LARNACA
Area: Cyprus


Location:
On the SE coast, 25 miles SE of Nicosia. 3 miles N of the airport.

Telephone code from UK:
357 24

Website:
http://www.cosmosnet.net/azias/cyprus/c-tour.html

Position:
Built round Larnaca Bay, facing SE. Generally flat; some hills and mountains further inland.

Description:
Larnaca is the third largest town of Cyprus, with a population of approximately 70,000. Its trademark is the famous mile long promenade, lined with palm trees, some of them fifty feet or more. The promenade is situated at the centre of the town and is adorned with hotels, restaurants, shops, bars etc. At one end of the promenade is a well equipped marina and beyond that is the town port used mainly by commercial shipping as most of the cruise lines operating in Cyprus use the Limassol port. About 200 yards inland the town's main shopping centre is concentrated in two parallel streets housing a wide variety of shops. The whole promenade area has undergone a major facelift, the main theme being the relocation of the existing main coast road, and converting the whole promenade into a "pedestrian-only zone". This has enhanced the whole area, making the open-air cafes and tavernas more accessible and attractive. The tourist centre for the region is located along a side street at the beginning of the promenade. There are also 2 other resort areas outside the main town: Mackenzie Beach and the big resort area on the Larnaca-Dekelia Road. Mackenzie Beach is a small resort two miles SW of the town centre. It is accessible off the airport road and also from the town centre, via a coast road through the old and unattractive part of the town. There is a good sandy beach here, improved considerably with the construction of wave barriers. The town's fishing harbour is also in this area with fresh fish finding their way to lunchtime tables of nearby restaurants. On Mackenzie Beach itself there is a large selection of modern spacious restaurants, with well-laid-out beach-facing terraces, gardens, lawns, and car parking facilities. The big disadvantage of the area is that it actually borders the airport runway. The biggest resort area is on the Larnaca-Dekelia road (also known as the Ayia Napa road) situated NE of the town. It is spread over a length of 3 miles along the coast, and the centre of the resort is about 5 miles from the town centre. The beaches are good with plenty of sand and clear waters, but can get very crowded, especially at weekends with locals enjoying a day out. Access to the beach from hotels inland of the main road is very difficult with nonstop traffic. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, tavernas, bars etc, in the resort and at least two discos.

Suitability:
Young singles and families. All markets throughout the high season. Middle-aged and elderly in low season.

Accommodation:
Over 80 tourist hotels and apartment buildings concentrated in the three resort areas.

Shopping:
Serious shopping can only be done in the town. All resorts have some shops but of limited variety.

Beach:
Fine sandy beaches situated in all three resorts.

Entertainments:
Daytime: water sports are in abundance at all resorts. Day trips by boat are also available from the local marina. Nightlife: plenty of tavernas with live music and at least 3 discos.

Eating:
Wide variety of restaurants, pubs and tavernas, offering fast food, local and international cuisine.

Public-transport:
A bus service runs on the hour from the town centre to the main tourist resort, but only until 7 pm, and is rather unreliable.

Local-excursions:
A large selection of local excursions is arranged by tour operators, covering the whole island.