Free cruises in Limassol as part of Thalassa 2023 festival

President Nikos Christodoulides will inaugurate the Thalassa 2023 festival promoting marine culture in Limassol this weekend.

For the first time, vessels of the Navy, the Port and Maritime Police, Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, as well as the tugboat of VTS Vasiliko Terminal will be seen by the guests attending the festival at the Limassol pier this Saturday, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanoli said.

Speaking at a press conference, she noted that the scheduling of the event, which is co-organised by the shipping deputy ministry and the Limassol municipality, is not a coincidence. She said the International Women’s Day in Shipping is celebrated on May 18 and the European Maritime Day on May 20,

Thanking the 37 organisations participating, she explained that the festival aims at cultivating the maritime and marine culture in the civil society, as well as promoting the sea as a way of life, entertainment, sports, choice of studies and professions.

In his address, Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides recalled that the municpality has a 4,000-year-old relationship with the sea, “which has shaped the city, its identity, its culture, its economy, its development, its people”.

Thalassa festival, he said, is a means for shaping policies and actions that will help preserve this history.

During the event, he added, the Limassol Municipality will inform visitors about a number of issues, such as the monitoring of the cleanliness of the Limassol Bay sea and pollution suppression measures, the cleanliness of the coast and seabed and the annual Blue Limassol Forum to be held on May 26.

Morever, the Limassol Municipality will inform about its Innovation Centre, which will be inaugurated earlier in the day by the President of the Republic, as well as about its selection as one of the 100 European Mission Cities, which aim to become climate neutral and smart cities by 2030.

There will also be five free 40-minute cruises, in collaboration with Relax Cruises, starting from the Old Port, with the first one starting at 2pm and the last one at 6pm. At 4pm there will be three Jet ski races by the Limassol Jet ski Club and a Fly board demonstration.

There will be a stilt walk for the entertainment of young children at the festival site from 4pm, while children’s activities will be held at certain times.

The festival will close with a concert by Kostas Makedonas at the Old Port Square at 8.30 pm.