In some places, wine is a way to make a living. In Limassol, it is a way of life. For more than 4,000 years, Cyprians have worshipped Aphrodite and Dionysus, paying tribute with some of the world’s finest wines. In the countryside surrounding Limassol, not only is nearly every hillside dotted with lush vineyards, almost every home proudly produces its own special vintage. While in many parts of the world winemaking has become an efficient, highly mechanized activity, in Cyprus much has remained unchanged for centuries, with plots of land and methods passed down through generations. Once of the most famous local wines is known as Commandaria,which is named after a castle built by Richard the Lionhearted in the 12th century. This amber-tinged dessert wine is made from sun-dried grapes of different varieties, a technique that dates back to 800 B.C.
Medieval Castle
Its medieval castle, built by the Byzantines around 1000 AD, is one of the nine castles of Cyprus. It is said that Richard the Lionheart married Princess Berengaria of Navarre here, in 1191, en route to the Third Crusade. The castle now serves as a medieval museum, covering the period from 400 to 1870 AD.
Museums
Limassol’s Archaeological Museum houses local antiquities dating from Neolithic to Roman times, while its Folk Art Museum shows Cypriot handicrafts spanning two centuries.
Twin Cities Park
Sculptures dot the reclaimed land of Twin Cities Park, stretching 1.6 kilometres along the seafront. The public garden on the coastal road incorporates a small zoo and a natural history museum.
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