At a Glance
- Duration: Four-day stay
- Home Base: Limassol Old Town, Cyprus
- Top Day Trip: The exploration of the Old Town and the seaside promenade.
- Memorable Moment: The hilarious wrong-apartment incident that forced us to slow down and find the right door.
- Overall Vibe: Vibrant, chaotic (in a good way!), incredibly walkable in the Old Town, and utterly charmed by the local culture.
This Town is Special Because...
Limassol instantly charmed us. Unlike our later stops, Limassol's compact Old Town was right in the thick of things—attached to the Old Port and a vibrant promenade—making it incredibly easy to go out and wander. We both loved the fact that we picked an apartment right in the thick of things.
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Our Home Base: Limassol Old Town
Our journey from the cold air of Bergen to the sunny warmth of Cyprus was straightforward, but our arrival quickly became peak travel chaos. Our taxi driver, Ava, dropped us off correctly per Google maps, but in the waning daylight, we struggled to find the entrance. We found out later that the street the apartment is on is not on any Google map, so it had us off by about a block. What followed was a huge travel snafu: we settled into the wrong apartment! My phone cellular was not working and I couldn’t retrieve the check-in instructions but had sent Tom the door lockbox codes. The apartment we entered was under renovation, which explained the missing towels and non-functioning TV.
The next morning, after many texts, we met the owner by chance, who pointed out we missed the instruction to use the door on the left. Thankfully, the correct apartment was very nice, and I had to immediately retract all my mental bad reviews. This trip was bookended by a hilarious and awkward start.
Our Limassol Experience: The Day-to-Day
Seaside Promenade and Sightseeing
We began our first morning with coffee at Natives in Old Town, where Tom had an unusual and tasty savory pastry, and we felt it was one of the best coffees we ever had in our travels. Afterward, we spent 2.5 hours walking six miles along the promenade, stopping at a fish place for lunch, and soaking up the beautiful scenery, checking out the beaches and resorts along the way. This was one of the nicest pedestrian-only paths we’ve encountered. We saw the town just starting to decorate for the holidays.
The next day, we again went to Natives for coffee and breakfast and then walked around the Old Town.
- Limassol Medieval Castle: We spent time exploring the square and the castle itself. Today, the castle, which was originally built around the 14th century, houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum. The museum features fascinating exhibits like pottery, weapons, armor, and intricate silver artifacts spanning the Byzantine, Crusader, Ottoman, and British eras of the island's history.
The Street Art Spectrum
As we walked, we noticed the vibrant but chaotic mix of street art. Wesaw plenty of hurried, non-artistic graffiti, but we were equally struck by the large, incredible murals. This led us to investigate, and our research confirmed that Limassol fosters a thriving, official street art scene!
- The city sponsors events like the "Art Cargo Festival" and has hosted the "Limassol Street Art Festival," which brings international artists to create large-scale murals that successfully transform urban spaces.
- This explains the contrast: you see the standard graffiti but also beautiful, commissioned murals that serve as permanent, accessible artwork, adding a creative dimension to the Old Town.
The Castle Square and Local Culture
In the evenings, we found ourselves drawn back to the bustling square near the castle, where we had a truly great cultural exchange after meeting Andreas, a Cypriot Canadian. We met him while he was filming a fantastic pop-up event: a local company’s "sports division" was performing Michael Jackson's Thriller for Halloween. The performance—a health and wellbeing initiative dreamt up by the company's head of fitness—was brilliant.
Andreas gave us two key cultural insights:
- The Name Day Tradition: He explained the beautiful Name Day tradition, where people celebrate the patron saint whose name they share, elevating a personal day into a national "solidarity celebration".
- Traveler's Tip: He gave us a valuable traveler's tip: when looking for local restaurant reviews, use Google Reviews, as Cypriots use that platform while tourists tend to rely on Trip Advisor and Facebook.
We greatly appreciated how much time he spent with us, sharing local customs and giving us such insightful information about Limassol.
The Cat Spy Network
One of the most defining and hilarious characteristics of Limassol was the immense number of cats everywhere. They were so numerous, and often found in such precise, watchful positions (Tom noted them lined up like "Sentinels" across the road), that we joked they were running a spy network and truly ruled the city. We later learned the cats were originally introduced to take care of the snakes, and now there are more cats than people on the island. We even saw areas where people had put out cat beds for the strays, showing a clear affection for the feline population.
Culinary Discoveries and Shared Triumphs
Limassol offered a mix of international and local flavors, often accompanied by genuinely friendly service. The overall ambiance of the Old Town bars was striking—we loved how almost every place featured a unique three-part setup: street seating, a cool interior, and a "secret garden" or grotto hidden in the back.
- The Mexican Magnet: We picked a Mexican place for dinner on our first night. It was so nice to sit outside after the cold of Norway! The waitress laughed at us for sitting down at 6:00 PM (locals don't eat until 9:00 PM), but she kept saying, "Comeback at six tomorrow! I'll buy you a beer because you're bringing in customers," as tables quickly filled up once we sat down
- The Library: We had a memorable dinner (more like a substantial snack and a drink) at The Library, which is famous for its pizza and creative cocktails. The coolest part was the open-air courtyard, which allowed us to see the stars and the moon, creating a beautiful atmosphere.
What We Loved (and Didn't)
We loved the city’s old town beauty, it’s fun culture, and its accessibility from the Old Town to the Old Port and promenade. It was a place where we felt instantly welcome.
We were not there long enough to see or experience anything not to love.
Next Up: Paphos, Cyprus
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