Limassol

Combining its roles as the second largest city, the island’s main port, the centre of the wine industry and a bustling holiday resort, Lemesos emerges as a spirited and cosmopolitan seaside town.

Lemesos is a lively town largely due to the character of Lemesolians, a fun-loving lot. No wonder it holds the island’s two top festivals, the pre-lenten Carnival with fancy dress balls, parades and festivities and the Wine Festival in September, a wine extravaganza where wine flows freely for everyone to enjoy, courtesy of the local wineries.

Lemesos emerged out of two of the most important ancient city-kingdoms, Amathous, to the east of the town, and Kourion to the west, both of which are being extensively excavated. The magnificent setting of the ancient Kourion Theatre is used for summer concerts and theatrical productions.

In the Middle Ages, Lemesos hosted the marriage of Richard the Lionheart with Berengaria of Navarre whom he crowned Queen of England. Thereafter the Crusaders made their headquarters at the Square Keep west of the city, known as Kolossi Mediaeval Castle, where they fostered the making of wines, particularly the sweet dessrt wine ‘Commandaria’ – the oldest named wine in the world.

Today Lemesos is a resort with a ten mile coastline, busy shopping centre, countless tavernas and restaurants and a night life to suit tastes ranging from modest to sophisticated.

A visit to the places of interest would include Lemesos Castle, which houses The Cyprus Mediaeval Museum, the District Archaeological Museum, the Folk Art Gallery and the Muncipal Gardens.

In the vicinity are the placid Germasogeia dam, frequented by keen anglers and the Salt Lake at Akrotiri, home of thousand of migrating birds in winter, and a stopover point for millions more as they wend their way to different climes in spring and autumn. In nearby foothills, delightful villages continue the gentle pace of rural life.

<back>