Being the second largest city in Cyprus and the largest transit trade port in the Mediterranean, Limassol is for sure one of the most visited cities in the country. Situated on the Akrotiri Bay and built between where the ancient cities of Amathus and Kourion were located, Limossol during the Byzantine rule was known as Neopolis, which means ‘New Town’. The city has a rich historical past that dates back to 2000 BC, but there are no written records as to when the city was actually established.
Limassol became an important port from 1974 after Famagusta, the then major port, was taken over by the Turks and is today a part of the Turkish territory. The city is an important industrial centre in the region and also the largest and finest wine-producing cities in Cyprus. The wines and cognacs produced here are considered to be of very high quality. Limassol consists of two ports, the old port, which is rather small and therefore used as a harbor for fishing ports and the ‘new port’, which is a commercial port and a port where passenger ships also dock in.
The city’s landmark includes the Medieval Castle of Limassol, which is one of the nine castles in Cyprus. The castle served as a prison for over a century until 1940, but today it has been turned into a museum that houses a number of interesting artifacts dating back to 400 AD. The Archaeological Museum displays a fine collection of antiquities from the Neolithic Period to the Roman Era. A well-preserved Cypriot culture and traditional folk art can be explored through the fascinating display at the Folk Art Museum.
The Public Garden along the sea front is a great place for walks while a zoo housed at one end of the park is a fun place to visit with children while the History Museum is also located in the vicinity. Also the seafront and the beaches are very inviting, but as being planned, when the marina comes up here, the city will be bustling with a greater number of tourists targeting the city. Also Limassol is well-known for its lively festivals that take place throughout the year. The lively Limassol Festival is a 10-day long festival with colorful floats and masqueraded groups parading the streets of the city.
Photo by Yeoman provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Wojtek Winarski provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Jean-Marc Allet provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by fotograph provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Wojtek Winarski provided courtesy of Panoramio.com