Things to do in Limassol
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Limassol
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Spring is best all round. Carnival in Feb or Mar, green island, hiking perfect and sea swimmable by late April or May.
Summer beach season and festivals. Sightsee at dawn, swim and siesta midday, dine late. Wine Festival starts late August.
Autumn is locals favourite. Warm sea in September and October, wine harvest, thinner crowds and lower prices by November.
Winter city break season, not a beach holiday. Restaurants, museums and Carnival fill a trip, with Troodos snow some days.
What's on
- Limassol Carnival Feb/March, 10 days ending the Sunday before Lent
Cyprus biggest festival with parades on Arch. Makariou Ave, fancy dress balls and street parties. Book months ahead.
- Limassol Marathon March
Major international race weekend. Book ahead and note seafront roads close.
- Kataklysmos (Flood Festival) May/June, Pentecost weekend
Seafront water games, concerts and stalls celebrated at scale on Molos.
- Kourion Summer Theatre Season June to August
Plays and concerts in the restored ancient theatre above the bay on summer nights.
- Limassol Wine Festival Late August to early September
Evening winery kiosks, tastings, food stalls and folk dancing in the Municipal Gardens since 1961.
- Kypria International Festival September to October
Cyprus major performing arts festival with music, theatre and dance across city venues.
- Cyprus Rally Autumn, check year
Rally often runs through Limassol and Troodos in autumn.
Best things to do in Limassol
Kourion Archaeological Site
Cliff top Greco Roman ruins with a restored theatre, mosaics and basilica above a sweeping bay.
Limassol Castle - Cyprus Medieval Museum
Ottoman rebuilt castle housing medieval armour, tombstones and pottery, anchoring an Old Town walk.
Molos Promenade
Palm lined seafront park with sculptures, playgrounds and cycling paths where residents gather at sunset.
Limassol Marina
Glossy marina of yachts, villas and waterside dining beside the Old Port, best walked at dusk.
Lady's Mile Beach
Long, shallow and calm sandy beach past the New Port, with beach clubs and old school fish tavernas.
Saripolou Square
Pedestrian square of cafes and wine bars pouring Cypriot wines by the glass, lively day and night.
Amathus Archaeological Site
Quiet ancient city kingdom ruins with an acropolis and submerged harbour you can snorkel over.
Fasouri Watermania Waterpark
Cyprus largest waterpark with 30 plus slides, a lazy river and wave pool, a full day heat escape.
Where to stay in Limassol
Old Town + Marina / Molos
first trip, all-round base
Walk to the castle, Saripolou, marina restaurants, Molos and the bus station, with culture over resort beach.
Amathus / Agios Tychon
luxury resorts, beach quality, honeymoon
World class 5 star resorts on a Blue Flag beach, quieter and greener, but bus or taxi dependent for Old Town dining.
Germasogeia Tourist Area (Dasoudi)
nightlife access, families, mid-range resorts
Long organised Dasoudi Beach with watersports and the widest choice of mid range hotels and apartments.
Limassol Marina + City of Dreams / Zakaki
marina lifestyle, casino, Limassol Greens golf
New money west side with marina residences, the casino resort and golf, requiring a car or shuttle for the centre.
Neapolis / Agios Nikolaos / Kapsalos
budget, longer stays, living like a resident
Residential grid with supermarkets, bakeries and local tavernas, beach a short walk and prices below the seafront.
Think twice about
- Germasogeia strip noisiest blocks on Georgiou / Potamos roundabout
Not unsafe, but busy road, late bars and generic tourist priced restaurants with little Cypriot character for light sleepers.
- Port and industrial edges west toward the New Port / Zakaki at night
Poorly lit, empty side streets with no reason to be there after dark, away from the Marina and City of Dreams themselves.
- Inland hillside suburbs sold as Limassol without a car
Agia Fyla, upper Mesa Geitonia and Ypsonas are fine residential areas but a poor short holiday base on infrequent buses and taxis.
Best restaurants in Limassol
Ta Piatakia
Chef Roddy Damalis rethinks heritage Cypriot recipes as small plates in an unassuming residential house.
Dionysus Mansion
Restored mansion with a lit garden terrace serving Cypriot and Greek classics and serious steaks.
Meze Taverna Restaurant
Family run taverna serving a generous traditional meze on the Old Town historic main street.
Puesta Oyster Bar & Grill
Seafood showpiece with flown in oysters, prawns and whole fish by weight at the marina edge.
Karatello Tavern
Cypriot tavern in the Carob Mill overlooking the castle, rated highly for food, location and price.
Artima
Fine dining Italian and French Mediterranean cooking in the Carob Mill, polished and romantic.
The Steak House
Old Port steakhouse praised for dry aged cuts and old school service on business and celebration dinners.
Columbia Steak House
Seafront steak institution since the 1970s with dry aged beef, sea views and a serious wine cellar.
Outdoor things to do in Limassol
Troodos Mountains
Pine forested mountains 45 minutes north where temperatures drop and Byzantine villages replace towers.
Caledonia Falls
Shaded 3km waterfall trail near Platres, one of the most walked and rewarding hikes in Cyprus.
Artemis Trail
Flat 7km loop around the summit of Mount Olympus with huge views, the best easy high mountain walk.
Omodos
Cobbled wine village with the Monastery of the Holy Cross, local lace and winery tasting rooms.
Millomeris Waterfall
Second Troodos waterfall reached on jeep tour variants through the forest interior near Platres.
Linos Winery
Family winery in the Krasochoria wine villages, a recommended stop for local tastings near Omodos.
Vlassides Winery
Modern architecture winery near Koilani known for excellent Xynisteri and Shiraz tastings.
Karseras Winery
Small winery stop in the Doros and Omodos area recommended by local guides for tastings.
Best hotels in Limassol
Alasia Hotel
Adults focused boutique luxury near the gardens with a renowned spa, calmer than the eastern resorts.
Old Port Hotel
Mid range hotel in the trendy port area with a terrace bar and restaurant, walkable to the castle.
Sir Paul Hotel
Small characterful boutique in a restored building by the castle, best in its character rooms.
Kapetanios Limassol Hotel
Reliable good value hotel a short walk from the zoo and gardens, with a pool and local business base.
Lemongrass Hostel
One of the few hostels in Limassol, a budget base in the Old Town for solo travellers.
Harmony Bay Hotel
Classic budget hotel just east of the centre, basic and clean with a pool, terrace and sea nearby.
Four Seasons Hotel Limassol
Independently owned luxury resort with tropical gardens, its own beach and renowned service and breakfast.
AMARA Hotel
Ultra modern design hotel where every room faces the sea, with infinity pools and Locatelli dining.
Is Limassol expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €80 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €155 a person |
| Splurge | €375 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Kourion Archaeological Site: a few days ahead
- Fasouri Watermania Waterpark: a few days ahead
- Limassol Sunset Catamaran Cruise: weeks ahead
- Limassol Greens: weeks ahead
- Aphrodite Hills Golf Club: weeks ahead
- Secret Valley Golf Club: weeks ahead
- Elea Golf Club: weeks ahead
- Minthis Golf Club: weeks ahead
- Book weeks ahead in high season for Amathus and Parklane rooms, Locatelli, Puesta weekends and Cyprus Taste Tours.
- Book weeks ahead for Limassol Greens and Paphos cluster tee times from October to April.
- Book days ahead for Ta Piatakia, Kourion guided tours, Fasouri online in peak and sunset catamarans on Fridays and Saturdays.
- No need to book beaches, museums, the castle, Kourion walk up entry or meze tavernas outside weekends.
Is Limassol safe?
- Limassol is safe by European standards. Avoid isolated beach, port and industrial stretches late at night, especially solo.
- Keep phones off bar tables in Saripolou and the strip, where opportunistic theft is the main night risk.
- Look both ways at crossings even on a green man, especially if you are used to right hand traffic.
- Summer heat and sun are the biggest health risk. Carry water and a hat for Kourion and Troodos trails.
- Emergency number is 112. Tap water in hotels is safe to drink.
Limassol travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Tourist strip fish meze at tout fronted Germasogeia restaurants, with frozen fish and bills padded with unordered items.
- Marina restaurants chosen by terrace alone. Pier One, Marina Breeze and Epsilon are the exceptions worth booking.
- Aphrodite's Rock as a standalone half day tour. It works as part of the Kourion and Pissouri coastal day, not alone.
- Paying resort prices for a private beach. All Cyprus beaches are public by law, you pay for beds, service and gardens.
- Taxi driver recommendations to clubs and restaurants, where the driver is on commission and prices will shock.
Getting around Limassol: public transport and more
- The number 30 bus runs the whole seafront from Old Port to Parklane every 15 to 20 minutes for a flat low fare.
- Intercity buses link Limassol to Nicosia, Larnaca and Paphos cheaply from the central station.
- Hire a car for two or more excursion days. Driving is on the left and mountain roads are winding but well surfaced.
- Use Bolt or agree the price before an unmetered street taxi moves, to avoid broken meter and scenic route scams.
- Walk the centre and seafront before 10am or after 5pm in summer. Midday Old Town in August has no shade.
Who Limassol suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make Limassol your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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