| Limassol in Cyprus was one of the first purpose built | | | | Should you feel the need for any kind of retail therapy |
| beach holiday resorts in the Mediterranean. Up until that | | | | whilst on holiday in Cyprus Limassol is the perfect |
| time there was no such thing as a beach resort | | | | perscription. With lots of the major chain stores up in |
| holiday. In fact the rich and famous of the day spent | | | | the old town and even a branch of Woolworths on |
| their holidays in luxury hotels up in the Troodas | | | | the strip shoppers will be well able to satisfy their retail |
| mountains to escape the summer heat. The first thing | | | | cravings. Just below the old town close to Limassol |
| that strikes visitors to Limassol is the sheer size of the | | | | port is the Medieval castle built by the Byzantines |
| place. The sea front area with its bars, restaurants and | | | | around 1000AD. There is a legend that King Richard |
| shops stretches for miles. There is a modern marina at | | | | the lion heart popped in on his way to his third holy |
| one end and the Limassol port and old town area at | | | | crusade in 181 and married Queen Berengavia of |
| the other. With more top notch hotels and apartment | | | | Navarre. He allegedly then crowned her Queen of |
| complexes than you can shake a stick at there is no | | | | England before dashing of to slay a few more |
| shortage of quality accommodation either. However | | | | heathens in the middle East. Which just goes to prove |
| there is a whole lot more to the town of Limassol than | | | | that weddings in Cyprus are nothing new. |
| its role as a great Cyprus holiday resort. | | | | If for some bizarre reason you do actually manage to |
| When Turkey invaded Northern Cyprus in 1974 they | | | | run out of things to do in Limassol the good news is |
| pushed all the way down into Famagusta town and its | | | | that the town is well connected to the rest of the |
| fabulous holiday resort. The residents were driven out | | | | Island. A modern coastal motorway network links the |
| and fled with only what they were able to carry. Apart | | | | resort to everywhere and anywhere you may feel a |
| from being arguably the best resort in the | | | | need to explore. The capital of Cyprus Nicosia is less |
| Mediterranean Famagusta was also the main port. For | | | | than an hour away with it's many historic sites and |
| this reason the port at Limassol was hurriedly created | | | | museums making the town a great place for a day |
| and the town has been a booming metropolitan area | | | | out. On a more somber note, Nicosia is the last dived |
| ever since. Apart from the port being the main | | | | city in the world since the Turkish occupation of the |
| thoroughfare for most of the Islands imported goods | | | | North. There are several places where streets have |
| its also the debarkation point for luxury cruises to | | | | been literally cut off by the 3 kilometer buffer zone |
| Egypt and the Holy land. These 2 and 4 day mini | | | | and visitors can look over the border into the Turkish |
| cruises are a great idea if you want to add some | | | | side. This area is policed by troops of the U.N. |
| extra sightseeing into your Cyprus holiday. Limassol | | | | peacekeeping force and everything in the buffer zone |
| port also plays host to many of the Cyprus navy's | | | | remains just has it was left in 1974 when the residents |
| ships and is a popular destination for navy sailors on | | | | fled to the south. |
| shore leave. | | | | Limassol is also perfectly placed for trips to the |
| There is no doubt that Limassol has something to offer | | | | beautiful Troodas mountains an area of outstanding |
| Cyprus holidaymakers whatever they are looking for. If | | | | natural beauty. Up in the mountains the air is fresh and |
| you want night life there is more than enough to go | | | | clean whilst its also a great escape from the hot |
| round on the resort with plenty of late night clubs and | | | | summers too. Much of this area is now a conservation |
| lively bars. This doesn't mean that Limassol isn't a great | | | | area and there are several beautiful monasteries to |
| resort for families too. There are miles of sandy | | | | visit too. The former president of Cyprus Archbishop |
| beach, water sports and lots of pretty sea front cafe | | | | Makarios is enshrined in a tomb near the Kykkos |
| bars where you can relax and take in the beautiful | | | | monastery and is still guarded around the clock by |
| Mediterranean view. With several water parks in the | | | | Cypriot soldiers. Limassol continues to be a resort that |
| area as well the kids are never going to get bored. | | | | attracts holiday makers back year after year so they |
| Talking about the youngsters, Limassol has it's share of | | | | must be finding something they like there. There is little |
| fast food outlets too like Macdonalds and K.F.C. so | | | | doubt that this large modern resort and busy city will |
| they are going to be real easy to please in the | | | | continue to develop so maybe its time you took a look |
| stomach department at least. | | | | at Limassol Cyprus. |