Best Things To Do In Limassol Cyprus

Learn the best things to see and do in Limassol, Cyprus, a bustling city that offers a mix of typical Cypriot life, along with Mediterranean beaches and some interesting historical day trip options.

Sitting on Cyprus’s southern coast, it’s the country’s 2nd largest city after Nicosia (the capital). As it’s not as touristy as Paphos, Ayia Napa, Larnaca, and Protaras, some visit for the city amenities while enjoying its beaches and a dose of culture, like Kourion Archeological Site, which dates back thousands of years, and crusader-era Kolossi Castle.

Admittedly, the city looks a bit weary and run down (although not as neglected as Paphos), and the beaches closest to the city offer only grey sand with pebbles. Because of this, I really don’t recommend staying here unless you’re staying in the new ultra-chic (and very expensive) villas of Limassol Marina (which is way out of my budget).

There are nice sites to see in Limassol, which I cover below, but similar to my recommendation in Paphos, it’s better to have a car and hit the highlights here, rather than staying in the city. Or if you must, stay here for just a day or two to get them in.

This post covers the best things to do in Limassol, Cyprus.

Best Things To Do In Limassol Cyprus

Explore Limassol Old Town

Limassol Old Town, also known as Lemesos, is the old heart of the city, with narrow, historical streets radiating out from the old harbor. Exploring its pedestrian streets is one of the best things to do here. The area, filled with alfresco restaurants and cafes, trendy coffee shops, souvenir shops, and bars, is most charming at night, when it’s full of ambience from twinkling lights and happy diners.

As mentioned above, during the day, Limassol Old Town looks a bit neglected. Some of the shops are closed and you’ll see graffiti on the walls. If you look beyond this, however, you’ll see its picturesque, historic, architecture and the charm of this area.

To visit the shops here, make sure to come during the day, although some do stay open for the evening traffic.

See Limassol Castle

This medieval Castle is not far from the old harbor, in Old Limassol’s core, built over the site of many previous historical buildings. Tradition says that Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre in a former building here and crowned her the Queen of England here in the 12th century.

The castle standing here today was built during Ottoman rule in the 16th century. It’s surrounded by lively cafes and restaurants that fill quickly at night.

Inside the castle is the Medieval Museum of Cyprus, where you’ll see armor, weapons, and religious artifacts. There is a small free for entry.

Walk Agiou Andreou Pedestrian Street

Walk St. Andrew’s pedestrian street, Agiou Andreou, to see the heart of Old Town Limassol. This is the city’s oldest and longest commercial street. Located just around the corner from Limassol Castle, it’s easy to combine the two.

Shop On Anexartisias Street

Anexartisias Street, a main shopping thoroughfare on Old Town, runs south from the center of Limassol to the waterfront. The name means “independence” in honor the Independence of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. You’ll find trendy shops here like Zara, H&M, and Mango here, along with many cafes.

There are several paintings of Frida Kahlo along this street, although I was not able to find out why. She is clearly idolized here.

Street Art And Graffiti

In addition to the art of Frida above, as you wander around old town, you’ll see nice street art. The one below, by Achilles Michaelides (who goes by Paparazzi), caught my eye. It was created a message for Nepalese people to let them know they were not alone after the devastating earthquake in Nepal a few years back.

Visit Limassol Marina

South of Limassol Old Town, you’ll run into Limassol Marina and see the contrast of its lavish, million dollar villas and yachts, with high-end shopping and dining tucked along the docks.

Development here started in 2010, turning this once abandoned area into a clean, classy meccaon the sea. It opened in 2014. Some villas offer a door to your car on one side and a door to your boat, seaside. The ultimate in luxury.

The Marina also sponsors world-class events, like the OPAP Techno 293 World Championships in 2022, which featured more than 250 young sailors.

As fancy as it is, I personally preferred the ambiance of the restaurants in Old Town Limassol, near the castle.

Stroll Molos Promenade Park

Molos Promenade runs along the coast, from Limassol Marina down to Olympia Beach to the west. This scenic area is also new, with illuminated walkways, parks, cafes, restaurants, and playgrounds, with views of the Mediterranean.

You’ll see families, skateboarders, tourists, and more enjoying the area, especially in the early evening when the temperature cools down a little.

And you haven’t met them already, this is where you’ll meet some of the stray cats that live all over Cyprus. Especially around the cafes and restaurants.

Don’t be surprised to find a small feline friend by your chair at dinner hoping for scraps along this strip. I ordered the duck pappardelle at Red Cafe, which must be one of their favorites, as I had three jockeying for scraps under my table. If you don’t like cats, Cyprus may not the right place for you, however, befriending one or two is one of the more charming things to do in Limassol.

Explore Limassol’s Beaches

I was a bit disappointed by the grey sand beaches of Limassol. They are supposedly grey due to the volcanic roots of Cyprus. I found this a bit confusing, however, as the ‘nicer’ sandy beaches on the east and west coast of Cyprus have fine, fluffy beds of golden sand.

The beaches in Limassol are okay, but (I think) more about the convenience of the location near a big city. There are a few beaches farther out noted to be a little nicer, which I’ve added below. Unfortunately, I only visited Olympion in the city.

Akti Olympion Beach

This is the most convenient beach in Limassol, located about a 30-minute walk west of Limassol Marina. It has grey sand, with bits of pebbles (and some litter, like cigarette butts), but is the most accessible. The water is clear, and calm, safe for children and families.

There are sun beds and umbrellas for rent, along with a cafe offering food and alcohol. There are also showers, changing rooms, and toilets. It’s very functional, but not a star attraction.

Governors Beach

This beach is a little farther out, about 18 miles (30 km) east of Limassol, towards Larnaca. Governors Beach also has dark sand, however it’s flanked by white limestone cliffs and rocks, making it more picturesque. Some of the rocks extend into the clear blue sea, which look very fun to explore.

If you’re wondering about the odd name of this beach, it from a historical English Governor that liked to swim here.

Although more remote and less touristy than beaches closer to Limassol (or other cities), there are still sun beds and umbrellas for rent (in sandy areas), along with a few cafes and some restroom facilities.

To get to Governors beach, drive or take Limassol Bus 95A, which will take about an hour from the harbor.

Kourion Beach

Kourion Beach is just west of the Kourion Archeological Site, 10 miles (17 km) west of Limassol Marina. It’s just past the signs for the archeological site if coming from Limassol.

The coast here is about .6 miles (1 km) long with tranquil turquoise-blue water, and beautiful views of the cliffs of Curium in the distance, although the sand here is also grey and pebbled. There are sun beds and umbrellas for rent, along with cafes and facilities here, but because this is a protected area by the archeological site, it remains refreshingly free of most development.

It’s windy here almost all the time, so common to see kitesurfers. Google kitesurfing at Kourion Beach to find places offering it.

To get here, drive or take Limassol Bus 16B from the Leontiou EMEL Central Bus Station (across from the old hospital). The bus ride takes about 45 minutes. Make sure, however, to read my notes on Limassol buses below.

Best Day Trips In Limassol, Cyprus

Kourion Archeological Site

There are many fascinating archeological sites on Cyprus, but Kourion is one of its best, making it the best thing to do in Limassol. This ancient Greek city-state, once a powerful kingdom, lies in British Overseas Territory, although it’s managed by the Cyprus Department of Antiquity.

Artifacts found here date back to the 4th-6th century BC, yet most of the ruins date to the 2nd to 5th century AD.

The mains sites at Kourion include the following.

The Theater

This theater was once enclosed on its southern end, and holds up to 3,500 spectators. It’s in excellent condition, due to modern renovations, and used for current events.

Complex of Eustolios

This large villa, located by the theater, was owned by Eustolios, a wealthy citizen. It dates back to the 4th-5th century AD. There are many rooms, some with beautifully detailed mosaics, and spectacular views of the sea

My favorite mosaic was the one of Ktisis (below right). She’s holding a measuring instrument equating to a Roman foot. The inscription around her head indicates that she personifies the creation of the world.

This complex is surprisingly large and has an amazing location perched over the sea. To protect the ruins, it’s covered, which provides lovely shade on a hot day.

The Agora

This Roman Agora dates to the 3rd century, with some additions in the Early Christian Period (although structures were also here earlier). There is also a public bath and a Nymphaeum.

Byzantine Basilica

This three-aisled basilica, built around the 5th century and renovated in the 6th, is the Cathedral of Kourion.

The House of the Gladiators

The House of the Gladiators is a Roman villa from the 3rd century. The house is named after its most important mosaic, a rare, gladiator fight scene. According to the mosaic, their names are Margarites (left) and Hellenikos (right).

The House of Achilles

Near the a house of Gladiators are the ruins of a 4th century Roman villa, called the House of Achilles. It has a central peristyle court and several beautiful mosaics.

How To Get To Kourion

To get to the Kourion Archeological Site, which is about 11 miles (18 km) west of Limassol, take Limassol Bus 16B from the Leontiou EMEL Central Bus Station (across from the old hospital). The bus ride is about 40-minutes. Make sure to read my notes on the Limassol buses below first.

Also, make sure to bring plenty of water when you visit. There are only vending machines dispensing water here and they only take coins. Argh! There is no food on the archaeological site, but there is a restaurant by the bus stop which is about a 10-minute walk downhill from the site.

Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates

The Sanctuary of Apollo is about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) west of Kourion. Because of this, and the fact that no public transportation goes here, I (unfortunately) did not visit. This site was used as a religious center to worship Apollo as far back as the 8th century BC and once included a temple and ring-shaped monument. The remains of the site today, however, date to 1st century renovations made to accommodate the growing number of people wanting to worship Apollo. They were mostly toppled in an earthquake.

To the east of the Sanctuary of Apollo are the ruins and the ancient stadium. You can also see the ruins of a small basilica by the stadium, as well as more stunning views of the Mediterranean.

Kolossi Castle

This former crusader stronghold is about 9 miles (14 km) west of Limassol. This castle is beautifully preserved in a charming setting. There’s painting of Christ’s crucifixion on the main floor, a spiral staircase to the upper floor, the ability to climb to the rooftop for a view of the area, as well as access to chambers underneath the castle and ruins from a previous fortress here.

Honestly, it’s small, and there’s not a ton here, but it’s charming and definitely another one of the best things to do in Limassol, Cyprus. Since it’s not far from Kourion, above, I suggest pairing them together. You only need an hour (max) at this site.

The castle standing today was built in the 15th century by Hospitaliers under the command of Louis de Magnac Kolossi (which is how it gets its name).

Next door are the ruins of a 14th century sugarcane factory, which was one of Cyprus’s main exports at the time. It was closed for excavation during my visit. Touring this is in the future (when and if it opens) would be a great addition.

Note that the people that work here are not free with information about the castle or the sugarcane factory, so it’s best to read up in advance if you want to know more.

To get here, take Limassol Bus 17, which is about 40 minutes from the Leontiou EMEL Central Bus Station (across from the old hospital).

Note On The Public Bus System

Using the bus system to get around Cyprus can be challenging. The buses in Limassol were the most frustrating of all the cities I stayed in. Paphos took second place.

For my return bus from the Kourion Archeological Site, I waited several hours. Several buses scheduled to stop, never arrived and I’m not sure what happened. I talked to several others stranded at the same stop. Some, who lived on Cyprus, said it was typical. One man, a tourist, said his driver asked him to get off the bus about 1/2 to 1 mile before Kourion on his way here, saying he could not drive on British Territory. Yet that is where the planned bus route goes! Very strange.

I also had issues with other buses not arriving as scheduled at the old hospital and drivers and staff that were really rude. Make sure you pack a huge dose of patience if you want to get around Cyprus by bus.

In fact, if you read about visiting Cyprus, many websites say it’s best to visit by car, and that is certainly true. First, because the best sites are scattered across the island, but also because the bus service is less than stellar. The intercity buses better and the buses on the east coast, by Ayia Napa and Protaras, were not an issue at all. In fact these drivers actually smiled every once in a while!

I will be writing posts for several cities in Cyprus, and will eventually make a comprehensive Travel Guide with recommendations on how best to see all the tops sites on this island.

Want To Learn More About Cyprus?

Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, offers a variety of beautiful beaches, intersting history, fascinating ruins, and lovely landscape.

To see all the highlights of this unique island, it’s best to rent a car and zoom around to see the highlights in Ayia Napa, Paphos, Larnaca, Protaras, Nicosia, and nearby scenic areas. I’ve listed them all in one place in Top Tourist Attractions of Cyprus.

I also created a Travel Guide for Cyprus to see the highlights, as well as how to get around, safety, visa issues, money matters, and more.

If you’ve enjoyed the content of the Best Things To Do In Limassol, Cyprus, or want to add something, leave a comment below.

Safe Travels!