Cyprus 365
Loading
Cyprus 365
Medieval keep with a Commandaria wine link
Kolossi Castle is a square three-storey keep standing among citrus groves a short drive west of Limassol. The present tower was rebuilt in 1454 by the Knights Hospitaller, who held the surrounding estate, and it replaced earlier fortifications on the same spot. Its solid, plain form makes it one of the most recognisable medieval buildings on the island.
The castle is closely linked to wine. The Hospitaller estate here produced a sweet wine that became known as Commandaria, named for the order's local commandery. Commandaria is still made in the Troodos foothills today and is among the oldest named wines in the world. Inside the keep you can climb to the roof for views over the estate and the coastal plain.
The interior is sparse but atmospheric, with a large ground-floor hall, a spiral stair and the rooftop terrace. Beside the castle stands a vaulted building once used for processing sugar cane, a reminder that this was a working agricultural estate. Kolossi sits close to Ancient Kourion, so the two combine easily.
Wear shoes with grip for the spiral stair, allow a short visit of under an hour, and combine it with Kourion for a half-day west of Limassol.
The present keep was rebuilt in 1454 by the Knights Hospitaller, who held the surrounding estate. It replaced earlier fortifications on the same site west of Limassol.
The Hospitaller estate around Kolossi produced a sweet wine named for the order's local commandery, which became Commandaria. It is one of the oldest named wines in the world and is still made in the Troodos foothills today.
Yes. You can enter the keep, see the ground-floor hall and climb a narrow spiral stair to the rooftop terrace for views over the estate and coastal plain. A vaulted sugar-processing building stands beside it.
Under an hour is usually enough. Kolossi is compact, so many visitors combine it with the larger site of Ancient Kourion a short drive away for a half-day west of Limassol.
Discover beaches, attractions, activities, and more in the same area
Pair this stop with our travel guides and insider tips to build the rest of your trip around it.