Limassol is the second largest city (after the capital, Nicosia) of Cyprus.

Limassol Halal Explorer

Limassol is the second largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia, with population of approximately 200 000. Apart from being a major tourist destination, it is also a principal hub for international business in Cyprus. This gives Limassol a more cosmopolitan feel compared to other district centers. Renovation projects in the old town and old port area are seeking to rejuvenate the historic center, making it more accessible and interesting for sightseeing.

Travel as a Muslim to Limassol

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Limassol

Limassol is about 40 minutes drive away from Larnaca International Airport (IATA Code: LCA) and Paphos Airport (IATA Code: PFO).

Larnaca mainly serves traditional airlines, while most of RyanAir flights land in Paphos.

There is a regular shuttle bus service from Larnaca and Paphos airports. Be careful to arrange pick-up from the shuttle bus stops, as they are away from the central areas. Bus driver might provide assistance to arrange a taxi.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Limassol

Limassol has the biggest commercial shipment port and a reasonable passenger port, with several regular cruise routes:

• Louis Cruise Lines from Agios Nikolaos (Kriti), Beirut, Port Said and Rhodes.
• St. Raphael Marina St. Raphael Marina on the outskirts of Limassol.

Travel on a Bus in Limassol

• There are special Green Buses which operate intercity. Buses are available for Troodos, Larnaca, Pafos and Nicosia. There are few stops. It is best to confirm timings from the closest CTO Tourist Information Center.

By service taxi

• Travel Express run an intercity service using shared minibuses between the major towns in Cyprus. They can pick up from Larnaca and Pafos Airports. They are a lot cheaper than taxis but more expensive than the intercity buses, however, they take you door to door. Bookings need to be made in advance, however, if it's not full you can normally get on the next one.

How to get around in Limassol

The three main roads are:

1. The Beach Road
2. Makarios Avenue
3. Griva Digeni (which transforms into Kolonakou / Spyros Kyprianou later to the east)

Travel on a Bus in Limassol

The bus service has been upgraded, with more routes and better schedules, however waiting times may still be long. The principal tourist route is #30, serving the beach road from Le Meridien hotel up to New Port (Old Port after 18:00), which runs approximately every 15 minutes.

Best way to travel in Limassol by a Taxi

Taxi is the most popular means of transportation for tourists, but are expensive and it is common to ignore meters. Sharing taxis is also popular, and may work out to a more reasonable fare.

How to travel around Limassol on a bicycle ?

The beach road has a dedicated bicycle lane stretching from the Old Port to the Dasoudi area. Keep in mind that in summer it gets very hot.

There are shared bikes available in Limassol center and along the bicycle lane to the east, operated by Nextbike. The easternmost location is near the Grand Resort, more than 10 km from the city center.

Transport rental

Cars, scooters and bicycles can be hired easily, however locals have a relaxed approach to Highway Code.

What to see in Limassol

• Limassol Old Town: renovated, especially around the Limassol Castle area.
• Limassol Castle
• Akti Olympion, a 7-km beach-side walking park area stretching from Municipal Gardens to the Old Port.
• Amathus Amathous GPS 34.71183,33.14333 Around 10 km east of Limassol. Ancient royal city.
• Kourion - GPS 34.66482,32.88892 13 km west of Limassol. Archeological site which includes a well-preserved Greco-Roman theatre and other sites of historic importance, namely The House of Achilles, The Altar of Apollo and spectacular views of the Curium Beach.
• Kolossi Castle - GPS 34.66517,32.93411 around 10 km west of Limassol, south-west of Kolossi village. Former crusader stronghold
• Governor's Beach (outside Limassol), long sandy beach with many beach-side fish restaurants, and a beautiful white stone coast to the west.
• Lady's Mile Beach - GPS 34.6218,33.0058 Along the coast to the south-west of Limassol, officially UK terroritory. Long mostly-pebbly, partly sandy beach with several beach-side fish restaurants. Try watching birds at the salt lake nearby. There is a UK military air base in the area.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Limassol

• Watch the Cyprus Rally every Autumn.
• Explore the Limassol Castle and nearby Old Town area.
• Visit Anexartisias street in the Old Town, a popular shopping area for both tourists and locals.
• Take a stroll on the seafront Akti Olympion in the evening.
• Take a walk on the wooden promenade along the sea opposite the archeological site of Kingdom of Amathus.
• The Municipal Garden along the beach road is a good place to spend some time and catch some interesting flora. However the zoo is not that great.

Sport

For a taste of local sport, visit the home games of the local clubs: AEL, Apollonas and Aris. All three compete in the first division of the Cyprus Soccer and Basketball leagues. Recently Apollonas' football and AEL's basketball teams have enjoyed considerable success in European competitions. So you never know, you might be lucky and catch a Manchester United visit. Expect double a figure score in such a case. Tickets are relatively affordable when compared to European leagues where on average a full price ticket costs less than €20. However football hooliganism is a problem as of late, so take care.

An annual marathon event takes place every February, the Limassol Marathon GSO. Limassol Marathon GSO is expanding into a big athletic celebration where Marathon runners from all over the world will meet to compete and at the same time enjoy a memorable experience race.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Limassol

• The traditional shopping streets are Ayios Andreas and Anexartisias street. These streets provide an ambiance of the old cobbled path lanes, away from the modern city.
• Several western style supermarkets (Carrefour, Debenhams, LIDL, Orphanidies etc.) are spread across the city and warehouse-style shopping centres have mushroomed on the outskirts of the city. My Mall is the biggest shopping center in the area, located to the west of New Port.
• Sea Sponges is popular product of Cyprus, used as a bath/face scrub. Loofa is used as a bath scrub. Available at most tourist/souvenir shops. Also there is a Sea Sponges Exhibition at the roundabout at the Old Port. However, sea sponges may be pricey!
• The Lefkara Lace and other lace products may be brought from Limassol or any other city than Lefkara itself, as they may be often over priced in Lefkara, due to a large number of tourists flocking there, especially during the tourist season.
• Opening hours for most shops are Monday to Friday 09:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00 (siesta time in between, outside of the tourist area most smaller shops are not open on Wednesday afternoons) and Saturdays 09:00-14:00. Only some convenience stores (Periptero in Greek) would be open 24 hours on all days.

Halal Restaurants in Limassol

Kebab can be optimum for a relatively cheap, fresh and filling meal.

• Syrian Arab Friendship Club, Lebanese-style tavern/restaurant with excellent meze in Yermasoyia tourist area.

• Ocean Basket, fish restaurant at My Mall.

Drinking water: it is generally safe to drink water directly from the tap. Most apartments/hotels would have a separate tap provided along with the sink, for water that bypasses the storage tank on the roof.

Muslim Friendly Hotels in Limassol

Apart from local luxury and boutique hotels Limassol boasts many branches of international hotels. However one can easily find low good accommodation. An increasingly popular option is private apartment and villa rental.

As far as renting a Studio Apartment (with cooking facilities) goes, there are plenty of them around, and one may find accommodation easily, both long term and short term.

• L'Onda - The forerunner of a new wave of boutique hotels. Pricy but classy. Highly rated and expensive restaurant, with a good selection of local wines. Popular with locals and tourists alike.

• Parklane Resort & Spa Formerly Le Meridien Considered as one of the best hotels on the island but you pay for what you get.

• Amathus Beach Hotel - Member of The Leading Hotels of the World. A five-star hotel that does not belong to a globalized conglomerate but non the less, a worthy rival.

• Four Seasons - A 5-star hotel. Getting a room facing the road can mean noisy nights, as this becomes a race track for locals after 22:00.

Explore more Halal Friendly Destinations from Limassol

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