Limassol

From WikiAlpha
Jump to: navigation, search

Limassol is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and the capital of the district with the same name. Limassol is the second-largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population of 183,658 and a metropolitan population of 239,842. Limassol has been ranked by TripAdvisor as the 3rd up-and-coming destination in the world, in its Top 10 Traveler’s Choice Destinations on the Rise.[1] The city is also ranked 89th worldwide in Mercer's Quality of Living Survey. In the 2020 ranking published by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, Limassol was classified as a "Gamma -" global city.[2]

History

Limassol was built between two ancient Greek cities, Amathus and Kourion, and during Byzantine rule, it was known as Neapolis. Limassol's historical center is located around its medieval Limassol Castle and the Old Port. Today the city spreads along the Mediterranean coast and has extended much farther than the castle and port, with its suburbs stretching along the coast to Amathus.[3] To the west of the city, is the Akrotiri Area of the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

Education

There are over a hundred educational institutions in the city. Limassol hosts Saint Mary's School, a Catholic private school open to all religions and races, as well as other private schools, such as The Grammar School Limassol, American Academy, The Heritage Private School, and Foley's Grammar School. In addition to the various Greek-speaking Elementary schools, Limassol is home to the Limassol Nareg Armenian school.[4] Furthermore, Limassol is the base of Cyprus University of Technology one of three state universities, which was established in 2004.

Transport

Public transport in Limassol is served by buses. Limassol is connected to other cities in Cyprus via intercity buses.[5] The city is a highway hub, Limassol crosses some motorways:

  • A1 motorway to the north, to Nicosia
  • A5 motorway to the east, to Larnaca
  • A6 motorway to the west, to Paphos

Also, there is also a B8 road from the city to Troodos Mountains in the north. The city is close to two international airports: Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport. Port of Limassol is the main seaport in Cyprus.

Climate

Limassol has a subtropical-mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and pleasant winters, which are separated by short springs and autumns which are generally warm and sunny. From December to March the weather is unsettled and can be rainy and windy.[6] Sunshine averages around 6 hours a day. During this season there are a few days when the daytime highs might not exceed 12 °C (54 °F) and the nighttime lows might be as low as 2 °C (36 °F) but usually, the temperature ranges from 16 °C (61 °F) to 20 °C (68 °F) in the day and from 7 °C (45 °F) to 12 °C (54 °F) in the night. Rain tends to be heavy this time of the year and thunderstorms occur often though they usually do not last for a long time.

References

  1. TripAdvisor names 10 Destinations on the Rise
  2. GaWC - The World According to GaWC 2020
  3. Cyprus History: Cyprus under Richard I - cypnet.co.uk
  4. Higher education in Limassol: schools and universities
  5. Limassol Cyprus Travel – Things To Do, Restaurants
  6. World Maps of Köppen-Geiger climate classification