CYPRUS-Limassol, A Coastal City With Strong Economic Vitality And Picturesque Scenery

Limassol is the second largest city in Cyprus and an important tourist, commercial, trade and cultural center, has numerous coastal beaches, five-star luxury hotels, food courts, coffee shops and discos, while also retaining traditional coffee houses and pubs. Known for its hospitality, there are medieval castles and ancient ruins and large shopping malls, which provide people with colorful entertainment venues and ideal living spaces. Here you will surely revel in the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea.

Limassol is located in Akrotiri Bay on the south coast of the island of Cyprus. The uniqueness is embodied in the combination of all kinds of sightseeing and port trade, making it a diversified city with both work and play. In contrast to Limassol’s prosperous commercial trade and luxurious resorts, the ancient buildings stand tall, witnessing the history of the city. These relics provide a microcosm of history for local residents and tourists.

Here are some important relics：

Kolossi Castle

Is located outside Limassol. Surrounded by dense fruit trees, the old Kolossi Castle stands tall as a representative of ancient military architecture in the 13th century. The history of the castle dates back to around 1200, and the existing castle was rebuilt at the end of the 15th century. After the reconstruction, many places were damaged due to earthquakes, wars and other reasons. The castle eventually became the territory of the Knights Templar.

Limassol Medieval Castle (Limassol Fort)

The 14th-century Limassol Medieval Castle is another typical ancient military relic, dating back to 1191, where Richard the Lionheart married Princess Berenga of Navarre Leah, and crowned her as the new Queen of England. The castle was once the seat of the Byzantine military fortress, and now displays various historical relics from the Cyprus Medieval Museum.

St. Nicholas of the Cats (St. Nicholas of the Cats）

The history can be traced back to 325 AD, but the building itself of Limassol only dates back to the 13th century. After the area was under Turkish jurisdiction, the church building was abandoned in 1570. In fact, there is a marble coat of arms decorated at the entrance of the church, which seems to confide in the past of the Middle Ages. Today, cats originally brought in to drive away snakes are gradually flooding, and cats can be seen everywhere in the church hall where nuns are active.

Kourion

There is a small archaeological museum 14 kilometers southwest of Limassol. A large number of interesting archaeological discoveries near the village of Episkopi are housed here, which makes up for the small size of the museum.

Apollo Yartis Sanctuary

Three kilometers west of Curion is the Apollo Yartis Sanctuary, which is a magnificent sanctuary, built to commemorate the patron saint of Curion (the god of the forest). From the eighth century BC to the fourth century AD, residents celebrated here for the worshipped god Apollo. Important buildings in the refuge have been preserved to this day, including the priest's residence, the bathhouse and the pilgrimage hall. There are also many interesting parts of the sanctuary, including the partially renovated Temple of Apollo, the ancient Pafos gate, and the circular vow pit where priests piled up excess tributes.

The largest shopping mall in Cyprus is located in Limassol-My Mall. And next to the largest shopping mall in Cyprus, it is also expected to usher in a new "neighbor"-Cyprus' first luxury casino (City of the Dream)! According to the Cyprus Freedom Daily (ο φιλελεύθερος), if the only bidder's proposal is passed in a few months, a top luxury casino resort in Cyprus will be built next to My Mall. This bid comes from the company Melco-Hard Rock Resorts Group. Minister of Commerce Giorgos Lakkotrypis stated that relevant committees should speed up the review process and strive to implement this plan by the end of 2016. The casino license issued this time will give the winning bidder the right to establish and operate casino resorts, and to open 4 third-party casinos in other cities. The plan shows that the casino will be located next to the Limassol shopping mall, which is very close to the city port and Lady's Mile beach. The casino hotel must have 500 luxurious rooms, and the casino section will have 100 to 200 gaming tables and 1,000 to 2,000 slot machines. The resort will also have theme parks, restaurants, conference centers and water parks. The project is expected to cost 500 million euros, and the estimated annual revenue is about 450 million euros. In addition, the government expects to receive 2.5 million euros in operating expenses in the first four years, and 5 million euros in the next four years. The casino will pay 15% of the monthly gross profit from the gambling bureau, but does not need to pay value-added tax (VAT). VAT will only be collected from standard services, such as accommodation, entertainment, shopping, etc.

A seaside city with strong economic vitality and poetic, what are you waiting for?