Limassol

Multicultural Limassol is Cyprus’s second city and the island’s gastronomic capital, with no shortage of both traditional and modern restaurants. Several are helmed by celebrity chefs, including Ristorante Locatelli and Matsuhisa Limassol at the 5-star hotel, AMARA. Wine lovers are particularly well catered for, firstly by the city’s wine festival in September, but also by the excellent wine museum in the nearby village of Erini, and by the region’s three wine routes (there are three more in Paphos), which provide the lowdown on over 5,000 years of wine production on the island. Along the city’s seafront a 16-kilometre pedestrian and cycle path links the old town with sandy beaches further east. Leave the coast behind and you’ll find a number of fascinating archaeological sites, the great Crusader castle of Kolossi and a wealth of pretty hill villages to explore, including Lefkara, known worldwide for its delicate lace embroidery and exquisite silver craftsmanship.