Limassol

Limassol’s medieval castle was built by Guy de Lusignan in 1193 and the place where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre, the Cleopatra of her time (Cleopatra passed through Cyprus too, but that’s another story.) The pedestrian zone around Limassol’s castle is alive with restaurants and cafe terraces. There are traditional Greek Cypriot tavernas big on meze, along with sophisticated restaurants at the Limassol Marina, Lebanese grills and plenty of contemporary spots that pay homage to Cyprus’s unique island heritage. One such is Karatello Tavern, a converted carob mill next to the medieval stone castle (try the Karatello salad: a tasty mix of fried halloumi cheese, tomatoes and pomegranate in a carob syrup vinaigrette). The locals are proud to point out their city’s range of restaurants and cultural attractions and the British colonial architecture in the busy historic center is certainly alluring, but happily, there’s no getting around the fact that Limassol is also very much a beach town. The seafront is lined with beachside bars and a beautiful promenade invites strolling right next to the sea, with plenty of spots for a refreshing dip. In fact, you can walk along the promenade to the modern Limassol Marina, which tempts locals and visitors alike with even more great restaurants and upscale boutiques. Also, nearby are great beaches just a short taxi ride away; these include Lady’s Mile and Governor’s Beach. And history buffs may like to know that there’s another famous Crusader stronghold, Kolossi Castle, just nine miles west of the Limassol city center.

In antiquity, red and white grapes indigenous to Cyprus were picked and sun-dried to make a libation that was said to be sipped by Cleopatra and eventually became known as Commandaria: a sweet red wine that was much favored by royalty in medieval Europe and one of the world’s oldest named wines. It got its name from the area in and around Limassol in the 12th century when the Knights of St. John ruled. Venture out for a drive along with one of the charming wine routes in the scenic foothills of the Limassol countryside, where the lovely wine village of Omodos beckons. Its flower-filled lanes and whitewashed walls are reminiscent of the Greek islands. The foothills behind Limassol continue to rise into the Troodos mountains, where temperatures are cooler even in summer, wild moufflons graze and Byzantine monasteries and churches stand the test of time. Greek Orthodox Cyprus retains a number of historic Painted Churches famous for their unique and colorful Byzantine and post-Byzantine frescoes. Ten of these dated from the 11th to the 17th century are located in the Troodos and are UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites. The Solea route extends some 138 kilometers from Nikitari to Kakopetria and includes the Church of Panagia tis Asinou, Church of Panagia tis Forviotissa in Nikitari, the Churches of Panagia Podithou, Archangelou, Panagia and Agios Sozomenos Churches in Galata and the Church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stefis in Kakopetria.