Larnaca

Understand

Larnaca has a reasonable claim to being the oldest city in Cyprus, with evidence of habitation up to 6000 years ago.
Modern Larnaca, like other Cypriot coastal towns, is divided into an older city center and a wide sprawl of hotels and restaurants along the beach.

Get in

Larnaca International Airport [2] (IATA: LCA) is the largest airport on Cyprus, located 6 km to the west of the city center. Taxis to the city take 15 minutes, there are also scheduled city buses. There are no left luggage/baggage storage facilities at the airport.
Shared taxis (dolmus) connect Larnaca to Nicosia and Limassol.


Get around

Larnaca is a thin ribbon of a town and you can walk around most of it. The seaside Larnaca Promenade (Phinikoudes) is particularly pleasant for a stroll in the evening.
By law, taxis should charge by the meter, but many cabbies will refuse to use it. Metered fares should be 65 cent; to get in plus 22 cent/km, night surchages apply after midnight.


Other destinations

  • South East coast of Cyprus
  • Ayia Napa
  • Kapparis
  • Protaras
  • Cape Greco
  • Agia Triada
  • Protaras 

See

  • The Church of St. Lazarus (Ayios Lazaros Sq), an Orthodox church dating to the 9th century, is reputedly built around the tomb of the biblical Lazarus, brother of Mary.
  • The Larnaca Salt Lake is to the west of town near the airport. In winter (November to March), flocks of pink flamingos can be seen here.
  • The Hala Sultan Tekke mosque is perched by the side of the Salt Lake. The tomb of Umm Haram, the foster mother of Mohammed, is said to be here.
  • Faneromeni Church (Ekklisía tis Faneroménis), [3]. This mashup of various architectural styles used to stand in the centre of the city – until 1974. There is a marble mausoleum next to it. 
     

Do

Diving the wreck of the Zenobia
Diving the wreck of the Zenobia
For divers the main reason to come to Larnaca is the wreck of the Zenobia (watch video[4]), a ro-ro ferry that sunk in 1980 on her maiden voyage only a few hundred meters from the harbor due to a fault in the ballast computer. Fully laded with trucks and their cargo, the ship now lies on its side at a depth of 42 meters, with the top of the wreck at 18m and thus easily accessible even to PADI Advanced Open Water divers. If your flight comes in right, you can even see the shadow of the wreck as you land at Larnaca airport!
  • @lpha Divers (Alpha Divers) @lpha Divers Dive Centre (Dhekelia Rd), 2, Pyla Gardens, Dhekelia Road, Larnaca, 7081, Cyprus; Tel/Fax             +357-24-647519      ; email: info@alpha-divers.com; [5], a PADI Five Star Gold Palm Instructor Development Centre and a British Sub-Aqua Club Premier & Technical Centre. Located adjacent to Lordos Beach Hotel and Mariandy Hotel.
  • Dive-In Cyprus (Blu View Residence, 132 Piale Pascha, Larnaca 6027; tel.             +357 24-627469      ; email larnaca@dive-in.com.cy [6]) is a PADI 5-star dive center and Regional SDI/TDI office that specializes in dives to the Zenobia, it can also arrange nitrox and penetration dives for the technical diver. Full range of PADI, TDI, TecRec and SDI courses available.

Buy

The nearby village of Lefkara is famous for its lace and silverware, and Larnaca being the nearest large town to the village, sells both in plentiful supply.
Independent jewellers and watchmakers are abundant, particularly among and just off the main Ermes/Ermou Street.
  • Oro Fino Jewellery, Pavlou Valsamaki 26, 50 metres from Foinikoudes beach, near St. Lazaurs, tel.             24-654666      . Italian and Greek designs, diamonds to zircons, precious to semi-precious stones. The shop also features the latest jewel in fashion, NEWD SKIN JEWEL as well as brand watches like GUESS, D&G and DKNY. 

Sleep

There are countless hotels and hotel apartments of varying degrees of luxury by the seaside.
  • EasyHotel, 1 Kimonos Avenue, Larnaka, 6015, (), [7]. Two star budget hotel, located near the Main Police Station, 5 minutes from seaside, 10 minutes from city center. This is the best option in town. The hotel was opened in 2010 and everything is new and clean. The staff are fantastic and always ready to help. Starting at 15 euros for a double room in low season..  edit
  • Frangiorgio Hotel Apartments [8]. A modern hotel in the heart of Larnaca, 1-minute walk from the town's main beach and shopping areas. It has 24 furnished apartments with equipped kitchens, air-conditioning systems, heating, satellite TVs, double glazed windows, private balconies and telephones. Other facilities include: daily cleaning of rooms, laundry service, bar, fax service, internet facilities, 24 hour reception and a new in house 24 hour mini market. Rates range from £16 to £40 depending on the season.
  • Sandbeach Castle Hotel, Piale Pascha, tel.             24-655437      , [9]. A fairly typical 2-star hotel, a bit of a hike from the city center, but not too far from the dive shops. Clean and generally acceptable. Rooms from £18.80 and up (with breakfast) in the low season, add in another £5 for the winter high season.
  • Blue Serenity Private Villa, Pervolia 10 mins in car, [10]. A brand new family villa - 3 bedrooms - fully air conditioned - private pool. Nice quite getaway place. Prices in low season from £400 per week, rising to £600 in the high season.
  • Sveltos Beach Apartments, Piale Pasha, Mckenzy (Mckenzy Beach), ☎             00357 246 57240      , [11]. Self catering apartments 10 metres from the sea with views over Larnaca Bay towards Cape Greco. Rates from €35 a night in low season for a one bed apartment sleeping two to €65 a night for a 2 bedroom apartment sleeping 4 in high season €35. 
  • '''Pyla Village & Pyla Palms & Pyla Gardens Resorts Apartments''', Pyla, Larnaca (Take A1 from Airport to Aiya Napa come off at 2nd Turn for Pyla Village, Pyla Palms on right 2 miles and Pyla Village Resort 0.5mils on right). Recently completed private apartments with pool, 5 minutes drive from beach, and 8 to 12 minutes walk to town. Websites: www.pylavillageresort.com from £119 pppw. 
  • Golden Bay Beach Hotel (Golden Bay Beach Hotel), Dhekelia Rd, 6306 Larnaca (Take Highway to Ayia Napa from the airport, then teke Pyla Exit, turn on the first right, and then right again, then left when you reach the end of the road), ☎             0035724645444      . checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. [12].Part of the Lordos Golden Hotels in Cyprus [13] The only 5 star Hotel in Larnca, Located just outside the town centre of Larnaca.Golden Bay Beach Hotel | Cyprus Hotel [14] 
  • Lordos Beach Hotel (Lordos Beach Hotel), Dhekelia Rd, 6305 Larnaca (Take Highway to Ayia Napa from the airport, then teke Pyla Exit, turn on the first right, and then right again, then left when you reach the end of the road)), ☎ 00035724647444. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. Lordos Beach Hotel, is Part of the Lordos Golden Hotels in Cyprus [15], located on the sandy beaches of Larnaca, 20 minutes away from the airport, and 15 minutes away from the town center.Lordos Beach Hotel | Cyprus Hotel [16] 

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