Coastal Cyprus and Mountain Cyprus are not the same. What's different? Not only the distance to the sea, but everything, fr om small nuances to the climate.
Limassol area overview
It doesn't matter if you plan to buy a home in Limassol "for centuries" or you want a long-term real estate rental, you need to look around a place you plan to live. Since Limassol is a tourist city, everywhere (even in the most secluded area) you can find hotels, guest houses as well as small accommodation to rent fr om private owners.
It's better to live in an area you want to to buy/rent your future home, at least for a week. Rent a room and look around. Make calculations. Plan routes to work, university, friends.
What might be important:
- How long it takes to get to 'strategically' important places. To your work, to your kids' school/kindergarten, to the sea, to large shopping centers, and so on. It is better to drive around at least twice: during dead time and rush hour. Calculate time spent on the road.
- The nearest store and its 'quality'. It is not always convenient when you need to travel far away for foodstuffs and other basic products. It's easier to find stores in the city, but in a mountain village it can be a real problem.
- Bus stop. In Cyprus, public transport usually is not in favor, but buses are still needed by some locals and newcomers. And this also applies to mountain villages.
- Local weather. It is better to ask locals about the nuances of a specific area. It happens that the difference between a flat coast and mountain villages is colossal.
- Cost of living. It is not always possible to save money by settling down far fr om the Limassol center. It is necessary to take into account not only the Limassol real estate price, but also utility bills , gasoline consumption, overpricing (if you live in the tourist area), and so on.
So, if there are serious doubts about wh ere it is better to live in Limassol: closer to the sea or further into the mountains, you should consider all the options and try to live everywhere for a short period of time. If this is not possible, talk to other foreigners who have moved here a long time ago and then decide which advantages and disadvantages can (or cannot) be ignored.
Coastal areas of Limassol: pros and cons
Living in the city is undoubtedly convenient in terms of the service sector. From grocery shopping to urban cultural life.
Why is life in Limassol good?
- Limassol is a big city. Lively, crowded, busy. For extroverts who want to live in Cyprus, Limassol is the best place, especially the city center.
- Everything is nearby! If not by walk, by car. Shops, medical centers, kindergartens and schools (elementaries, middle schools, high schools), social events, gyms, everything is nearby. You don't need to leave your district.
- The sea is near. The beach is easy and quick to get to, you can choose your favorite beach among many others.
- Cultural life is on top. Compared to other cities, Limassol is a year-round busy center full of theaters, cinemas, exhibitions, concerts and other events. In the evening you can go somewhere to a bar or restaurant, and on weekends you can look into amusement parks.
- Variety of real estate options. To choose housing in Limassol is not easy, as there are lots of options (different in price and quality). There are luxury offers for apartments and villas in the very center and on the coastline, there are more modest options in the suburbs. It is quite possible to find something for yourself, your family and even for a seven cats' owner.
Those, who have used to live in a big city, find it easier to adapt to Cyprus, if they live in the center of Limassol. The contrast is not strong as the old city dweller habits should help to "acclimate" and feel at home on the island.
But don't forget about the disadvantages of Limassol coastal areas:
- There are always a lot of tourists. Not everyone is ready to put up with the noisy and wild crowds in the neighborhood. It can sound cynical, but it's true that many people, who have moved here, say that tourists bother them.
- High humidity and extreme heat. Since the city "stands" right on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the sea proximity is clearly felt. Humidity makes the heat 'heavier' in summer, and it 'intensifies' the cold in winter.
- Too big prices in tourist areas. You can't just walk around the city and go to buy some bread or have a snack as there is a chance that the next store has overpriced prices. From the very first day of your life, you have to look for places wh ere you can buy food and other things at a normal local price, not at a “tourist” price.
- Traffic jams. Yes, driving around Limassol, especially during rush hour, can spoil your mood. And even if you do not get stuck in a traffic jam, you have to breathe the traffic fumes. And then there is a seaport wh ere they always find waste material dumped into the sea.
Of course Limassol is definitely not for those who love silence and clean air. But the sea, sun and social events are in abundance here. So your choice depends on your lifestyle and temperament.
Mountainous areas of Limassol: pros and cons
Tourists, who come to Cyprus for a week or two, do not even always have time to notice that there are mountains on the island. Nevertheless, the Troodos mountain range occupies almost half of the entire area of Cyprus. And Limassol district occupies some of the mountain areas.
Mountainous Limassol is small and large villages, which have a unique flavor. Many people note that urban Cyprus and rural Cyprus are like two different countries, two different Cyprii. And if someone definitely needs the urban events, others choose peace and cleanliness of the villages. Maybe you are thinking about village houses for sale Cyprus has a lot of them!
At the same time you can also find significant disadvantages of the Limassol villages:
- You need to drive to the city, even for a small reason. Do you want to attend a half hour event event or buy new headphones? You have to drive to Limassol! If this need arises regularly, it is easier to take housing closer to the center.
- Snow falls in the mountains in winter, there is a lot of snow in the highest areas of the mountains (there is snow from December to February at an altitude of a thousand meters and above). Some people think that it is an advantage, but in fact most people don't like snowy weather. Firstly, you will have to strenuously warm up your home (and spend lots of money on heating). Secondly, landslides and slippery roads occur in the mountains in winter due to snowy weather. And there are no snow tires in Cyprus! It is necessary to purchase an all-wheel drive car or snow chains.
- Interruptions to water and electricity supply. Water in the city comes from a desalination plant, but water in the village goes from a nearby source, river or reservoir. In a dry year, you have to save water very harshly, if the situation is critical, it can generally be given strictly by the hour. This is rare, but it occurs time by time. Electricity breaks down due to thunderstorms and winds, which happen more often in the mountains. And they fix it longer.
If it is very difficult to determine what is more important: rural tranquility or proximity to city life, you can settle somewhere between the mountains and the coast. You will be almost in the suburbs, but noisy tourists and nasty traffic jams will not bother you.
The sea view and the close distance to the sea are two different things!
Another important thing to know. It usually does not affect the process of looking for housing in Cyprus, but sometimes it becomes decisive. Especially for those who were born and raised away from the majestic sea waters.
Almost 90% of those, who moved to the sea areas, want to see the sea from their window. But most of them don't think how often they will look out the window or even go swimming.
The reality is that you need to overpay significantly for the view from the window and the close distance to the sea, since seafront real estate in Limassol is very expensive. And such expenses are not always needful! In the first year, you will say "Oh my God, here is the sea nearby, beautiful sea!". But if you work hard, if you have family you will not have time to go to the sea every day. You need to understand it.
The sea view from your window is another story. It is not at all necessary to choose accommodation as close to the coast as possible in order to admire it. The peculiarity of the Limassol mountains is that you can observe the sea from certain villages located on the open hills no worse than from the city center. And the sea view from mountains is even more beautiful, because it is not just a sea, but a big panorama.
So the sea beauty is also available to the villagers. If it's important to you, come and look around. Limassol city and Limassol district are a large territory, so it is not so difficult to find a home you fall in love.
If you are looking for an apartment or house to buy or to rent, contact the Dom Real Estate Limassol agency and get free advice!
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