The south coast town of Limassol is the island's largest seaside resort. Acting as a magnificent backdrop to the city that spreads for ten miles along the coast are the Troodos mountains, in whose fertile foothills most of the country's grapes are grown. Since the Middle Ages when the Crusaders heid Cyprus under Richard the Lionheart, Limassol has been known to traders for its wine and sugar cane. Now, this second largest city of Cyprus, with a population of 135.000 is the centre of its wine-making industry, and an important commercial and tourist centre.

The town's carefree holiday atmosphere, with wide seafront promenade and bustling little shopping streets, is matched by the gaiety and lively character of its people. With its fun-loving reputation and the best nightlife on the island it is fitting that only Limassol stages some of the Island s best-known festivals: the annual Wine Festival in September, when the various wineries offer free samples of their products for ten days: the ten day pre-Lenten Carnival with masquerade parties balls and grand parades, the Limassol Festival in summer and the ancient Drama Festival at Kourion.

Concentrated chiefly on the eastern side of Limassol, all types of holiday accommodation have been built close to the sea These range from luxury hotels. to apartments and villas Near them are a wide range of tavernas pubs, discos and nightclubs There are numerous beaches to choose from. some very popular during midsummer with the convenience of changing rooms, showers, cafes and bars, others quite uncrowded, particularly those on the outskirts of town, such as the sandy beach Known as "Ladies Mlle', west of the new harbour. Limassol also has an attractive, newly-completed marina equipped with every facility for the yachtsman.

As a shopping centre Limassol offers the full gamut from ultra-modern to traditional and handmade. European wares have place alongside local produce, and as in other parts of the island, shoes and clothes can be made to measure in a matter of days. Busy St Andrews Street, not far from the seafront promenade, makes a fascinating trip with its quaint buildings and overhanging terraces, under which a cornucopia of small shops vie for attention on this narrow, jostling street. Another important shopping street is Makarios Avenue, where many prestigious boutiques and showrooms are located, as well as small shops of every type.

A tour to one of the wineries can easily be arranged in order to witness production and taste the final product. Down near the old port is Limassol Castle, where Richard the Lionheart allegedly married Queen Berengaria of Navarre in 1191 and crowned her Queen of England - the first Coronation and Royal Marriage to take place outside England. Its grounds house the Medieval Museum of Cyprus with interesting pottery and tombstones amongst its numerous exhibits. Limassol also has an Archaeological Museum, with fascinating statues and pottery finds, the municipal Art gallery as well as a FolkArt Museum where specially staged room-sets display the old clothes and utensils to their best. The Municipal Gardens with small zoo offer a pleasant stroll amidst lush trees plants and shrubs.