Travel and run: Limassol

With a population of 105,000 inhabitants, Limassol is the second largest city in the island state of Cyprus, situated at a central location in the Eastern Mediterranean, close to Turkey, Israel and Egypt. Indeed, because of the strategic location of the island, Limassol has been under the reign of a variety of rulers, such as the Byzantine Empire, the Knights Templar, the Franks, the Republic of Venice, the Ottoman Turks and the British. This history of varying rulers has bestowed Limassol with a rich culture combining a number of influences from the “visiting cultures”. You can explore the local culture by visiting archeological sites, ruins and museums or by taking a church route, for instance.

There are plenty of sports and outdoor activities available in Limassol. The long stretches of beaches offer a good chance for a variety of water sports, such as diving, snorkeling, surfing and water skiing. It is even possible to explore underwater shipwrecks if you take a special diving course. For cyclists, there are numerous bicycle paths which allow you to explore and experience Limassol’s varied landscapes, such as the seaside or mountainous regions.

For hikers and runners the areas surrounding Limassol offer endless possibilities. It does not take long to make your way to the nature from the small city. You can choose to explore the seaside or check out the nearby Limassol Salt Lake, which is the largest body of water in the country (although a very shallow one, as the deepest point is no deeper than one meter). You can also get a glimpse of the local tradition by exploring the countryside near Limassol, where you can find vegetable plantations, vineyards and citrus groves as well as churches and monasteries. The foothills with their quaint villages are not far away from the city, nor are the mountains, if you are looking for a more challenging hike or run. In fact, there are many hiking trails of different lengths and types that people have charted and you can look for them online if you want to find recommendations.

If you wish to run and at the same time get to know local runners during your holiday, the Limassol Running Club will warmly welcome you to join them. The club runs every week of the year, three times a week, running along both beaches and mountain trails. You get to participate for a monthly membership fee of 20 €. In addition to the regular runs, the club also organizers running events. Among those is Cyprus Ultra which advertises itself as “The world's toughest 217 km [135 miles] extreme heat trail race”. The course consists of hills and mountains, with steep uphills and downhills, and temperatures can rise as high as 40°C (104°F) in the shade (although according to the homepage of the race, there won’t be any shade).This extremely demanding run has only ever been finished by one person. So if you are looking for an ultimate challenge, this race is for you.

If you are visiting Limassol in March, you have the possibility to participate in the 9th Limassol International Marathon which takes place on March 29th 2015. This is quite a pleasant time of year for running, since in Limassol the day temperatures in March tend to stay around 19-20°C (66-68°F). The race is beginner-friendly, since the flat course is low in difficulty. The course is also exceptionally straight: it begins from Molos, Limassol, follows the coastal road to the east passing the ruins of the ancient city of Amathus and after reaching Agios Tihonas turns back towards Limassol continuing on the coastal road. You can see the route here. Other distances are offered as well, such as half marathon and 10 km, whose courses essentially follow the course of the marathon but are just shorter. You can read more and register for the marathon here.

Limassol is also a good choice if you like to relax with a glass of wine. Wine has been made in Limassol for thousands of years and, in fact, the city is the most important wine producer in Cyprus as well as home to the annual Limassol Wine Festival. Organized in each September since 1961, the ten-day festival can be considered a revival of traditional celebrations to life and Dionysus, the god of Wine. In addition, there is a Wine Museum in Limassol, exhibiting the 5,000 year old history of Cypriot wine-making. There’s also the chance to take a wine route, for instance, the Koumandaria route, in which you learn about the Commandaria wine, the world’s oldest wine brand still in production.