Limassol is a city in Cyprus that attracts a healthy crowd of tourists particularly during the peak summer months, most of whom are drawn to the city’s pristine white beaches and rich cultural heritage. The largest city in Cyprus in terms of land area, Limassol is also home to a flourishing wine making industry, which along with tourism and other industries, comprises a significant part of the city’s economy.

Residential Places in Limassol

Limassol offers a wide range of residential options whether you are looking for a place to stay for an extended period of time, or even if you want to settle here for good. Being the second largest center of commerce in Cyprus, the real estate industry is currently enjoying a healthy growth in Limassol, with many local residents and immigrants purchasing property here.

Villas are always a popular choice of residence and they are particularly suited to the terrain here, with the miles and miles of coastline joining together the calming blue waters of the Mediterranean with the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. Many of the villas are located in the suburbs that surround the main part of town, giving them an unobstructed view of the ocean.

A growing demand for houses in Limassol has encouraged real estate developers to rise to the challenge, resulting in an abundance of residential houses in the area, ranging from housing complexes with pools to semi-detached units in quiet neighborhoods.

If apartments are more to your taste, you will also find what you need here, whether it’s a penthouse suite overlooking the ocean or an apartment unit fronting the beach.

Hospitals and Universities of Limassol

In Limassol, as is the case all over Cyprus, you have the choice of going to either a government general hospital or a private clinic. The general hospitals in the area are the Limassol General Hospital and the Limassol Old General Hospital. Both of these facilities feature several beds for lie-in patients and intensive care and emergency room facilities.

If you are a resident of the U.K., you should be aware that beginning in September of 2005, the Health Department has started issuing EHIC cards that will allow you to receive free or reduced cost medical care in Limassol, just as if you were a local resident. These cards take the place of the previous E111 cards and are valid for a period of up to 5 years. To get one of these cards, you should contact a representative of the Health Department in your country before you leave for Limassol. And keep in mind that free medical treatment is only provided by state-funded medical facilities. This means you will have to pay all associated costs when you go to a private facility.

Primary and secondary education is free all over Cyprus and you can find several educational institutions in Limassol. You should be aware that some knowledge of Greek is required if you wish your child to attend any one of the state run schools.

You will also find International Schools in Limassol, which will have the benefit of offering a U.K. based curriculum, with English being the primary language of instruction.

Some of the schools that you can look into in Limassol are the American Academy, the Logos School of English Education, The Pascal English School, and The Heritage Private School.

Of course you will not have to travel very far to get around in Cyprus so you may wish to check out schools in other cities as well.

Commercial Places in Limassol

Much of the shopping in Limassol is centered on three areas namely: Aneksartisias Street, St. Andrew's Street and Makarios Avenue. Aneksartisias Street should definitely be your first stop as it offers a lot more shops and more of everything in general. St. Andrew's Street has more of a tourist-y slant to it so if that does not appeal to you maybe it would be better to avoid it. They do have many shops that offer interesting souvenirs and local jewelry though, so it is still worth a look. Makarios Avenue is the place to go if designer fashions are what you are after.

As you would expect from a city that enjoys a healthy influx of travelers and immigrants from all over the world, Limassol offers a wealth of culinary experiences, from the familiar chain restaurants and fast food establishments to more esoteric cafes that feature local cuisine. Some interesting places to check out are the Famagusta Nautical Club, where you can have a cold beer while sampling the wide selection of fish and meat dishes, and Raj's Tandoor Indian Restaurant, which offers you the choice of having your food as spicy or as mild as you want. Raj's also offers a selection of vegetarian dishes.

Service Establishments of Limassol

Electricity in Cyprus is provided by the government-run Cyprus Government Electricity Authority or E.A.C. Electrical bills are payable every three months and rates are noticeably lower than what you have been accustomed to in the U.K. A further bit of good news is that electricity in Cyprus is measured at 240 Volts. The standard U.K 3-pin plugs are used, as are U.K standard cabling and color configurations, so any appliances that you may want to bring over from the U.K. should work with no trouble.

Water is also provided by the state, in this case by the Government Water Authority. It is generally safe for drinking, although if you prefer to be on the safe side, there are many purified water stations all over Limassol that sell 20-liter containers at Cyp 0.50.

Mains gas is not currently available in Limassol so you will have to purchase LPG Gas Bottles, which come in 10 to 12Kg sizes. They typically cost around Cyp 5.20.

Embassies in Limassol

As of the time of this writing, only Colombia and the Netherlands have consulate offices in Limassol. Most other countries’ embassies along with the British High Commission can be found in the city of Nicosia. In any case, Nicosia is not too far from Limassol towards the north, so you can easily go there if you have any concerns.