HOW TO VISIT KOURION RUINS & KOURION BEACH FROM LIMASSOL.
If you are staying in Limassol and looking for a fantastic day out, we urge you to consider a delightful combination – Kourion ruins and Kourion Beach. Offering a stark contrast to the busy streets of Limassol City, Kouiron is a place to fully relax and unwind. This would be a great way to enjoy a day for a family, as a couple, or solo.
This blog post sets out all you need to know to visit Kourion Ruins from Limassol and to tag on a visit to Kourion Beach too.
What are the ruins at Kourion?
Kourion Ruins is an Archeological site perched high on a hill side overlooking a bay of the same name. It is believed that the structures were built in neolithic times and became a settlement, or city, in the 13th Century.
Kourion was named after Koureus, the son of the mythical king. Today it is regarded as one of the most important city kingdoms, despite the significant damage that resulted from an Earthquake in the fifteenth century.
How to get to Kourion from Limassol?
The Kourion Archeological Site, also known as Kourion Ruins are located here, 19km west of Limassol city.
Kourion Ruins by car
If you are heading by car then you only have a 40 minute drive from Limassol. Once out of Limassol town the roads are fairly straight and not busy. As you approach the entrance to the ruins you’ll be asked to pull up and step out to purchase a ticket from the booth.
There is plenty of parking once you arrive and it wasn’t crowded when we went. Do keep in mind that the site is quite spread out, so once parked up you will have to walk around on foot.
Kourion ruins by bus from Limassol
We took public transport to Kourion and it was simple. Bus number 16 from the Old Hospital located behind the main police station is a main transport hub.
It takes around 15 minutes to walk from Limassol Marina to this bus stop. Buses leave around twice an hour on weekdays and once an hour on weekends. See picture of current timetable (but keep in mind that this changes regularly) and a map below of where to catch the bus. At time of writing, the bus was a bargain at 1.50 Euros.
It can be a little tricky to read the timetables for buses in Cyprus as they tend to be Greek alphabet, but occasionally you get one in English. In the image above, you are looking at the second column (under the number 16) for departures from Limassol and the first column for the return journey.
The bus won’t drop you off directly at the ruins. You’ll need to get off at the third stop before the bus terminates. It’s best to tell the drive you are going to the archeological site and they can assist you.
From here there is a 20 minute walk up the hill to the entrance – found here. This walk along the road can be sweltering in the heat so be prepared.
Kourion Ruins with a tour
If you’d like to visit with a tour, this is possible. There are many tours which offer a visit to Kourion and other tourist attractions nearby.
Most tours operate from Paphos rather than Limassol, and include visits to Kourion and the Old Town of Limassol. This tour combines both.
An alternative, is to take a tour to Kourion that combines a visit to Kolossi Castle as well as villages in the Troodos Mountains. This tour offers a day trip from Paphos.
What to see at the Kourion Ruins?
Perched overlooking Kourion beach this ancient city flourished in the late Roman times before being destroyed by a strong earthquake. However there is still loads to see across the sprawling site.
We would recommend accessing the audio guide to accompany your visit – found here on the Visit Cyprus website.
Amphitheater
The amphitheater is one of the better preserved aspects of Kourion Ruins. You can sit and imagine what life would have looked like back then, from a seat in the theater. Today, there are live theater performances on summer evenings – we didn’t get to see one, but I imagine they are quite special.
House of Gladiators & House of Achilles
The House of Achilles and House of Gladiators have some of the most well intact mosaics. In fact, the houses were named after the mosaics that were found there.
The house of Eustolios
Originally this area was likely a large palatial home, but historians believe that it became a sort of club or gathering place. In the house, you can see the remains of baths, which were given over for public use by Eustolios, the original owner.
Enjoy the view
The site was built on the top of the hill as a strategic location. This provided a safe place for the residents, who could no doubt see any threats coming from miles away. Today, we can simply take advantage of this location and just enjoy the view out to sea.
What you need to know before you go to Kourion Ruins
Here are our top tips for all you need to know to visit Kourion Ruins.
You’ll need to walk around
The site is fairly spread out and requires a bit of walking around. This may present challenges to anyone with mobility difficulties. It’s best to wear comfortable shoes to walk around – sandals aren’t ideal.
Avoid the heat of the day
The best advice I can give is try to go as early as possible due to the heat. We arrived around 11 am and it was tough walking around the site after a while. There are large shelters around the mosaics to shelter from the sun but they are few and far between.
Take water with you
Consider taking a lot of water and sun protection if you visit at summer. There is a cafe, but it’s best to come prepared.
Ticket prices and opening hours
One of the things that we love about visiting historic sites in Cyprus is that they are inexpensive. Tickets currently cost 4.50 to enter.
At time of writing, opening hours are 08:30 to 17:00 every day. But check before you visit on the official website.
Allow a few hours
You will probably want a couple of hours to walk around the site and explore it fully. There’s a lot to see.
How to visit Kourion Beach?
Kourion beach is located very near Kourion ruins. If you have just visited the ruins and are heading to the beach you’ll only have a 5 minutes drive. There is plenty of free car parking at Kourion beach.
As we we took public transport we walked down to the beach from the ruins, this took around 20 minutes and was a super easy walk downhill. There is a lady about 10 minutes into the walk selling cold, fresh strawberry juice from here farm for 2.5 euros (cash only). Don’t miss out!
What to expect at Kourion beach?
The vibe we got from Kourion beach was old school European beach holiday. The water was crystal clear and two sun loungers and umbrella was only 7.5 euros total. An absolute bargain compared to so many other European beaches we have been to in recent years.
The water is very shallow and the beach sandy, this is an ideal beach for families with children.
There are two very large restaurants located on Kourion beach. The second Chris Blue Beach has a more upmarket vibe serving great lunches, fancy coffees and cocktails, while the first Kourion Beach is a more laid back affair, and was perfect for an ice cold Keo Beer. They were both excellent so try both if you get the chance!
How to get back to Limassol from Kourion Beach?
We visited Kourion Beach twice and both times finished up around 17:30 on the beach. It’s super simple to get the bus back to Limassol with the two stops located on the beach road. The bus will actually pass you initially as it does a U-turn further down the road and will then come back to pick you up. So don’t panic!
Do keep in mind that bus timetables change regularly in Cyprus, so check the latest times when you board the bus in the city. Times will differ on the weekend, compared to Monday to Friday too.
Here is an example of a timetable for Kourion. For departures, you must look at the second column (under the number 16), whereas buses returning from Kourion are listed in the first column.
Would we recommend Kourion beach?
Honestly we loved Kourion beach. While it may seem a long way to go from Limassol if you are taking public transport, the value and beauty of the location make it well worth it. Especially when combined with a visit to Kourion Ruins.
The beaches in Limassol city are pleasant, but the water in Kourion is remarkably clear. And the beach somehow remains serene, despite being a popular place to visit.
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One response to “How to visit Kourion ruins and Kourion beach from Limassol”
[…] this, the historical gifts of Cyprus just kept on coming. We loved Kourion Ruins, an important historical site near to Limassol and the Tomb of the Kings found on the outskirts of […]