I flew from Antalya, Turkey to Nicosia, Cyprus. During this time, you learn that at one point, Cyprus was completely Greek, but the northern part was taken over by Turkey with the pretext of protecting the local Turkish population from repression.
Ultimately, this was a pretext for Turkey to invade Cyprus, but the reason was most likely the oil in the area.
Leonidas’ journey to Cyprus
Upon arriving in Nicosia, you need to take a 40 minute bus from the airport to the actual city of Nicosia. Then cross a customs check between Turkish Nicosia and Greek Nicosia, and then another 1 hour bus from Greek Nicosia to Limassol.
Keep in mind, there are no ubers on Cyprus 🙂
Limassol, Cyprus
Cargo ship silhouette on the horizon off the coast of Limassol
Beachfront promenade with sun loungers and trees along Limassol’s shore
Construction cranes and high-rises along Limassol’s developing waterfront
Limassol’s coastline with modern buildings and turquoise Mediterranean water
Waves crashing over rocks with Limassol port in the distance
Sunlight glistening on the Mediterranean with cargo ships on the horizon
Swimmers at Limassol beach with construction cranes in the background
Limassol’s main boulevard with the iconic Oval building
Limassol is a long beach city, with a single main boulevard for cars, with sporadic abandoned and bankrupt buildings, or new constructions for investors to hide their wealth from tax collection.
There is a sizable russian community here also, many of which simply escape Russia during the winter months, or live in Cyprus completely.
Russian grocery store selling imported products in Limassol
New high-rise construction towering over older buildings in Limassol
Seafood menu board at Blue Coast restaurant on the Limassol waterfront
Abandoned building for sale, a remnant of Cyprus’s financial crisis
The iconic Oval tower, one of Limassol’s modern landmarks
Beachgoers swimming near Limassol’s apartment-lined shore
The beach at the time (in November 2019) was extremely windy, and the waters quite aggressive. You can obviously go for a swim, but not too far, since the current is quite strong.
Large shipment vessel are seen with their multicolored silhouettes in the horizon.
It wasn’t HOT in November, but at night time, it could get mildly cool. Jeans and long-sleeve shirt kind of weather.
Beachfront hotel with palm trees and blue sun umbrellas along the shore
Palm-lined promenade along Limassol’s seaside boardwalk
Orthodox church domes visible from Limassol’s waterfront park
The S. Elena fishing trawler docked at Limassol’s old port
Cypriot and Greek flags flying side by side on a fishing boat
Colorful fishing boats moored at Limassol’s old harbor
Coast guard crew working on the dock at Limassol marina
Sandy beach cove with new construction rising in the background
The main character of Cyprus is it’s ancient fortress and old town. A collection of narrow streets, with stone and brick single or double story homes. There is a simple market and restaurant area, mixed in with more recent renovations.
The historical context of this town can only be really experienced with a guide, or a good history lesson… which I forgot to engage in during my time there.
St. Antonios Greek Orthodox Church with its stone bell tower
Mosque minaret rising above the weathered rooftops of Limassol’s old town
Ancient stone walls of Limassol Castle, a medieval fortress
Historic cannon and inscribed stone tablet inside Limassol Castle
Carved medieval tombstone depicting a knight inside Limassol Castle
Latin inscription and heraldic coat of arms on a medieval funerary slab
Gothic stone arches and archaeological display inside Limassol Castle museum
Medieval stone carvings of religious figures in the castle museum
Ancient Roman-era stone bust portrait inside Limassol Castle museum
Rusty water tower rising above terracotta rooftops with misty hills beyond
Quiet residential streets in Limassol’s old town neighborhood
Rooftop view over Limassol’s old town with stone and brick buildings
Twin bell towers of Agia Napa Cathedral rising above the old town
Mosque minaret and church dome coexisting in Limassol’s skyline
The old rusted water tower of Limassol, a local landmark
The Bishopric of Limassol with its arched colonnades and Greek flag
Agia Napa Cathedral’s grand dome and bell tower up close
Colorful street mural of a woman and child in Limassol’s old town
Charming pedestrian street with restored limestone buildings in Limassol’s old quarter
North Cyprus, and Greek cyprus has a clear demarcation in religion, the north following Islam, while the south being orthodox greek (the same religion as Russia and Belarus).
I briefly wandered into the churches, but I’ve seen SO MANY of them, that it was the lowest of my priorities while in Cyprus.
My friend let me use his electric scooter, which allowed more coverage of Limassol, as opposed to always exploring on foot (electric scooters are awesome!)
Agia Triada Cathedral with its twin towers and dome framed by palm trees
Rocky coastline stretching along Limassol’s boulevard with cranes on the horizon
A brief Excursion to Paphos, Cyprus
My buddy gave me a ride to the outskirts of Cyprus, to a small Villa of another friend area near Paphos.
His backyard consisted of this wrecked ship, the Edro III: https://goo.gl/maps/JBogoqV1g29ZknDN6
I managed to climb aboard, and take a few pix with my cellphone. It was covered in bird sh*t, so I didn’t go inside to avoid contracting and bad bacteria or diseases.
But otherwise, it was a fun adventure.
The Edro III shipwreck resting on the rocky coast near Paphos
Leonidas standing on the deck of the Edro III shipwreck
Inside the Edro III’s wrecked bridge, looking out through the broken windshield
Abandoned navigation room with old CRT monitors caked in grime
View of the Edro III’s rusted deck through the shattered bridge window
The destroyed control panel inside the Edro III’s wheelhouse
Leonidas exploring the main deck of the Edro III with its rusted crane
Rusted winches and crane mechanisms on the Edro III’s deck
Corroded mooring ring framing the Mediterranean from the Edro III’s bow
The Edro III’s rusted crane towering against the blue sky
Afterwards, we went for a little climb into the hills and mountains of Cyprus, to enjoy nature, and have a few fun conversations.
You get a sense that Cyprus will remain under-developed for as long as possible, with it’s sparsely populated wilderness and average infrastructure. But in a sense, it means you can escape from the constant drive and grind of a major city, especially on the outskirts of Cyprus.
Panoramic view of the Paphos coastline and mountains from the hills above
Scrubby hillside dotted with trees in the Cypriot countryside
Rolling green hills and mountains of the Akamas Peninsula
Coastal headlands and sea stacks seen from the hilltops above Paphos
Sunset casting golden light over the forested hills toward the Mediterranean
Golden hour view through a fence overlooking the Cypriot hills
Coastal lookout station surrounded by brush at golden hour
My friend, who is staying in the villa next to the big boat, managed to scale his Amazon business into the 7-figure range.
I made a brief interview about it with him, as he was on the verge of selling the business to finally be free.
Leonidas and his friend at a seaside villa with pool near Paphos
Cyprus Review
Luckily, most days in Cyprus were warm at the least, and cool in the shadows, and cold at night.
This would be a great place to unwind and disconnect, although this could be impossible if you are still connected to the internet.
Limassol wasn’t super busy at the time and a bit decrepit due to their recent bankruptcy, which gave it a more relaxed atmosphere and vibe.
Ultimately, Cyprus was a blast, with its wide nature, and very rural feel to it, while in not too dense in the cities themselves.
Written by
Leonidas K.
Since 2010, Leonidas has been an incredible Web Developer, and amazing Digital Marketer. He is the author of various exciting case studies in digital marketing, most notably in Pay Per Call Marketing.
Make sure to read the case studies to make your life so much better!
