Time to explore Limassol and Cyprus
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You are in Cyprus, a country that has so many things to see and to do. To help you explore Limassol and the rest of the country, we have put together some subjects that you may interest you, all within easy distance of the Londa Hotel.
Wine
The slopes of the Limassol and Paphos mountains give the ideal climate and conditions for vineyards. The famous indigenous varieties of Xinisteri (white) and Maratheftiko (red) thrive here and in recent decades over 50 boutique wineries have mastered the art of viticulture. You can find these wineries on the Wine Routes; 6 signposted tours through the Cyprus countryside established by the CTO each with a handy information booklet. You can plan your trip via the routes or pick out a favourite winery to visit, have a tasting and learn about the ancient traditions and the modern techniques of Cypriot wine making. As a special treat you could plan your holiday at Londa at the end of August to coincide with Limassol Wine Festival, a celebration of Cyprus wine, with music, food and a lot of tasting!
Limassol Wine Festival
Nature
Cyprus flora and fauna thrives all year round; Moufflon in the Troodos Mountains, wild fish in the Mediterranean Sea, flamingos on the salt lakes and flower displays in the quaint villages. In spring, our Germasogeia Municipality organizes free weekly nature walks; ‘A village blessed by water’ follows the path of the river valley to Germasogeia, and the ‘Natural Environment of Germasogeia’ visits citrus, olive and carob groves, ancient water mills and flower fields.
In May the artistic village of Lania holds its Lanes and Courtyards open day inviting visitors to see the stunning flower displays, and in the mountain glades the Cyprus wild orchids are in full bloom. In the summer heat the water in the Caledonia Falls still flows and a hike up the shaded river, crossing over stepping stones as you go, exposes the best of Cyprus forestry. In the cooler months take the Aphrodite Trail round the Akamas National Park to see migrating birds in the sky, turtles born on the beach and anemones covering the ground.
Petra tou Romiou
History
Follow the history of Cyprus through ancient gods, Egyptian overlords, Roman civilization, Orthodox establishment, Middle Age Crusades and village folklore. The 3 museums in Limassol are run by the Municipality of Limassol and give a good overview of previous centuries: the Folk Art Museum in St. Andrew’s Street, the Cyprus Medieval Museum inside Limassol Castle, and the Limassol District Archeological Museum on the seafront road. Must-see sites close to the Londa are the Amathus ruins of Aphrodite’s temple and sanctuary, and 2nd Century BC Curium site (Kourion) featuring the ancient Greco-Roman theatre, 5th Century AD mosaics, the Agora and Baths.
Curium theatre
Fitness
Walking, cycling and running are all on the Londa fitness list. Right on your doorstep are the fabulous beach walks with the Limassol coastal walk extending from the Port to the east of Limassol bay taking in a sculpture park, Amathus archeological park and numerous cafes on the way. Join the Limassol Running Club for a daily dash along the sand or up to the mountains or hire a city bike for peddling into town. If you want more of a challenge you could run the Cyprus Ultra race, the world’s toughest extreme heat trail ultramarathon at 217km, or cycle in the Sunshine Cup, open to amateurs for the first time in 2014.
Nightlife
At last count there are over 50 nightclubs in Limassol, scattered through the tourist areas of Dassoudi and Germasogeia all the way into town. They range from electro, trance and disco to heavy metal, Greek pop and live artist performance. In summer the beach bars on the seafront are relaxed and when musicians come on tour, many stay at Londa Hotel. Alternatively, you could chill out on the Caprice Terrace to the Jazz, Classical or DJ tunes of Londa’s own virtuosos.
Shopping
From high fashion to trendy souvenirs, Limassol can meet most shoppers’ demands. MYMALL, Limassol’s main mall, provides high street names alongside cinemas, food outlets and even an ice rink. Makarious III Ave and Maximos Plaza are just 2 of the centres where trendy, boutique designer collections appear, whereas Agiou Andreou Street is the souvenir buyer’s paradise with everything from postcards to soft toys, jewelry to leather goods.
Sea sports
All along the Limassol beaches are the summer sporting facilities that enjoy the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Wind surfing and kite surfing are extremely popular as the waters are usually calm and the westerly winds ideal. On the water you can hire jet skis or even charter a yacht for a day’s escape. If you prefer exploring under the water then there are diving sites around Limassol and Larnaca, the Zenobia shipwreck finding its place on the Top Ten list of best wreck sites in the world. Recently, new diving reefs have been established at Akrotiri and Protaras by sinking boats, some with pottery amphorae to encourage fish to settle; this could be your opportunity to see a reef in the making.
