Leaving Paphos
The hotel buffet breakfast was less today as it was their last day before closing until April. They only had 15 guests last night including myself.
My plan was to go across the road soon after for my Rapid Antigen test for entry into Italy. But the swabbing doesn’t open till 0900, so I had over an hour to kill before I could get tested and depart for the bus station.
Across the road later, they swabbed me a little before 0900. It was the shallowest swabs I had ever experienced. I probably could have had it done earlier.
I returned to my room to check out and collected my negative test results before a hot and sweaty walk uphill to the intercity bus station. I knew I would have missed the best bus to Limassol which continued to Larnaca, without having a long wait in between.
It was a 45 min wait but it went reasonably quickly waiting in the shade. The journey of 1h15 was comprised of 30 mins around Paphos before a good run on the motorway to Limassol.
Exploring Limassol
The bus finishes at Limassol’s New Port where I would wait for over 2h at a café till the 1430 bus to Larnaca. The driver suggested to us bound for Larnaca to disembark at what seemed to be the middle of an industrial area, that was close to the historic centre and old port. It turned out to be what I had hoped for but had written off as too difficult with luggage.
I walked around the new marina, waterfront restaurants, esplanade and pier. The pier looked a bit flimsy with the many thin iron posts. The waves were strong and crashing. It didn’t seem like a good place for swimming.
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- Marina and apartments.
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- Old port doesn’t look so old.
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- The pier’s skinny legs didn’t look strong enough for the crashing waves.
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- Limassol’s pier.
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- Limassol’s waterfront.
From there I crossed the road inland towards the old town. I found the Ayia Napa cathedral which I saw from the outside. Likewise with the Limassol castle. I parked myself at a nice café for lunch after which there was time for another short walk before heading back to wait for the bus to Larnaca.
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- Ayia Napa Cathedral.
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- Limassol Castle.
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- Around old Limassol.
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- Around old Limassol.
The ride to Larnaca took us along Limassol’s waterfront, lined with hotels, stretching for about 45 mins. At one point, I saw six cruiseliners off the coast. Coming from Asia-Pacific where borders are largely closed, this seemed so unbelievable.
Once clear of Limassol’s waterfront, it was a 30 min run on the motorway before we entered Larnaca’s built-up area. The hot walk to Paphos’ station and the second one around Limassol had worn me out. I didn’t feel like dinner and bought some fruit and yoghurt to have with my muesli as dinner.
After a brief evening walk, I stayed in for a boring night, watching the washing machine do my laundry.