Limassol Voyage Tips and guide

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Limassol (Greek: Λεμεσός, Turkish: Leymosun) is the second largest city (after the capital, Nicosia) of Cyprus. Following the Turkish invasion in 1974, it has become the principal sea port and has also developed into a significant tourist destination.

Limassol is the second largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia, with a population of approximately 200,000. Apart from being a major tourist destination, it is also a principal hub for international business in Cyprus. This gives Limassol a more cosmopolitan feel compared to other district centers. Renovation projects in the old town and old port area are seeking to rejuvenate the historic centre, making it more accessible and interesting for sightseeing.

• Limassol Tourism Board website

Limassol is about 40 minutes drive away from Larnaca International Airport (LCA ^IATA) and Paphos Airport (PFO ^IATA).

Larnaca mainly serves traditional airlines, while most of RyanAir flights land in Paphos. Transfer from Larnaca is generally slightly cheaper even though the distance is the same. Official fixed taxi fare from the airport was not updated since early 2000 (even after recent taxi price rise in 2022) and is still at €55, but no driver will ever accept that. The official taxis will charge you €100 (as of late 2023) per car with luggage between Paphos and Limassol, unofficial transfer companies that you may find in the Internet and pre-book tend to be about €20 cheaper. From Larnaca it's even slightly cheaper.

There is a regular shuttle bus service from Larnaca and Paphos airports. Be careful to arrange pick-up from the shuttle bus stops, as they are away from the central areas. Bus driver might provide assistance to arrange a taxi.

Limassol has the biggest commercial shipment port and a reasonable passenger port, with several regular cruise routes:

• Louis Cruise Lines from Agios Nikolaos (Kriti), Beirut, Haifa, Port Said and Rhodes.
• St. Raphael Marina St. Raphael Marina on the outskirts of Limassol.

Additionally, Scandro Holding^{[dead link]} operates a ferry between Piraeus and Limassol. Crossings are 1-2 times per week during the summer months and fortnightly off-season.

• If you are spending time within the cities of Larnaca or Pafos (i.e. not traveling directly from the airport to Limassol), you can take one of the intercity buses to Limassol. These are usually green in colour and have multiple stops within the origin and destination cities, but no stops once you are on the highway. There are also routes serving Troodos, Larnaca, Pafos and Nicosia. Updated timetables and further information can be found on the intercity bus website.
• If you wish to travel directly from either Larnaca or Paphos airport to Limassol, Limassol Airport Express runs a shuttle bus about every hour or so. Tickets can be bought at a desk in the airport. Be prepared to take a taxi or rental car to your accommodation, as the final bus station for this service is next to Agios Georgios Havouzas Church, which is in the outer suburbs of Limassol.

• Travel Express run an intercity service using shared minibuses between the major towns in Cyprus. They can pick up from Larnaca and Pafos Airports. They are a lot cheaper than taxis but more expensive than the intercity buses, however, they take you door to door. Bookings need to be made in advance, however, if it's not full you can normally get on the next one.

The three main roads are:

1. The Beach Road
2. Makarios Avenue
3. Griva Digeni (which transforms into Kolonakou / Spyros Kyprianou later to the east)

The bus service has been upgraded, with more routes and better schedules, however waiting times may still be long. The principal tourist route is #30, serving the beach road from Le Meridien hotel up to New Port (Old Port after 18:00), which runs approximately every 15 minutes. You can find detailed information and maps on the EMEL bus company website. Cost per trip is €1.50. Day tickets cost €5.

Taxi is the most popular means of transportation for tourists, but are expensive and it is common to ignore meters. Sharing taxis is also popular, and may work out to a more reasonable fare. You can also try calling the taxi via the Bolt app, it will call an official taxi and the meter will be run through Bolt. It should start when your ride starts, but the initial value will be slightly higher than if you've hauled the taxi yourself. If a Bolt taxi arrives, they usually stick to the app (especially if you pay within the app), but they regularly have no cars available.

You're unlikely to catch a taxi even 1-2 km away from few central tourist locations. Taxi companies may flat out decline to send you a car if you call, especially outside the ring road or at peak hours. Some taxi drivers may give you their business cards, but these are typically a facade for the same taxi companies. Do not expect you can get a taxi outside the city or in a random location.

Official urban taxi tariffs as of 2022 are €3.80 initial, €0.95/km, €17.00/hour wait between 06:00-20:30, €4.80/1.10/19.00 at night, extra surcharges: €2 on public holiday, +20% for taxis with 5 passengers, +50% for taxis with 6 passengers. Minimal fare was €5 before 2022, and it's unclear what it is now. Again, you're unlikely to get away that cheaply, expect +€3 with Bolt or unofficial taxi companies, and x1.5/x2 overcharge from official taxis. That adds up for at about €10 for a short 1-2km trip.

The beach road has a dedicated bicycle lane stretching from the Old Port to the Dasoudi area. In summer, it gets very hot.

There are shared bikes available in Limassol center and along the bicycle lane to the east, operated by Nextbike. The easternmost location is near the Grand Resort, more than 10 km from the city center. See all locations. Price is €2 for the first 60 min or €8 per 24 hr.

• The approach to driving within Limassol mirrors that of the rest of Cyprus, i.e. oftentimes aggressive and a lax attitude toward traffic rules. Be aware that there are a number of fixed red light and speeding cameras across Limassol. A tourist is most likely to encounter them along the coastal road, on which several cameras are installed.
• Traditional car rental is available at both airports and within Limassol itself.
• RideNow is a very affordable option for minute-by-minute rental within Limassol, and has coverage of nearly the whole city. For short trips RideNow rentals are often significantly cheaper than a taxi. Cars can be found scattered throughout most areas and are rented with an app. The only caveat is you must hold a European driving license to create a RideNow account.

The old town of Limassol is full of historic houses, both from the Ottoman period and the British colonial period. The area has been renovated, especially the street near the Limassol Castle.

• 34.67230833.0416251 Limassol Castle. (updated Nov 2017)
• Akti Olympion, a 7-km beach-side walking park area stretching from Municipal Gardens to the Old Port.
• 34.7118333.143332 Amathus (Amathous) (Around 10 km east of Limassol.). Ancient royal city. (updated Mar 2019)
• 34.6648232.888923 Kourion (13 km west of Limassol). Archaeological site that includes a well-preserved Greco-Roman theatre and other sites of historic importance, namely The House of Achilles, The Altar of Apollo and spectacular views of the Curium Beach. €4.50. (updated Mar 2019)
• 34.6651732.934114 Kolossi Castle (around 10 km west of Limassol, south-west of Kolossi village). Former crusader stronghold €2.50. (updated Mar 2019)
• 34.679433.05185 St. Catherine's Church (Εκκλησία της Αγίας Αικατερίνης). Roman Catholic Church completed in 1879. (updated Jun 2021)

• 34.718233.27481 Governor's Beach (Outside Limassol). Long, sandy beach with many beach-side fish restaurants, and a beautiful white stone coast to the west. (updated Jun 2021)
• 34.621833.00582 Lady's Mile Beach (Along the coast to the south-west of Limassol, officially UK terroritory). Long mostly-pebbly, partly sandy beach with several beach-side fish restaurants. Try watching birds at the salt lake nearby. There is a UK military air base in the area. (updated Jun 2021)
• Visit the Limassol Wine Festival, every September.
• Party during the Limassol Carnival, every February/March. Truly colorful!
• Watch the Cyprus Rally every Autumn.
• Get drunk at the Potamos Yermasoyias (aka "Galatex") which has plenty of entertainment in the pubs, night clubs and cafes on the street and in the surrounding area.
• Visit one of the traditional buzukia (tavern with live music).
• Explore the Limassol Castle and nearby Old Town area.
• Visit Anexartisias street in the Old Town, a popular shopping area for both tourists and locals.
• Take a walk on the wooden promenade along the sea opposite the archeological site of Kingdom of Amathus.
• The Municipal Garden along the beach road is a good place to spend some time and catch some interesting flora. However the zoo is not that great.

• Football: three city clubs play soccer in First Division, the top tier in Cyprus: Apollon, Aris and AEL. All three share Tsirio Stadium (capacity 13,300) by A7 north edge of city centre.
• Limassol Marathon is held in Feb / March.

• The traditional shopping streets are Ayios Andreas and Anexartisias street. These streets provide an ambiance of the old cobbled path lanes, away from the modern city.
• Several western style supermarkets (Carrefour, Debenhams, LIDL, Orphanidies etc.) are spread across the city and warehouse-style shopping centres have mushroomed on the outskirts of the city. My Mall is the biggest shopping centre in the area, located to the west of New Port.
• Sea Sponges is popular product of Cyprus, used as a bath/face scrub. Loofa is used as a bath scrub. Available at most tourist/souvenir shops. Also there is a Sea Sponges Exhibition at the roundabout at the Old Port. However, sea sponges may be pricey!
• The Lefkara Lace and other lace products may be brought from Limassol or other cities, as they may be often over-priced in Lefkara, due to a large number of tourists flocking there, especially during the tourist season.
• Opening hours for most shops are M-F 09:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00 (siesta time in between, outside of the tourist area most smaller shops are not open on Wednesday afternoons) and Saturdays 09:00-14:00. Only some convenience stores (Periptero in Greek) would be open 24 hours on all days.

Kebab can be optimum for a relatively cheap, fresh and filling meal. Be careful with colourful "tourist" cafes since those are often over-priced and offer low quality conventional sandwiches or English Breakfasts. Mousaka or Kleftiko are popular, however your best bet (especially if you are hungry), is a traditional Cyprus Meze (either of the meat or fish variety), which usually includes a myriad of small hot and cold dishes for a reasonable price.

Try targeting restaurants that cater for the locals. You should not encounter a client/waiter language barrier as virtually everyone speaks English.

All major western chains are present, e.g. McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Friday's, Bennigan's, Goodies, and Nandos.

• 34.6764433.0477921 Hfwlia Tou Koukou (Φωλιά του Κούκου), Agiou Andreou 228. Greek (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67376533.0411672 Sykaminia Cook Shop, Eleutherias Αvenue 26. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67312933.041823 Megaro Restaurant, Ankara 6-8. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67601733.0422014 Souvlaki Livadias (Σουβλάκι ΛΙΒΑΔΕΙΑΣ), Kanari 7. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67554533.043385 Fries with Benefits - Burger Bistro, Saripolou 56. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67725433.0413356 Manoushe Lebanese Food & Bakery, Ellados 89. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.68682333.0516777 Diomedes Psistaria Restaurant, Arch. Makarios III Avenue 228. (updated Feb 2023)

• 34.69895733.0968358 Monastiraki Athens, B1 91-101. Greek (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.70308833.1064889 Aristos & Kiki Kebab House, Ariadnis. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.704233.10643410 Rio Bravo Saloon, Ariadnis 5. Tex Mex (updated Feb 2023)

• 34.70238233.10694811 Kyrenia Fish Tavern, Amathountos 1. Beach-side tavern in Yermasoyia tourist area (opposite Mirage traffic lights). Traditional Cypriot fish meze for €21. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.69690433.09247312 Ocean Basket Germasogeia, 2, Georgiou A' Street Hallmark Complex 6. Fish restaurant. Another branch in the western part of the city at My Mall. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.69916733.09484113 Syrian restaurant, Γεωργίου Α. Lebanese-style tavern/restaurant with excellent meze in Yermasoyia tourist area. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67196733.04191314 Draught Microbrewery, Vasilissis Street. Restaurant and bar in the Carob Mill next to the Limassol Castle. Specializes in grills. (updated Feb 2023)
• Agios Georgios Alamanou Restaurant, Pentakomo Exit from A1 Highway, Monagroulli. Seafood restaurant outside Limassol situated on a white-stoned beach. (updated Jan 2024)

• 34.67039633.04388415 The Steak House, Limassol old port, building S Limassol. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67890433.03957916 Dionysus Mansion, 16th June Street, Nr. 5. (updated Feb 2023)
• 34.67412933.03908217 CETI Locale, Eleftherias 115. (updated Feb 2023)

Drinking water: it is generally safe to drink water directly from the tap. Most apartments and hotels would have a separate tap provided along with the sink, for water that bypasses the storage tank on the roof.

Limassol has the reputation among locals of being the party capital of Cyprus. When Ayia Napa hibernates in the winter, Limassol powers on drawing much of the local clientele especially during the carnival season.

The Potamos Yermasoyia tourist area is littered with countless bars and pubs to cater for everyone's tastes and budget. The old medieval town centre is more popular with the locals and offers classier but pricier establishments. Most hotels will also have a variety of in house bars (either with a local or international twist), which are open to non residents too.

Sport is religion here and sports bars abound. Football is in your face everywhere, especially the British and Greek leagues. Being here during a European or World cup competition finals stage is only next best to attending the real thing. If there is a big European match happening, be sure to book in advance as you may struggle to find a table.

Zivania is the equivalent local version of Grappa or Eau de Vie. Drink frozen zivania shots at your peril.

Commandaria is a sweet dessert wine and a speciality of Limassol is worth tasting especially after a meze.

• There are a number of coffee shops scattered throughout Limassol. Popular chains include Nero, Starbucks, Costa and Coffee Island. Most have bottled beer, water, and soft drinks available and provide free WiFi.
• 34.6822733.056691 GSpot Beach Cafe, gSpot Cafe, Οκτωβρίου 28, Limassol 3105, ☏ +357 99 753 937. 7AM-10PM. A laid-back beachfront cafe on the coastal road near Limassol Zoo. Frequented by locals, a popular place to pick up a coffee or smoothie and sit on the provided beach chairs. (updated Jul 2025)

• Chesters. Irish-style bar in tourist area opposite St. Raphel hotel. Good selection of beers and food. 
• 34.67611233.0426472 Salut Bar & Restaurant (Salut Bar & Restaurant), Saripolou 71-73, Limassol 3041 (close to Saripolou Square and Limassol Old Agora), ☏ +357 25 871 614. Trendy venue combining bar and restaurant, with creative cocktails, brunch, Mediterranean and Lebanese dishes, and live music. (updated Jul 2025)
• ^{[formerly dead link]} Draught Microbrewery. Restaurant and bar in the Carob Mill next to the Limassol Castle. Has its own small beer brewery. 
• Molly Malones. Irish-style bar in tourist area opposite Elias Beach hotel. Good selection of beers and food. Closed for the foreseeable future due to the gutting of its building. 
• Pralina Blu, beach-side restaurant and cafe opposite McDonald's / Luna Park in the tourist area.

• 34.67736933.0480513 7Seas. In Old Town. Probably the classiest live music nightclub in the town. 
• ^{[formerly dead link]} Dolce. Next to Amathus excavation. Nightclub which often has live music and international DJs. 

Apart from local luxury and boutique hotels Limassol boasts many branches of international hotels. However one can easily find low budget accommodation. An increasingly popular option is private apartment and villa rental.

As far as renting a Studio Apartment (with cooking facilities) goes, there are plenty of them around, and one may find accommodation easily, both long term and short term.

• L'Onda, ☏ +357 25 865 555, fax: +357 25 320 040, [email protected]. The forerunner of a new wave of boutique hotels. Pricy but classy. Highly rated and expensive restaurant, with a good selection of local wines. Popular with locals and tourists alike. 
• 34.711833.17381 Parklane Resort & Spa (Formerly Le Meridien), ☏ +357 25 862 000, fax: +357-25634222. Considered as one of the best hotels on the island but you pay for what you get. (updated Mar 2019)
• ^{[formerly dead link]} Amathus Beach Hotel, ☏ +357 25 832 000, fax: +357-25832540, [email protected]. Member of The Leading Hotels of the World. A five-star hotel that does not belong to a globalized conglomerate but non the less, a worthy rival. 
• Four Seasons, ☏ +357 25 858 000, fax: +357 25 310 887, [email protected]. A 5-star hotel. Getting a room facing the road can mean noisy nights, as this becomes a race track for locals after 22:00. Not affiliated with the global Four Seasons chain. 

Like the rest of Cyprus, you can dial 112 to call an ambulance.

• Limassol General Hospital. The largest hospital in Limassol. Publicly operated and charges low fees for those without insurance. 
• Mediterranean Hospital, 9 Stygos Street, 3117 Limassol, ☏ +357 25 200 000. A relatively large private hospital, has a small emergency department. (updated Jul 2025)
• Ygia Polyclinic, Ναυπλίου 21, Limassol 3025, ☏ +357 25 884600. One of the largest private hospitals in Limassol. Has a small emergency department. (updated Jul 2025)

Limassol has several surrounding villages which are worth visiting.

• Omodos is stunning and has several eateries and wineries.
• Episkopi is home to one of the most impressive archeological sites in Cyprus.