Larnaca - Cyprus's gateway to the world

Larnaca's calling cardundoubtedly serves the famous Palm embankment (Phinikoudes Promenade)officially called Leoforos Athinon, from the north bounded by the marina, called Marina, and from the south by the Larnaca fortress (Fort of Larnaka)... Larnaca's best beach is located next to the promenade Mackenzie Beach, but in general there are a lot of beaches in the city.

Larnaca's most interesting natural attraction is the Salt Lake, which is located 5 km from the city. The scientific explanation for this natural phenomenon is that salt water on its way from the sea to the lake passes through porous rocks, which makes it even more saline. In winter, pink flamingos live on the lake.

Pink Flamingos at Salt Lake

Travelers celebrate the surprisingly welcoming and welcoming atmosphere of Larnaca, residents of the city treat tourists with respect and interest and always actively make contact with them. You can talk with the townspeople about literally everything. So, the seller of one of the local shops can inquire about the place of residence of tourists and the type of their activity, and the owner of the restaurant will gladly tell about culinary traditions and devote to all the intricacies of local gastronomy.

The townspeople are very hardworking, but they are also distinguished by their craving for bright holidays. Throughout the year, a lot of interesting holidays are celebrated in Larnaca, many celebrations have been going on for more than one hundred years. May is traditionally held Flower festival, and for several days the city turns into a huge fragrant garden. At the end of January it usually takes place Festival of oranges, which is also a rather peculiar event and is accompanied by a lot of interesting entertainment.

An interesting celebration is Kataclysmos, this holiday usually takes place in early June. Children especially like the celebration, because the main festive ritual is dousing with water. Numerous exhibitions and fairs await those who want to take a break from water procedures, as well as competitions in water sports are held as part of the event. As for religious holidays, for adherents of the Christian faith, Easter remains the most important celebration.

What to visit for culture, architecture, museums and temples

An important religious monument is church of st. Lazarus, which was founded at the beginning of the X century. Many interesting legends are associated with the church, according to one of which the shrine is located above the burial place of Saint Lazarus - the patron saint of the ancient city. In 1970, a beautiful legend was confirmed, an old sarcophagus was discovered on the territory of the church. The relics taken from it were solemnly transferred to the church, and today thousands of pilgrims arrive to worship the shrine.

Must visit old fort... Despite its impressive age, this powerful defensive structure never ceases to amaze visitors with its grandeur and inaccessibility. Today it is home to the Larnaca Museum. Among the thousands of unique exhibits, you can find old ceramics, archaeological finds and weapons.

Also worth a visit Panaya-Angeloktisti Church, Larnaca fortress, which was used by the British as a prison, and today there is a museum; Al Kebir Mosque, Pieridis Museum, ancient aqueduct... One of the oldest monasteries in Cyprus male monastery Stavrovouni on Krestovaya Hill, closed for tourists.

For gourmets

The indigenous people consider wine to be their national drink; for many hundreds of years it has been produced taking into account a unique recipe. Wine can be safely called one of the main national treasures, literally not a single meal can do without this drink, and even more so, a holiday. Visitors often compare the local cuisine with the Arab one; all kinds of meat delicacies are also common here, among which the kebab is considered the leader.

Numerous gastronomic establishments in Larnaca will delight both discerning gourmets and tourists who prefer simple home cooking with a rich selection of dishes. An interesting institution is the restaurant Monte carlowhich includes two attractive taverns located opposite each other. The restaurant is located not far from the old fort and specializes in national cuisine.

In addition to attractive restaurants, guests of the city should also pay attention to the local bars. Sports fans will love All Sports Bar... The most important sporting events are broadcasted daily on a huge plasma screen. There is also a real British pub in the city, The meeting has long won the recognition of locals and travelers.

Active rest and entertainment

Larnaca - a great resort for those who love beach holidays and active entertainment. For outdoor enthusiasts, this is a paradise: you can go diving, windsurfing or paragliding. Diving enthusiasts are advised to dive to ships that have sunk near the city, for example, to Her Majesty's ship Cricket, sunken in 1947 (you can even penetrate through some hatches into the ship's hull) or to the ferry Zenobia, which is 197 m long and has a displacement of more than 10,000 tons. This vessel is classified as one of the best rivers in the world. For beginners in the center Dive in diving lessons are held, and experienced divers are offered to organize a trip to the most picturesque underwater attractions.

For family holidays, it is the best fit Camelpark... This is a large-scale entertainment center that includes a real camel farm, a huge number of playgrounds and attractions for children of all ages, a swimming pool, a cozy restaurant and a huge Bedouin tent. In the center of the complex there is a beautiful model of Noah's Ark, around which an extensive corral is laid out. Here you can see a variety of animals: donkeys, a duck with little ducklings, chickens and turkeys, cats and other representatives of the fauna, which Noah transported on his ark.

Not far from the city center is located Larnaka Tennis Club... Both experienced athletes and amateurs will enjoy playing on a high-quality tennis court. In the suburban areas of Larnaca, there are several attractive lakes suitable for fishing. Among them are lakes Achna Dam, Aradippou and Lympia Dam.

Marina Larnaca

Marina Larnaca most popular with sailors who sail around the world, the so-called "Live aboard"... Every autumn, you can see a lot of salted sea wolves from all over the world, preparing their yacht for the test of the Red Sea or being repaired after it. They create a very special atmosphere of “coastal brotherhood” in the marina. Marina is located in the city center just a few kilometers from the airport.

Here you can carry out almost any repair and find the necessary materials and spare parts. The marina can accommodate up to 450 yachts up to 40 m in length. In this busy time, there are many more people who want to put their ship in the port than there are free places. The existing marina will be expanded to 1000 berths.

Work is underway on the construction of a new port and yacht dock in Larnacawhich were developed by a design bureau from the UK Scott Brownrigg... The total designed complex will occupy 250,000 square meters. This project includes the construction of a port, a yacht pier, as well as residential and commercial real estate. It is planned to create a rich infrastructure.

In the near future, another new complex for visiting yachtsmen will be built in Larnaca. It will be equipped with 1,200 new yacht berths, 2,000 houses and apartments, a hotel with 200 rooms, and a yacht club. There will be a 2 km long walking area along the sea. There will be shops, cafes and SPA centers at your service.

The estimated cost of the project is expected to be € 1 billion. The project does not imply any costs for the state, as a private development company will undertake the research, financing, construction and management of the port in Larnaca for 35 years, after which the port will be returned to the state.

Travel tips:

1. In the street markets you can find interesting leather goods, handmade silver, copper jewelry. In the nearby village of Lefkara, you can buy very beautiful lace made there.
2. Women should take a long skirt and a headscarf with them to visit monasteries and temples.
3. It is most profitable to go shopping with local currency, any other is accepted at an extremely unfavorable rate. In the markets, you can often see price tags on which only the nominal value is indicated, without specifying the monetary unit. This means that you can pay for the goods in any currency.
4. Concerts are held every weekend on the Palm Promenade, the entrance to which is absolutely free. Travelers are advised to visit the resort in summer, as the cultural program is especially rich and varied.

Text: Tatiana Lisetskaya 

07.01.2013