|
|
|
|
|
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 seaport and has also developed into a significant tourist destination.
Limassol is the second largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia, with a population of approximately 200 000. Apart from being a major tourist destination, it is also a principal hub for international business in Cyprus. This gives Limassol a more cosmopolitan feel compared to other district centers. Recent renovation projects in the old town and old port area are seeking to rejuvenate the historic center, making it more accessible and interesting for sightseeing.
Public transport in Limassol is served by buses. Limassol is connected to other cities in Cyprus via intercity buses.
The city is a highway hub, Limassol crosses some motorways:
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 seaport and has also developed into a significant tourist destination.
Limassol is the second largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia, with a population of approximately 200 000. Apart from being a major tourist destination, it is also a principal hub for international business in Cyprus. This gives Limassol a more cosmopolitan feel compared to other district centers. Recent renovation projects in the old town and old port area are seeking to rejuvenate the historic center, making it more accessible and interesting for sightseeing.
Public transport in Limassol is served by buses. Limassol is connected to other cities in Cyprus via intercity buses.
The city is a highway hub, Limassol crosses some motorways:
Also, there is also the B8 road from city to Troodos Mountains in the north.
The city has two international airports: Larnaca International Airport (situated ~50 km (31 mi) north-east from the city) and Paphos International Airport (situated ~50 km (31 mi) north-west from the city).
Limassol has a Subtropical-Mediterranean climate with warm to hot and dry summers and very mild winters, which are separated by short springs and autumns which are generally warm and pleasant. From December to March the weather is unsettled and can be rainy and windy but you can also often expect great amounts of sunshine averaging around 6 hours a day. During this season there are a few days when the daytime highs might not exceed 12 °C (54 °F) and the nighttime lows might be as low as 2 °C (36 °F) but usually the temperature ranges from 16 °C (61 °F) to 20 °C (68 °F) in the day and from 7 °C (45 °F) to 12 °C (54 °F) in the night. Rain tends to be heavy this time of the year and thunderstorms occur often though they usually do not last for a long time. Snow in Limassol is a very rare occurrence and usually falls mixed with rain every 7–13 years.
The three main roads are:
The bus service has recently been upgraded, with more routes and better schedules, however, waiting times may still be long. The principal tourist route is #30, serving the beach road from Le Meridien hotel up to New Port (Old Port after 6 pm), which runs approximately every 15 minutes. You can find detailed information and maps on the EMEL bus company website.
Taxi is the most popular means of transportation for tourists, but are expensive and it is common to ignore meters. Of late, share taxis too are popular and may work out to a more reasonable fare.
The beach road has a dedicated bicycle lane stretching from the Old Port to Dasoudi area. Keep in mind that in summer it gets very hot.
Cars, scooters, and bicycles can be hired easily, however, keep in mind that locals have a relaxed approach to Highway Code.
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. However, football hooliganism is a problem as of late, so take care.
An annual marathon event takes place every February, the Limassol Marathon GSO. Limassol Marathon GSO is expanding into a big athletic celebration where Marathon runners from all over the world will meet to compete and at the same time enjoy a memorable experience race.
Kebab can be optimum for a relatively cheap, fresh and filling meal. Be careful with colorful "tourist" cafes since those are often 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 to the locals. You should not encounter a client/waiter language barrier as virtually everyone speaks English.
All major western chains are present, e.g. McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Friday's, Bennigan's, Goodies, Nandos et al.!
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 water that bypasses the storage tank on the roof.
Limassol has the reputation among 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 Potamos Yermasoyia tourist area is littered with countless bars and pubs to cater for everyone's tastes and budget. The old medieval town center 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 nonresidents 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 attend the real thing.
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 specialty of Limassol is worth tasting especially after a meze.
LOCAL TIME
8:41 pm
April 16, 2021
Asia/Nicosia
|
|
LOCAL CURRENCY
EUR
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
Here you can find here the previous story about our trip to Cyprus. Next day in the morning we went to the bus station to take the bus and go to Akamas peninsula, which is at the northwest extremity of Cyprus. We asked the guys from the restaurant in Coral Bay the timetable of the... |
We started our exploring of the island from the city of Limassol. When we asked one local woman which places nearby the center she would recommend us to visit, she mentioned Marina - Limassol Harbor. It is a quite new place in the city. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, shops, apartments and... |
There is Cape Kiti near Larnaca International Airport. It's famous because of the very first lighthouse in
Larnaca
that stands here.
Lighthouse at Cape Kiti was built during the Turkish reign in the second half of the 19th century. At that time, the lighthouse worked with ... |
Mackenzie Beach is a sandy beach in
Larnaca
with a length of 0.5 miles (800 meters). The beach was awarded the Blue Flag!
There are a lot of parking lots, as well as parking spaces, it costs 3 Euros per day. The beach has sun beds and beach umbrellas, showers,... |
We visited
Kamares Aqueduct
on our way from
Paphos
to Protaras. It is situated on the outskirts of
Larnaca
. Construction of Kamares was initiated and financed by the ruler of Scala (used to be the name of Larnaca) Ebubekir... |
Not far from White Stones, between
Limassol
and
Larnaca
, there is a good beach called Governor's Beach.
It was named so in honor of the British governor who loved to rest here in spite of his high office position.
There are not many people on this beach because... |
Our next route was a trip to
Troodos Mountains
and Kykkos Monastery.
Troodos Mountains are located in the western part of Cyprus. It is the largest mountain system of the island of Cyprus with the highest point - Mount Olympus. The height of the mountain is 6404 feet (1952 m).
The... |