Things to do in Limassol

Landmark · Old Port to Limassol Marina

A landscaped kilometre of sculpture gardens, palm groves and water features along the sea, running from the old port past the marina.

Local tip: Go at sunset when the whole city is walking it. The sculpture park section is the good half; the far eastern end is where the runners are.

Culture · Around the old port

Narrow lanes behind the castle where Richard the Lionheart is said to have married Berengaria, now full of bars and small restaurants.

Local tip: The Saripolou square area is the local nightlife heart rather than the marina's, and considerably cheaper. Weekday evenings are when residents actually go.

Landmark · 20 minutes west

A Greco-Roman city on a cliff above the sea, with a still-used amphitheatre and mosaic floors in the House of Eustolios.

Local tip: Summer performances in the ancient theatre are the reason to go — check the programme rather than visiting midday in August when the site is unshaded and brutal.

Nature · West of the city

A seasonal salt lake that fills with flamingos from November, surrounded by cypress-lined citrus plantations.

Local tip: The flamingos are a genuine winter spectacle and almost nobody outside the birdwatching crowd goes. The Fasouri cypress avenues nearby are the best cycling in the district.

Nature · 45–60 minutes north

Pine forest, painted Byzantine churches, and enough altitude to snow and briefly ski in February.

Local tip: The practical point for a Limassol resident is temperature: when the coast is at 38°C in August, Platres is fifteen degrees cooler. That is why the mountain villages exist.

Nature · 10 minutes inland from Potamos Germasogeias

A reservoir with a walking trail along the river valley, ten minutes from the seafront apartment blocks and almost unvisited.

Local tip: The nearest real escape from the city without driving to the mountains. Best in spring when the valley is green and before the summer drops the water level.