What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Limassol, Cyprus.
Photo: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels
Limassol is a coastal city in Cyprus with about 107,970 residents. It combines a walkable Old Town, home to Limassol Castle and the Lanitis Carob Mill, with a seafront path along the Molos Promenade and a modern marina at the Old Port. Ancient sites such as Kourion and Amathus lie just outside the city. The best months to visit are April, June, September and October.
The Old Town (2–3 hours), the castle and the Molos seafront fit into a single day. Kourion and the Akrotiri Salt Lake each need half a day, so add time for trips out of the city and for the beach.
Old Town
A stone castle near the old port that now houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum. Inside are armour, coins, pottery and tombstones from the island's medieval past. You can go up to the roof for views over the old town's rooftops and minarets.
Old Town
A small grid of narrow streets around the castle, with the Grand Mosque (Djami Kebir), the Agia Napa Cathedral, craft shops and tavernas. It is best explored on foot, and it gets livelier in the evening when the bars and restaurants fill up.
Seafront
A long seafront park and walkway that runs from the old port towards the city centre. It has palm trees, lawns, sculptures and a cycle path. Locals come here to walk, run and watch the sunset.
Old Port
A modern marina next to the old town with yachts, cafés, restaurants and shops along the water. It is an easy stop to add to a walk along the Molos Promenade or a visit to the castle.
Episkopi, west of Limassol
The ruins of an ancient city on a clifftop above the sea, and the most important archaeological site near Limassol. Highlights are the restored Greco-Roman theatre, the floor mosaics in the House of Eustolios and wide views over the coast. There is little shade, so bring water and a hat in the hot months.
Kolossi, west of Limassol
A compact medieval tower that was a commandery of the Knights of St John. You can climb inside for views over the surrounding fields. Next to it are the remains of a sugar factory from the same era.
near Kourion
The remains of an ancient sanctuary to Apollo, god of the woodlands, a short drive from Kourion. Part of the temple has been re-erected, and you can walk among the ruins of pilgrims' buildings and baths. It combines well with a visit to Kourion on the same day.
Agios Tychonas, east of Limassol
The ruins of one of the ancient city-kingdoms of Cyprus, on a hillside by the sea on the eastern edge of the city. You can see the remains of the agora, a temple of Aphrodite on the acropolis and early churches. It is quieter than Kourion and easy to reach from the tourist area.
Old Town
An old stone carob warehouse and mill behind the castle, now restored as a cultural centre with restaurants and event spaces. A small exhibition shows the machinery once used to process carob, which was a major export of the region.
Akrotiri Peninsula
A large salt lake south of the city where flocks of flamingos and other water birds gather in the cooler months, next to a long sandy beach called Lady's Mile. The lake often dries out in summer, so the birds are not there all year. The beach is quieter than the city beaches and popular with locals at weekends.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C / 10°C | 11 days (103 mm) | 8.6 h/day | 19°C | 6.7/10 |
| February | 17°C / 10°C | 7 days (49 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 18°C | 8.1/10 |
| March | 19°C / 11°C | 6 days (38 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 18°C | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: April | 23°C / 14°C | 4 days (18 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 19°C | 9.2/10 |
| May | 27°C / 18°C | 3 days (9 mm) | 12.9 h/day | 21°C | 9.2/10 |
| Best month: June | 30°C / 21°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 13.8 h/day | 24°C | 10.0/10 |
| July | 33°C / 24°C | 0 days (0 mm) | 13.9 h/day | 27°C | 8.3/10 |
| August | 33°C / 24°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 12.7 h/day | 28°C | 8.3/10 |
| Best month: September | 31°C / 23°C | 0 days (2 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 28°C | 10.0/10 |
| Best month: October | 28°C / 19°C | 3 days (24 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 26°C | 9.6/10 |
| November | 23°C / 15°C | 5 days (33 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 24°C | 9.0/10 |
| December | 18°C / 12°C | 9 days (88 mm) | 8.3 h/day | 21°C | 8.2/10 |
High 15.9°C with 11.2 rain days and 103 mm of rain, the wettest month. Expect grey, damp spells. Sea still 19.2°C. Verdict: good (6.7).
High 16.9°C and 6.7 rain days, so the rain eases after January. Cool, fresh days. Scores 8.1, a best month.
High 18.7°C, 6 rain days and 10.6 hours of sun. Mild spring weather. Scores 8.8, a best month.
High 22.6°C and only 3.8 rain days. Warm, sunny days with 11.7 hours of sun. Scores 9.2, a best month.
High 26.5°C, 2.6 rain days and the sea at 20.6°C. Warm and dry. Scores 9.2, a best month.
High 29.6°C, just 0.3 rain days and 13.8 hours of sun. Hot, but not yet peak heat. Top score of 10.
The hottest month: high 32.8°C, lows of 24.1°C and 0 rain days. Midday heat is tough. Sea 27.1°C. Scores 8.3, still best.
High 32.5°C, warm nights at 24.4°C and 0.2 rain days. Midday heat is strong. Sea peaks at 28.2°C. Scores 8.3, best.
High 30.7°C, 0.3 rain days and the sea at 27.7°C. The heat eases a little. Top score of 10.
High 27.5°C and 3.1 rain days, with the sea still 25.8°C. Warm and mostly dry. Scores 9.6, a best month.
High 22.8°C, 5.2 rain days and the sea at 24°C. Mild, with more rain arriving. Scores 9, a best month.
High 18.2°C, 9.2 rain days and 88 mm of rain as the wet season starts. Least sun, 8.3 hours. Scores 8.2, best.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Cyprus →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, food lovers, walkers
The historic centre around the medieval castle and the old market has narrow lanes, tavernas, small bars and craft shops. Most sights and the Molos seafront promenade are within walking distance. Streets around the bars can be noisy late at night, especially at weekends.
Good for couples, upmarket stays, short breaks
This modern waterfront next to the Old Town has yacht berths, restaurants and shops along a tidy promenade. You can walk into the historic centre and along the seafront. It feels polished rather than local, and eating and staying here costs more than elsewhere in town.
Good for beach access, walkers, mid-range
This seafront district sits just east of the Old Town, along the Molos promenade and the start of the long coastal path. It mixes city life with easy access to the sea and cafés. The beaches here are city beaches, and the coastal road brings traffic noise to front-facing rooms.
Good for nightlife, beach holidays, groups
The main tourist strip east of the centre has a long line of hotels, beach bars, restaurants and clubs along the coast road. It is the easiest place for a classic sun-and-sea holiday with everything close by. It is busy and loud in summer, and the Old Town is a bus or taxi ride away.
Places within 2½ hours by train, bus, ferry or car.
bus · 5 EUR
Intercity Buses route between Solomos Square in Nicosia and Limassol. The bus runs about every hour from early morning to late evening. A one-way ticket is €5 and a return is €9. You can buy a one-way ticket from the driver. The time is about 1.5 hours, based on third-party timetable data (Rome2Rio).
A dark, sweet dessert wine made from sun-dried grapes in the hill villages north of Limassol. Locals sip a small glass after a meal or with sweets, and wineries in the area offer tastings.
A long run of small seafood plates, such as octopus, calamari, and grilled fish, brought out one after another. Limassol's seafront tavernas serve it, and families often share it slowly over a weekend lunch.
Cyprus's firm, salty cheese. It squeaks when you bite it and does not melt on the grill. It is served grilled with meze, in sandwiches, or with watermelon on hot days.
Souvla is large chunks of pork or lamb slow-cooked on a charcoal spit. Sheftalia are small grilled sausages wrapped in caul fat. Both are Sunday and holiday favourites, and grill houses serve them in pitta.
Lamb slow-baked for hours with potatoes, often in a sealed clay oven, until it falls off the bone. Look for it in traditional tavernas and village restaurants in the hills around Limassol.
Small fried dough balls soaked in honey syrup and sometimes topped with cinnamon. People buy them hot from street stalls and sweet shops, especially at festivals and fairs.
Best: Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec
Best: Mar, Apr, Jun, Oct
Best: Apr, Jun, Sep, Oct
June and September are the top months, and October and April are close behind. June and September both score 10 out of 10. In June, highs reach about 30°C, it rains on only 0.3 days and the sea is 24.4°C. September is a little warmer, with highs of 30.7°C and a sea of 27.7°C. April is milder at 22.6°C, but the sea is still cool at 18.6°C.
Yes, August is good for a beach holiday, but it is hot. Daytime highs average 32.5°C, and nights stay warm at about 24.4°C. The sea is at its warmest of the year at 28.2°C. There is almost no rain, with only 0.2 rain days, and you get 12.7 hours of sun a day. August scores 8.3, lower than June or September, because of the heat.
January is mild, but it is the wettest month of the year. Highs are about 15.9°C and lows about 9.6°C. It rains on 11.2 days, with 103 mm in total. You still get 8.6 hours of sun a day. The sea is 19.2°C. January scores 6.7 and is rated good. It suits sightseeing more than beach days.
Yes, the sea is still warm in both months. In October it averages 25.8°C, with air highs of 27.5°C and only 3.1 rain days. In November the sea is 24°C and highs are 22.8°C, but rain rises to 5.2 days. The sea is coolest in March, at 17.8°C.
Plan a full day for the city and another full day for the sites to the west. In town, the Old Town takes 2–3 hours, Limassol Castle 1–2 hours, Molos Promenade 1–2 hours and the Marina 1–2 hours. Out west, Kourion takes half a day, and Kolossi Castle and the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates take 1 hour each. Add half a day for Akrotiri Salt Lake and Lady's Mile.
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