Destination Guide to Larnaca

Larnaca is the international gateway to Cyprus, being its second port and having an international airport. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and has plenty of historical sightseeing on offer to complement its deep-blue sea, bright sandy beaches and reliably sunny skies. With its 400-berth marina, Larnaca is also a favoured destination for visitors with yachts. Land-based tourists enjoy the palm-lined harbour promenade and the city's international calibre shops, inviting cafes and panoramic ocean views. The city was called Kition in the days of the Old Testament and the ruins of the ancient city can still be seen. Much of its rich archaeological heritage has been preserved and is showcased in two of its main museums. The surrounding area beyond the city is also a treasure-trove of historic ruins from the Neolithic period onwards.

District Museum

Within walking distance of the town centre is the modern District Museum, which contains an interesting collection of antiquities found in the Larnaca area, dating from the Neolithic to the Roman periods. Well-lit displays feature archaeological finds from Kition, including a ceramic collection with alabaster vases, tools, coins and lamps. Wall cases hold diverse pieces like faience scarabs, limestone seals, bone implements and engraved stone blocks. The museum is open daily.

Address: Kalogreon Square; Telephone: (24) 630 169; Opening time: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 2.30pm; Thursdays 3pm to 6pm (except July and August); Admission: C£ 0.50

Ancient Kition

In the northwest of Larnaca are some of the ruins of ancient Kition, featuring the remains of five temples dating back to the 13th century BC. Of particular interest is the Phoenician Temple of Astarte, which was built on the ruins of an earlier Bronze Age temple. The lower part of the northern city walls, built of huge stones resembling Mycenaean cyclopean walls, are also still visible.

Opening time: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 2.30pm; Thursdays 3pm to 6pm (except July and August); Admission: C£ 0.50

Church of Ayios Lazaros

The 9th-century church devoted to St Lazarus that stands in Larnaca is an important religious institution on Cyprus. Lazarus is believed to have lived at ancient Kition for 30 years after his resurrection by Jesus Christ, and was ordained Bishop of Kition by Saints Barnabas and Mark. The Church was built by the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI above what was believed to be the empty grave of Lazarus, whose final resting place is in Marseilles, France. Eight days before the Greek Orthodox Easter each year the Baroque wood-carved icon of Saint Lazarus normally stored in the church is carried in a procession through the streets of the town.

Opening time: Open daily; Admission: Free

Larnaca Medieval Museum

This fascinating and well-stocked museum is housed in the Larnaca fort on the city’s seafront. The fort was built in 1625 and was used as a prison during the early years of British rule. The fort also operates as the Larnaca Municipal Cultural Centre during the summer.

Address: Larnaca Fort; Opening time: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5pm; Thursday 7.30am to 6pm; Admission: C£ 0.50

Choirokoitia

About 20 miles (32km) from Larnaca on the Lefkosia-Famagusta road archaeological excavations have revealed one of the oldest Neolithic sites on Cyprus, dating to 7,000 BC. Choirokoitia (also known as Khirokitia) was home to primitive farmers who cultivated wheat and barley. Visitors can explore the settlement’s defensive wall, circular houses and tombs. The site is close to the dry Maroni riverbed atop a hill that was once covered in dense vegetation. It was first excavated in 1934, but excavations by French archaeologists are continuing. Four of the beehive-shaped houses made of mud and stone have been reconstructed to show how these early farmers lived. Most of the archaeological finds from Choirokoitia are displayed in the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia.

Telephone: (24) 322 710; Opening time: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm; Admission: C£0.75

Stavrouvouni Monastery

Perched on top of a solitary mountain, 25 miles (40km) from Larnaca and six miles (10km) off the Lefkosia-Famagusta Road, is the oldest monastery in Cyprus, founded in the 4th century by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. The monastery contains an important relic, a fragment of the Holy Cross. It is however only accessible to men; women are not allowed to enter.

Telephone: (24) 533 630; Opening time: Daily 8am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm (September to March); 8am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm (April to August). Men only

Lefkara

This beautiful village in the Troodos hills in the west of Larnaca District is famous for its handmade lace, known as lefkaritika. The village, which actually consists of an upper and lower town section, is off the main Nicosia/Limassol highway and features cobbled streets and picturesque architecture. Groups of women sit in the narrow village streets working on their fine embroidery, as they have for centuries. The village is also known for its skilled silversmiths who produce fine filigree work, and there is a small Turkish Delight factory. A folklore museum in the town shows visitors what life was like on Cyprus a hundred years ago. The museum is sited in a restored house and exhibits the furniture and effects of a wealthy family of the time, local costumes and examples of the Lefkara lacework.

Opening time: Museum of Traditional Embroidery and Silver-Smithing: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm; Admission: C£0.75 (Museum)

Ayia Napa

What was once a small fishing village in the south-eastern corner of Cyprus is now a hotspot for holiday-makers looking for a lively vacation – over 250,000 clubbers swarm into this party capital each summer and the phenomenal atmosphere in its scores of bars and nightclubs is nothing short of explosive. Located in the centre of the market garden area of the island, Ayia Napa also boasts a string of superb golden sandy beaches and vestiges of its cultural heritage - there is a Venetian decorated monastery fronted by a 600-year-old Sycamore tree, and a quaint harbour filled with colourful fishing vessels. Just a few miles away, the resort of Protaras is more restrained and is much more suited to family holidays. Both resorts have excellent beaches, the most famous being Fig Tree Bay. Other popular beaches include Nissi Beach and Nissi Bay, two miles (three km) west of Ayia Napa; Cape Greco to the east, where the challenge is to leap from the rocks into the sea; and Konnos Bay, just past Cape Greco, where there is a beach café and speedboats for hire.

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