Jerusalem or Limassol?

Limassol is a beach destination and Jerusalem is not. From Jerusalem, swimming means a full day out: about an hour to the long sand of Tel Aviv, or the same time down to the Dead Sea to float off a rocky, salt-crusted shore.

Limassol has city beaches along the seafront from Dasoudi to Amathus, with shallow, calm water, plus the quieter stretch of Lady's Mile and the cliffs and coves of Governor's Beach and Pissouri a short drive away. The grey sand and shingle near the centre are practical rather than pretty, but you can swim every day without planning around it.

Jerusalem has the richer table. Mahane Yehuda, the morning hummus counters of the Old City and the Kurdish, Iraqi and Yemenite cooking of its Jewish kitchens give it more range than Limassol. Kosher menus and the Shabbat closures in West Jerusalem shape what and when you eat.

Limassol's eating revolves around one long meal, the meze, which is best in family tavernas away from the seafront. Its strength is wine: Commandaria and the vineyard villages on the slopes of Troodos make for a fuller wine outing than the Judean Hills.

This is the widest gap between the two. Jerusalem's Old City holds the Western Wall, the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock within about a square kilometre, with excavations reaching the Bronze Age below and the Israel Museum and Yad Vashem beyond the walls. That is enough for several full days.

Limassol's own sights, the medieval castle, the old mixed Greek and Turkish quarter and the ruins of Amathus, fit into a single day. Its serious heritage lies outside the city, at Kourion and Paphos.

Limassol has the livelier evenings. Bars spill across the lanes around Saripolou Square until the early hours, the marina has cocktail and lounge bars, and summer adds beach bars and a few big clubs on the tourist strip.

Jerusalem's nights centre on Mahane Yehuda once the stalls turn into bars, and on the pubs off Jaffa Road and in the German Colony. Friday goes quiet for Shabbat, and anyone after clubs takes the train to Tel Aviv.

The two are close here, and the difference is mountain against desert. From Limassol you are an hour from the pine forest and trails around Mount Olympos in Troodos, cool when the coast is hot, with flamingos on the Akrotiri salt lake and diving and wind sports along the shore.

Jerusalem looks east into the Judean Desert: the Wadi Qelt canyon, the oasis of Ein Gedi and a dawn climb up the Snake Path to Masada, with greener walks around Sataf to the west. Summer heat restricts walking around both cities, and Jerusalem offers no water sports.

Both make strong bases. The outings from Jerusalem carry heavier history: Bethlehem, Masada with Qumran, Jericho and, about two hours away, Crusader Acre and the Baha'i gardens in Haifa. Some West Bank sites involve a checkpoint, so many people go with a guide.

Limassol's list has more variety of scenery, from Kourion's clifftop theatre and the Paphos mosaics to the painted churches of the Troodos valleys and the divided capital, Nicosia. Jerusalem has the fast train to Tel Aviv, while on Cyprus a hire car does most of the work.

Limassol suits children better, mainly because of the sea. It has shallow, calm beaches, a promenade for scooters and pushchairs, resort pools and kids' clubs, and a waterpark a short drive west.

Jerusalem welcomes children warmly and has the Biblical Zoo, the aquarium and the Bloomfield Science Museum, and older children enjoy wading through Hezekiah's Tunnel. But a pushchair is useless in the Old City's stepped lanes, and the mood at the holy sites is serious.

Jerusalem is easier without a car. The Old City, Jaffa Road and Mahane Yehuda are within walking distance of each other, the light rail runs out to Yad Vashem, and a fast train goes to Tel Aviv and the airport. All of it stops for Shabbat.

Limassol stretches along the coast, with buses on the coast road, no railway on the island and few buses inland. Reaching beaches outside town, Kourion or the mountains usually means a hire car, driven on the left.

Neither is a shopping destination, but Jerusalem gives you a little more to browse. The Old City souq, the hand-painted Armenian ceramics and the silver and glass Judaica around Ben Yehuda Street give it a stronger craft character, and Mamilla has the international brands.

Limassol leans towards high-street chains, malls and a few marina boutiques. Its best buys are edible: halloumi, carob syrup and Commandaria, with Lefkara lace a short drive away.

Both are expensive, but Jerusalem more so. Hotels, sit-down meals and alcohol there cost well above the Mediterranean norm, and only the free holy sites and market lunches ease the bill.

Limassol's seafront and marina charge resort rates in summer. Inland tavernas, cheap buses and cheaper rooms outside the peak months bring the cost of a stay down noticeably.

Jerusalem has more to plan an evening around: the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Jerusalem Theatre, the Israel Festival and summer concerts in the Sultan's Pool below the walls. Most of its drama is in Hebrew.

Limassol has no resident orchestra, but it does have one memorable setting: ancient Greek plays staged in the theatre at Kourion above the sea at sunset. The Rialto and Pattihio theatres and the carnival parades complete a small programme.

Neither city is built for unwinding, and they offer rest in different ways. From Jerusalem, relaxation is an outing: you go down to the Dead Sea for mud, sulphur pools and the odd sensation of floating, then come back to a city whose packed lanes and holy sites rarely let you settle. Its one weekly pause comes on Shabbat, when the western city falls silent and the streets belong to people on foot.

In Limassol, rest is part of the ordinary day rather than a trip of its own. Resort spas with pools and steam rooms are on the doorstep, meals stretch out and the seafront suits a slow evening stroll. When the coast grows too warm, the mountain villages above the city give you the stillness Jerusalem only finds once a week.