however, waiting times may still be long and routes are few. Cars, scooters and bicycles can be hired easily, however (especially if on a bike) do take in mind the long hot summer.
There are special Green Buses which operate intercity. Buses are available for Troodos, Larnaka, Pafos and Nicosia mainly. It is best to confirm timings from the Tourist Information Center near Dasoudi Tourist Beach.
Of late, share taxis too are popular, and works out to a reasonable fare.
A simple thumb rule when driving in Limassol:
When you are lost for directions, always ask for the Beach. Its one of the simplest ways to "get your senses back"
There are mainly three parallel roads
The Beach Road
Makarios Avenue
The Motorway
See
Limassol Castle
The ancient city of Kourion
The ancient city of Amathus
Kolossi Castle
Things to do
Visit the Limassol Wine Festival, every September.
Party during the Limassol Carnival, every February/March. Truly Colorful!
Watch the WRC Cyprus Rally every Autumn.
To Galatex in the tourist area there is plenty of entertainment in the pubs, night clubs and cafes on the street and in the surrounding area.
To old town to see the medieval castle, popular shopping area during the day on Anexartisias street.
Take a stroll on the seafront walk in the evening.
A wooden promenade along the sea opposite the kingdom of Amathus offers a great place for an evening walk.
A drive down to the Kourion (15 km) area offers sites of historic importance, namely The House of Achilles, and The Altar of Appollo and spectacular views of the Curium Beach.
The Municipal Garden along the beach road is a good place to spend some time and catch some interesting flora. However the zoo is not that great.
Limassol is the capital and administrative centre of the Limassol district, which includes many wine producing villages dotted along the southern foothills of the Troodos mountains. If wine is your thing, you're at the right place.
Eat
Kebab can be optimum for a relatively cheap and filling meal. Do avoid colourful "tourist" cafes since those are oftenly over-priced and offer low quality conventional sandwiches or English Breakfasts. Mousaka or Kleftiko are popular, however your best bet (especially if you are hungry), is a traditional Cyprus Meze (either of the meat or fish variety), which usually includes a myriad of small hot and cold dishes for a reasonable price.
Try targeting restaurants that cater for the locals. You should not encounter a client/waiter language barrier as virtually everyone speaks English. Limassol has hi quality Restaurant's for virtually every taste.. like: Chinese, Italian, Fish, Japanese, Taverns, French, Steak, Lebanese, Mexican, International, Indian, Pizzas, Bar & Grill, Mediterranean, Russian, Bulgarian etc..
For the rest, there is always McDonalds, Kentuky, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Fridays, Bennigan's, Goodies, Nandos, Pizza Hut et al!
Here is a nice website with food types and downloadable menus ..
Drink
Drinking Water: It is generally safe to drink water directly from the tap. Most apartments/hotels would have a separate tap provided along with the sink, for drinking water.
Limassol has the reputation amongst locals of being the party capital of Cyprus. When Ayia Napa hibernates in the winter, Limassol powers on drawing much of the local clientele especially during the carnival season.
The Yermasoyia tourist strip is littered with countless bars and pubs to cater for everyone's tastes and budget. The old medival town centre is more popular with the locals and offers classier but pricier establishments. Most hotels will also have a variety of in house bars (either with a local or international twist), which are open to non residents too.
Sport is religion here and sports bars abound. Football is in your face everywhere, especially the British and Greek leagues. Being here during a European or World cup competition finals stage is only next best to attending the real thing.
Try visiting a beach cafebar at least once, however don't be surprised if you are refused entrance at the door especially if arriving late.
Zivania is the equivalent local version of Grappa or Eau de Vie. Drink frozen zivania shots at your peril.
Commandaria is a sweet dessert wine and a speciality of Limassol is worth tasting especially after a meze.
Sleep
Apart from local luxury and boutique hotels Limassol boasts many branches of international hotels. However one can easily find low budget accommodation. An increasingly popular option is private apartment and villa rental.
Budget
As far as renting a Studio Apartment (with cooking facilities) goes, there are plenty of them around, and one may find accommodation easily, both long term and short term.
Splurge
L'Onda. Tel. +357-25865555, Fax. +357-25320040, Email: info@londahotel.com . The forerunner of a new wave of boutique hotels. Pricy but classy. Highly rated and expensive restaurant, with a good selection of local wines. Popular with locals and tourists alike.
Le Méridien Limassol Spa & Resort. Old Limassol - Nicosia Road, Limassol, CY-3308. Tel.+357-25862000, Fax. +357-25634222. Considered as one of the best hotels on the island but you pay for what you get.
Amathus Beach Hotel Tel. +357-25832000, Fax. +357-25832540 email: amathusl@amathushotel.com, , member of The Leading Hotels of the World. A five star hotel that does not belong to a globalized conglomerate but non the less, a worthy rival.
Four Seasons Tel: +357 25 858 000, Fax: +357 25 310 887 email: reservations@fourseasons.com.cy, . A 5 star hotel, but Truly Classy !! But beware, getting a room facing the road can mean noisy nights, as this becomes a race track for locals after 10PM.
Buy
The traditional shopping streets are Ayios Andreas and Anexartisias street. These streets provide an ambiance of the old cobbled path lanes, away from the modern city.
Several western style malls ( Debenhams, Carrefour, Orphanidies etc )are spread across the city and warehouse-style shopping centres have mushroomed on the outskirts of the city.
A visit to the several Saturday Markets (one near Carrefour close to the tourist area) offers interesting buys at a good bargain.
Sea Sponges is popular product of Cyprus, used as a bath/face scrub. Loofa is used as a bath scrub. Available at most tourist/souvenir shops. Also there is a Sea Sponges Exhibition at the roundabout at the Old Port. However, sea sponges may be pricey!
The Lefkara Lace and other lace products may be brought from Limassol or any other city than Lefkara itself, as they may be often over priced in Lefkara, due to a large number of tourists flocking there, especially during the tourist season.
Souvenir shopping in Limassol is good, but for real shopaholics, a trip to the centre of Nicosia on Ledra Street is well advised, more so for the great ambiance there.
Opening hours for most shops are M-F 9AM-1PM / 3PM-7PM (siesta time in between, outside of the tourist area most smaller shops are not open on Wednesday afternoons.) and Saturdays 9AM-1PM. Only some convenience stores (Periptero in Greek) would be open 24 hours on all days .
For a taste of local sport, visit the home games of the local clubs. AEL, Apollonas and Aris. All three compete in the first division of the Cyprus Soccer and Basketball leagues. Recently Apollonas' football and AEL's basketball teams have enjoyed considerable success in European competitions. So you never know, you might be lucky and catch a Manchester United visit. Expect double a figure score in such a case. Tickets are relatively cheap when compared to European leagues where on average a full price ticket costs less than €20.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
Limassol (Greek: Λεμεσός) is the second largest city (after the capital, Nicosia) of Cyprus. Following the Turkish invasion in 1974, it has become the principal sea port and has also developed into a significant tourist destination.
Getting there
By plane
Paphos International Airport Larnaca International Airport
Each Airport is about 70 km from Limassol Town Center, as there is no airport in Limassol
By boat
from Agios Nikolaos (Kriti), Beirut, Haifa, Port Said and Rodos
has some interesting information about the Marinas in Limassol where you can get berthing for your boat.
St. Raphael Marina on the outskirts of Limassol
from Ashdod, Israel
Traveling around
Taxi is the most popular means of transportation for tourists, but are expensive. There is an effort to improve the bus system, however, waiting times may still be long and routes are few. Cars, scooters and bicycles can be hired easily, however (especially if on a bike) do take in mind the long hot summer.
There are special Green Buses which operate intercity. Buses are available for Troodos, Larnaka, Pafos and Nicosia mainly. It is best to confirm timings from the Tourist Information Center near Dasoudi Tourist Beach.
Of late, share taxis too are popular, and works out to a reasonable fare.
A simple thumb rule when driving in Limassol: When you are lost for directions, always ask for the Beach. Its one of the simplest ways to "get your senses back" There are mainly three parallel roads
The Beach Road
Makarios Avenue
The Motorway
See
Limassol Castle
The ancient city of Kourion
The ancient city of Amathus
Kolossi Castle
Things to do
Visit the Limassol Wine Festival, every September.
Party during the Limassol Carnival, every February/March. Truly Colorful!
Watch the WRC Cyprus Rally every Autumn.
To Galatex in the tourist area there is plenty of entertainment in the pubs, night clubs and cafes on the street and in the surrounding area.
To old town to see the medieval castle, popular shopping area during the day on Anexartisias street.
Take a stroll on the seafront walk in the evening.
A wooden promenade along the sea opposite the kingdom of Amathus offers a great place for an evening walk.
A drive down to the Kourion (15 km) area offers sites of historic importance, namely The House of Achilles, and The Altar of Appollo and spectacular views of the Curium Beach.
The Municipal Garden along the beach road is a good place to spend some time and catch some interesting flora. However the zoo is not that great.
Limassol is the capital and administrative centre of the Limassol district, which includes many wine producing villages dotted along the southern foothills of the Troodos mountains. If wine is your thing, you're at the right place.
Eat
Kebab can be optimum for a relatively cheap and filling meal. Do avoid colourful "tourist" cafes since those are oftenly over-priced and offer low quality conventional sandwiches or English Breakfasts. Mousaka or Kleftiko are popular, however your best bet (especially if you are hungry), is a traditional Cyprus Meze (either of the meat or fish variety), which usually includes a myriad of small hot and cold dishes for a reasonable price. Try targeting restaurants that cater for the locals. You should not encounter a client/waiter language barrier as virtually everyone speaks English. Limassol has hi quality Restaurant's for virtually every taste.. like: Chinese, Italian, Fish, Japanese, Taverns, French, Steak, Lebanese, Mexican, International, Indian, Pizzas, Bar & Grill, Mediterranean, Russian, Bulgarian etc..
For the rest, there is always McDonalds, Kentuky, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Fridays, Bennigan's, Goodies, Nandos, Pizza Hut et al!
Here is a nice website with food types and downloadable menus ..
Drink
Drinking Water: It is generally safe to drink water directly from the tap. Most apartments/hotels would have a separate tap provided along with the sink, for drinking water.
Limassol has the reputation amongst locals of being the party capital of Cyprus. When Ayia Napa hibernates in the winter, Limassol powers on drawing much of the local clientele especially during the carnival season.
The Yermasoyia tourist strip is littered with countless bars and pubs to cater for everyone's tastes and budget. The old medival town centre is more popular with the locals and offers classier but pricier establishments. Most hotels will also have a variety of in house bars (either with a local or international twist), which are open to non residents too.
Sport is religion here and sports bars abound. Football is in your face everywhere, especially the British and Greek leagues. Being here during a European or World cup competition finals stage is only next best to attending the real thing.
Try visiting a beach cafebar at least once, however don't be surprised if you are refused entrance at the door especially if arriving late.
Zivania is the equivalent local version of Grappa or Eau de Vie. Drink frozen zivania shots at your peril.
Commandaria is a sweet dessert wine and a speciality of Limassol is worth tasting especially after a meze.
Sleep
Apart from local luxury and boutique hotels Limassol boasts many branches of international hotels. However one can easily find low budget accommodation. An increasingly popular option is private apartment and villa rental.
Budget
As far as renting a Studio Apartment (with cooking facilities) goes, there are plenty of them around, and one may find accommodation easily, both long term and short term.
Splurge
L'Onda. Tel. +357-25865555, Fax. +357-25320040, Email: info@londahotel.com . The forerunner of a new wave of boutique hotels. Pricy but classy. Highly rated and expensive restaurant, with a good selection of local wines. Popular with locals and tourists alike.
Le Méridien Limassol Spa & Resort. Old Limassol - Nicosia Road, Limassol, CY-3308. Tel.+357-25862000, Fax. +357-25634222. Considered as one of the best hotels on the island but you pay for what you get.
Amathus Beach Hotel Tel. +357-25832000, Fax. +357-25832540 email: amathusl@amathushotel.com, , member of The Leading Hotels of the World. A five star hotel that does not belong to a globalized conglomerate but non the less, a worthy rival.
Four Seasons Tel: +357 25 858 000, Fax: +357 25 310 887 email: reservations@fourseasons.com.cy, . A 5 star hotel, but Truly Classy !! But beware, getting a room facing the road can mean noisy nights, as this becomes a race track for locals after 10PM.
Buy
The traditional shopping streets are Ayios Andreas and Anexartisias street. These streets provide an ambiance of the old cobbled path lanes, away from the modern city.
Several western style malls ( Debenhams, Carrefour, Orphanidies etc )are spread across the city and warehouse-style shopping centres have mushroomed on the outskirts of the city.
A visit to the several Saturday Markets (one near Carrefour close to the tourist area) offers interesting buys at a good bargain.
Sea Sponges is popular product of Cyprus, used as a bath/face scrub. Loofa is used as a bath scrub. Available at most tourist/souvenir shops. Also there is a Sea Sponges Exhibition at the roundabout at the Old Port. However, sea sponges may be pricey!
The Lefkara Lace and other lace products may be brought from Limassol or any other city than Lefkara itself, as they may be often over priced in Lefkara, due to a large number of tourists flocking there, especially during the tourist season.
Souvenir shopping in Limassol is good, but for real shopaholics, a trip to the centre of Nicosia on Ledra Street is well advised, more so for the great ambiance there.
Opening hours for most shops are M-F 9AM-1PM / 3PM-7PM (siesta time in between, outside of the tourist area most smaller shops are not open on Wednesday afternoons.) and Saturdays 9AM-1PM. Only some convenience stores (Periptero in Greek) would be open 24 hours on all days .
For a taste of local sport, visit the home games of the local clubs. AEL, Apollonas and Aris. All three compete in the first division of the Cyprus Soccer and Basketball leagues. Recently Apollonas' football and AEL's basketball teams have enjoyed considerable success in European competitions. So you never know, you might be lucky and catch a Manchester United visit. Expect double a figure score in such a case. Tickets are relatively cheap when compared to European leagues where on average a full price ticket costs less than €20.
Contact & location
Be the first one to add a review
The photos displayed on this page are the property of one of the following authors:
Leonid Mamchenkov, perepel, andym8y
Some photos courtesy of:
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This travel guide also includes text from Wikitravel articles, all available at
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Me., Valtteri Päivinen, David and Evan Prodromou, Tatatabot, Morph, StephP and Karthikb23
This travel guide also includes text from Wikipedia articles, all available at
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