The city of Limassol is located on Akrotiri Bay, south-west of Nicosia and is the islands second largest city. It is also where Richard the Lionheart landed during the crusades. Once a humble market town renowned for its sugar cane, it now has a population of 135,000. The city is famous for its carnival atmosphere and is the centre of the Cypriot wine industry. There are many festivals throughout the year for which the people of Limassol are famous for celebrating; these vary from winning a football match to celebrating and experiencing a beautiful sunset. The carnivals in February have masked revellers parading the streets with music and dancing and in September the wine festival takes place, celebrating the countries viticulture for the grape harvest.
The main shopping centre in Limassol has a full range of traditional and modern shops and prestigious boutiques where shoes and clothes can be made to measure in a matter of days. This really is an area that is busy day and night and is a true experience of Cypriot life.