Guides ·Day trips

Getting to Limassol and parking

Limassol sits in the middle of the south coast, which makes it the easiest day trip on the island. From Paphos it is 68 km and 55 minutes on the A6; from Larnaca 70 km and 45 minutes on the A5; from Nicosia 85 km and 50 minutes on the A1. Intercity Buses connect all four cities for €4 one way and €7 return, dropping at the Old Port or the Limassol Sotiras terminal. From Ayia Napa, allow 1 hour 20 minutes by car via the A3 and A5.

Drivers should aim for the pay-and-display parking near the Old Port and Limassol Castle, roughly €1.50 an hour, or the free surface lots along the seafront east of the marina outside peak hours. The centre is walkable end to end: castle to marina is ten minutes, marina to the far end of the Molos twenty-five. For the coast strip, the EMEL 30 bus runs east along Georgiou A and the Amathus road every 10 to 20 minutes, €1.50 a ride or €5 for a day ticket.

The castle, the old town and Saripolou

Limassol Castle on Eirinis Street is the anchor: a squat Ottoman-rebuilt keep on Byzantine and Lusignan foundations, traditionally the site of Richard the Lionheart's marriage to Berengaria of Navarre in 1191. Entry €4.50, open 08:00 to 17:00 in winter and until 19:30 from mid-April, closed on some public holidays. The Cyprus Medieval Museum inside holds tombstones, armour and Lusignan carvings, and the roof terrace gives a clean view over the Old Port. Forty-five minutes to an hour is right.

Around it, the Old Town has been quietly restored. Genethliou Mitella and Agiou Andreou streets run parallel from the castle towards the marina, lined with carob warehouses turned into shops, and the Carob Mill complex next to the castle has restaurants under the old machinery. Saripolou Square, two blocks inland, is the drinking and coffee heart of the city, pedestrianised and packed from 09:00 for coffee and again from 21:00 for beer. The Municipal Market on Saripolou is the place for olives, halloumi and dried figs at local prices.

The Molos, the marina and city beaches

The Molos is Limassol's best single asset: a 1.7 km landscaped seafront park from the Old Port east to the marina, with large modern sculptures, shallow reflecting pools, cycle lanes, palm shade and free public showers. It is flat, lit at night and always busy with runners and families. Walking it end to end takes 25 minutes; renting a bike from a seafront kiosk costs about €10 for three hours. Akti Olympion beach runs alongside, dark sand rather than white, with sunbed pairs at €10.

Limassol Marina, opened in 2014, sits at the western end with a boardwalk, superyacht berths, a small artificial beach and 20-odd restaurants. Cocktails run €12 to €15 and mains €22 to €40; it is the smartest part of town and worth an hour even if you eat elsewhere. Further east, Dasoudi Beach has a eucalyptus grove, a running track and free parking, and the Amathus strip beaches in front of the five-star hotels have public access points marked from the coast road.

Kourion, Kolossi and Amathus

Three archaeological sites bracket the city. Kourion, 19 km west via the B6, is the headline: a Greco-Roman theatre carved into a cliff 70 m above the sea, the mosaic floors of the House of Eustolios, a basilica and the nymphaeum. Entry €4.50, open 08:15 to 17:15 in winter and 19:30 in summer, with summer performances in the theatre. Nearby Kolossi Castle, a Hospitaller keep completed in 1454, costs €2.50 and takes half an hour, including the rooftop view over the Commandaria vines.

East of the centre, on the coast road towards the hotels, Amathus was one of the island's oldest royal cities, occupied from around 1100 BC. The agora, baths and acropolis are open for €2.50 and rarely busy. The EMEL 16 bus reaches Kourion from central Limassol, but returns thin out after mid-afternoon, so check the timetable at the stop before you commit. With a car, Kourion plus Kolossi plus a swim at Kourion Beach is a comfortable half day.

Wine villages 30 minutes uphill

The Krasochoria, the wine villages on the southern Troodos slopes, start 30 minutes north of Limassol and are the best reason to have a car. Omodos, at 810 m, has a cobbled square, the Timios Stavros monastery and half a dozen small producers pouring Xynisteri whites and Maratheftiko reds for €5 to €8. Lofou and Vouni are stone villages restored almost house by house. Serious tasting rooms include Tsiakkas at Pelendri and Zambartas at Ayios Amvrosios, €10 to €25 a head, best booked a day ahead.

Village lunch is the point. A full meze in Omodos or Lofou is €30 to €40 a head with wine and arrives as 18 to 25 small plates; the pork in wine and coriander, afelia, and the slow-cooked kleftiko are the dishes to look for. Further east, the Commandaria villages of Zoopigi and Kalo Chorio make the sun-dried sweet wine that has been produced here since the crusader period. Nominate a driver, or hire one for the day at €250 to €350, because these are steep, narrow roads.

Evening, festivals and getting back

Limassol has the liveliest evening on the island outside Ayia Napa, split between the marina, the Old Town bars and the Amathus strip clubs. A draught Keo or Leon is €3.50 to €4.50 in the Old Town and €7 to €9 on the marina. If you are day-tripping by coach, note that intercity services typically finish between 18:00 and 19:30, so an evening here means driving, a taxi at €70 to €110 back to Paphos or Larnaca, or a bed for the night.

Time your visit to a festival if you can. The Limassol Wine Festival runs for about ten days in early September in the Municipal Gardens, with entry around €7 and producers pouring all evening. Carnival takes over the city for ten days in February or March, ending with a huge parade along Makariou Avenue. The Kourion theatre hosts a summer season of ancient drama and concerts, with tickets usually €15 to €30 and the sea going dark behind the stage.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask before they set off on this one.

Rooms worth pairing with this guide.

Limassol Amathus Beach Hotel Limassol

4.8/5 €417/ night

Limassol Royal Apollonia by Louis Hotels

4.7/5 €333/ night

Limassol Four Seasons Hotel

4.8/5 €514/ night

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