This is a very complete post where I list the main attractions of Larnaca, the city I fell in love with on my first visit to Cyprus and which is now my home. Here I will give you a series of tips to make your visit unforgettable. Cyprus' third largest city, Larnaca is one of the country’s most successful resorts among tourists in search of Mediterranean beaches.
Larnaca has everything you would expect from a Mediterranean destination: sandy beaches, palm trees and blue skies. The city’s name derives from the word “laros” meaning sea urchin because of its location next to the sea. Larnaca attracts tourists with its warm climate, beautiful beaches and enormous cultural and historical richness. It is also a very walkable city and you can visit many interesting sites on foot. Here are my favorite things to do in Larnaca:
Finikoudes is an urban beach, which has a blue flag certification and offers the contrast between gray sand and crystal clear water. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent (2,5 Euro each). The beach is about 500 meters long and 60 meters wide, making it perfect for practicing sports on the sand or in the water.
Opposite Finikoudes beach is Athenon Avenue, which begins at the castle and runs down to the marina. This beautiful avenue is full of coconut trees, and is the ideal place to walk with family and friends. There are many options of bars and restaurants for all pockets and tastes. From the best of the local food to the big fast food chains such as Mc Donalds, Burger King, and Starbucks.
Larnaca Medieval Fort was built in the 14th century by Lusignan King Lacov I for the protection of the city during the Ottoman occupation of the region. Located at the southern end of Finikoudes beach, the castle now houses a small museum with a collection of antiquities from the Byzantine period, cooking utensils, weapons, ceramics and paintings, dating from the 16th to the 19th century. You can also walk along the castle walls and enjoy the view of the city.
Right next to the Medieval Fort you can see the tower of the Djami Kebir mosque. This is one of the first Ottoman mosques in Cyprus, and is located in the old Turkish Quarter (Skala). It is well worth a walk in the neighborhood to appreciate the different architecture and the narrow streets.
After visiting the Mosque, going in the opposite direction to the beach, you will see the Church of St. Lazarus. This is a Greek Orthodox style church from the 9th century.
The church is located over the tomb of St. Lazarus who, according to history, after being resurrected by Jesus, arrived in Cyprus and was ordained bishop by the apostles Paul and Barnabas and lived in the city for three decades. The saint is much revered in the town and every year a procession is held in his honor a few days before Easter. The outside is very beautiful, all made of stone, and the inside is adorned with many golden objects.
The Church of Saint Lazarus was restored in the XVII century, it is very beautiful from the outside, all made of stone, and its interior is adorned with many golden objects. Admission is free.
The blocks in front of Finikoudes beach is full of stores, bars, restaurants. I recommend getting lost in the streets after a day at the beach, enjoying the different styles of the city, and then enjoying dinner in one of the delicious restaurants in town.
I confess that even though I have been living here for a while, this is one of my favorite late afternoon programs.
On the opposite side of the castle, at the northern end of Athenon Avenue, is Europe Square, a famous square that is the venue of many cultural and sporting events in the city.
Here we can see the first colonial buildings during the British administration in the 19th century, which today house the Municipal Art Gallery, the Historical Archives Museum, and the Larnaca Museum.
At Larnaca Marina you can find a lot of different boat trips, my favorite to do with family and loved ones is the Sunset Cruise, a very relaxing boat trip of about one hour that goes until Mackenzie beach and you can enjoy an amazing sunset.
For those who like more adventure I highly recommend going scuba diving. There are different options of dives and courses that go from the most basic (for those who have never dived) to the most advanced ones of 30 meters deep. Larnaca is well known among professional divers for containing what is considered one of the best dive sites in the world, the Zenobia wreck.
The Salt Lake is a little further away from the center (about 2.5 km from Finikoudes, near the airport) there are actually 4 lakes. I recommend visiting the lake near sunset time, which is very beautiful there. Between the months of November and February, the lake takes on a special charm, with the visit of thousands of flamingos.
Makenzie Beach is a very popular beach in Larnaca, located 2.5 km from Finikoudes, the sand is gray and the water is clean and shallow, very similar to Finikoudes.
This Blue Flag Beach has unbrellas and sunbeds for rent for 2.5 euros each, different options for water sports, and great parking.
With 1km length and 40m width Maquenzie attracts many locals and tourists day and night. During the day, the main attractions is to watch the planes land, practice water sports and enjoy the incredible restaurants. At night, you can enjoy the bars and clubs.
Situated on the southeast coast of the island of Cyprus, with its coastline of about 25km, it is surrounded by beautiful beaches washed by the clear waters of the Mediterranean.
Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate along the coast, with mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers.
July and August are the hottest months, with highs in these months hovering around 34 degrees Celsius.
If you prefer a milder climate, but still want to enjoy the beaches I suggest June, September (my favorite month) and October. At the end of October and beginning of November the days are still warm, but the nights get colder and you will need a coat.
In case your main goal is not to get into the water, the months of November through February are great to enjoy the flamingos of the salt lake and visit the whole city taking advantage of lower prices and the tranquility of being out of season.
Larnaca is not a very big city and the best place to stay is in the center of town near Finikoudes beach. From there you can visit all the main attractions of the city on foot, as well as have easy access to the bus if you want to visit other areas of Larnaca or even the neighboring towns.
Another advantage of staying in the city center is the wide choice of stores, restaurants, and bars.
The Lanarca has the most commercial airport in Cyprus, located only 8km from the city center. It operates many destinations within Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
A taxi ride from the airport to the city center costs about 15 euros, there is also the option of taking the 425 bus directly at the airport which makes several stops in the city center and costs only 1.5 euros. At the airport you can take the taxis directly there that are waiting. There are also Bolt and Taxify.
Important: Tap water is not drinkable.
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Max Mustermann
Max Mustermann ist Experte für Online-Marketing und hat bereits zahlreiche Projekte aufgebaut in denen er sein Wissen unter Beweis gestellt hat. In diesem Blog erfährst du mehr über seine Expertise.
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