Spread along Cyprus’ southern coast and facing an endless blue ocean, it’s easy to recommend Limassol to retirees. I should know, I’ve lived here for 30 years.

Always a hot spot for tourists thanks to its many beaches, Limassol’s vibrant coastal offers a unique blend of Mediterranean charm, modern amenities and a relaxed lifestyle. Limassol invites you to embrace life at a slower, more fulfilling pace.

But it’s not just about the weather – though it rarely falls below 8°C, even in January. Limassol boasts a thriving expat community, world-class healthcare, and a surprisingly affordable cost of living compared to other European hotspots. Whether you’re savoring a local vintage at the Linos winery, exploring the Amathus ruins or simply strolling along the growing riviera, Limassol offers endless opportunities to make your golden years truly shine.

Ready to trade in the hustle for a life of ease and beauty? Let’s explore why Limassol might be the retirement destination you’ve been dreaming of.

Say goodbye to sub-zero temperatures

Retire to Limassol for Mild winters, sunny and warm summers

The reliability of Limassol’s weather used to be one of the city’s main attractions, especially when compared to the UK.

You can expect regular hot days of 28°C in the summer months. In winter, the temperature rarely falls below 0°C, often settling around 8°C in January.

We all wear summer clothes right up until the end of November

Unlike the UK, you can place a safe bet that your outdoor barbeques won’t be totally rain-soaked within an hour of you starting to cook your sausages, burgers or whatever takes your fancy. And we all wear summer clothes right up until the end of November. How’s that for a happy feel to life?

Lounge on one of Limassol’s many beaches

Endless blue ocean and swathes of sandy beaches

Another feature of this southern coastal town is its deep blue Mediterranean Sea and blissful sandy beaches. Limassol district spans over 100km of coastline, providing plenty of choices of beach.

Driving to the waterfront only takes 20 minutes

Wherever you choose to make your retirement home in this region, you will find you are never far from the beach. Even from the far side of the city, driving to the waterfront only takes 20 minutes. I often make the quick drive there to read at my favourite beach cafes and then eat lunch or dinner at the beach restaurants there if I have the time.

Walking to the sea is another option; expect this to take 30-40 minutes from the town centre.

That journey may take longer if you live outside of the city, most locations within the region are less than an hour from a stretch of golden sand.

Easy access to healthcare

Moving to Cyprus doesn’t mean leaving behind good healthcare. Limassol is home to one of the largest hospitals on the island and one of Cyprus’ best medical schools.

The Limassol General Hospital’s excellent medical staff and specialist doctors offer services on the GESY health system (reduced medical consultations and medication prices), operating similar to the NHS in the UK.

If you live in Limassol, you must eat the souvlaki

A city of tavernas and top local produce

There are no end places to eat in Limassol. While you could find excellent produce at the markets to prepare at home or cook on your BBQ, you should explore what the city has to offer. Call it a search for inspiration.

There are tavernas or traditional Cyprus restaurants where you will find typical Cyprus dishes. Think Greek food like kebabs, pork, and lamb souvlaki, with traditional unique side dishes (called ‘meze’) cooked al fresco or in slow wood-burning ovens. Or you can eat kleftiko or lamb cooked in an outdoor kiln. That’s not forgetting the pork chops – which are massive!

You can be sure you will have the chance to blend in with the local community

If you retire to Cyprus, you can be sure that you will find a restaurant in a beautiful location, like Limassol’s Marina, where you will have fantastic views across the calm waters of the Mediterranean.

You will be welcomed in any café or restaurant, and many Cypriots, young and old, gather in cafes throughout the day/evening to socialise, so you can be sure you will have the chance to blend in with the local community.

Cypriots are excellent chefs and cake makers, too. And when you cook at home, you will find vegetables, fruits, and other ingredients in our well-stocked “British feel” supermarkets that now look after your every need.

A city that welcomes new neighbours

Cypriot hospitality was the first thing I noticed when I moved to Cyprus. Cypriots are very used to international people from its tourism, and this is where their welcoming culture originates.

I can safely say that young and old Cypriots have warm, open personalities and will do anything they can to help newcomers in their country. You will see that they will include you in their circle, especially British people, for whom they have a fondness from the days of Cyprus’s British colonial rule.

Don’t worry about not knowing the Greek language; they will speak English to you whenever you meet them and, in the shops, and government offices, too. I’ve found it useful to communicate some basic Greek, though, because Cypriots appreciate this, but you certainly don’t need to be perfect at it – mixed English and Greek is fine.

It’s easy to keep active

With such forgiving weather, it’s easy to find outdoor activity clubs, with cycling and running clubs taking in the mountain routes around the city. If you would like to keep it local, there are also many indoor health clubs where you can take yoga, aerobics and dance classes.

A good way to make friends and keep active is to join one of the city’s sports clubs. There are football teams and an active amateur league, or you can join a basketball team (a huge sport in Cyprus).

Of course, with the sea so close, there are many water sports clubs held on the beach like sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, scuba diving, swimming in indoor/outdoor pools or in the ocean.

You will have excellent instruction in English while you look after your health

I recommend joining one or more of these because this is how you begin friendships with the many British living in Limassol. You can be sure you will also have excellent instruction in English while you look after your health, or you can choose to join the friendship clubs for a great way to meet new, like-minded people.

Golf has become a speciality in Cyprus, with five 18-hole golf courses boasting championship attendance from golf stars past and present. Many of my British friends have met other British golfing life companions on these courses.

You don’t need to play golf yourself either; you can go along for the social lunches onsite or take golf group lessons. As with all of these activities, you won’t feel out of place. It’s yours to choose what suits you best.

Stroll through one of Limassol’s many villages

Easy access to the cooler countryside

On Limassol’s hotter days, you can leave the city and drive to visit Cyprus’s Troodos mountain range where the weather is cooler.

You can spend the day sheltered in the mountains, stopping at the local Cypriot tavernas for lunch and dinner, sampling the local delicacies at any mountain village. The locally-made red and white village wine is always worth trying.

What will your apartment/villa cost?

There are three ways to obtain a residence in Limassol. You can buy a piece of land and build your new home on this, called ‘newbuild’, you can buy your new apartment/villa from a construction developer who will build it for you according to your approved design, or you can buy a pre-owned property through a real estate agent.

You should expect to pay about €80,000 for a 3,500 m2 piece of land in Pissouri village, about a 15-minute drive from Limassol town. A three-bedroom penthouse apartment in Neapolis in the heart of Limassol will cost about €690,000. A four-bedroom villa with swimming pool and panoramic sea views in Ayia Fila, Limassol – a very central location and close to shops, cafés and restaurants is likely to cost about €1,300,000.

Alternatively, if you prefer a rustic taste, you could opt for a two-bedroom village home in traditional stone at Platanisteia village near Limassol, currently for sale at €47,000. The Cyprus government gives grants for the renovation of village homes to improve the appearance of the area.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s make Limassol your retirement destination!