Travel to passionate and modern Limassol
Greetings to all travel enthusiasts! Today we shall visit a passionate modern city named Limassol. The bustling nightlife and the passion of the locals for life is a definitive tick in my box. If we add the wide range of recreational and leisure activities we have ourselves a winner. The Limassol shoreline is home to some lovely beaches and luxury hotels and over the past few years it has emerged as a popular tourist destination.
It lies on the southern part of Cyprus and is a forty minutes’ drive from the airports of Larnaca and Paphos. The central location is also a plus as you have the possibility to explore the other beautiful regions of Cyprus and the amazing Troodos Mountains. It is no wonder it was once called as Neapolis, meaning new city, as it stood in the middle of the two ancient cities of Curium and Amathus.
The archaeological site of Amathus is 10km away from the centre of Limassol and is one of the most significant, historical sites of the island. It surfaced around the end of the 11th century and served an important role as a trading route linking the East with the West. According to legend noted by ancient Greek biographer Plutarch it is the location that Ariadne passed away when giving birth to her son and was buried in a sacred tomb. Upon your visit to Amathus which is a UNESCO wold heritage site you will come across ruins that include the Agora and the Acropolis and date back to the Archaic, Roman and Christian periods. It is in Amathus that the largest stone vase to date was found with an approximate weight of 14 tons and a height of 185 centimetres. Now it is on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. There are organised tours available and remember to bring along some water as it can get very hot in the summer.
Limassol does not require an excuse to have fun but the annual Wine Festival and the Carnival are the most celebrated events in the city. The wine festival was inspired by the ancient ones dedicated to the Greek god of wine Dionysos but mostly it is organised to honour the region’s long history of wine produce. The most popular act of the celebrations is the traditional grape pressing. The visitors have to enter into a large barrel and with their bare feet to step on the grapes to produce the juice. There is lots of food, dancing, songs and of course even more wine pouring. Here is the best place for you to taste the local variety of wines. The wine festival takes place at the start of September in the Limassol gardens and at the entrance you will be greeted by an enormous statue of a Cypriot wine maker.
The Limassol Carnival is one of the most well-known in Europe and there are plenty of celebrations that take place in the city. It starts 50 days before the Orthodox Easter and the party goes on for 10 days with lots of parallel events. The festivities begin on a Thursday with the major entrance of the satirical chariot with the King/Queen of the carnival. On the first Sunday there is a parade for children and the climax leads to the final Carnival Grand Parade that takes place on the 10th day which is also a Sunday. During the festive period most hotels, clubs and bars hold fancy dress parties.
In conclusion please remember that life is short and beautiful and it is strictly up to you to enjoy it and live it to the fullest.