Limassol

LIMASSOL

The city of Lemesos (Limassol) is situated in a picturesque location on the shores of the Bay of Akrotiri in the narrow coastal plain, between the two ancient city kingdoms of Amathus to the east and Kourion to the west. It is within an hour's drive from the capital Nicosia to the north, the port cities of Larnaka to the east and Pafos to the west and the main mountain resorts of the Troodos range.

Limassol, the second largest town in the island and a popular summer beach resort with its many hotels, has been known since the middle ages, when the Crusaders held Cyprus under Richard the Lionhearted. Limassol has an exciting nightlife with many cinemas, theatres, restaurants, and nightclubs. During day time, the traveller can have a walk in the traditional old narrow streets and visit the the fruit market with the colourful vegetable and the small shops offering different souvenirs, embroideries, silverware etc… Not far from the main market there is the Limassol Medieval castle, which houses a medieval museum and where according to legend, Richard the Lionhearted married Berengaria of Navarre and crowned her Queen of England in 1191.

From Limassol driving through the citrus groves of Pissouri, the traveller can visit Kolossi castle built in the 13th century by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Not far, there is the ancient Greco-Roman city kingdom of Curium, with its excellently preserved mosaic floors of the house of Eustolios and its amphitheatre which is fully restored and hosts theatrical and musical performances to this day, seating up to 1000 spectators.

Lemesos is today the island's second largest city with a population of 155.500, the most important tourist and commercial centre and the biggest port.