We spent the first day of our week long Cyprus road trip exploring the city of Larnaca, which is situated on the edge of Larnaca Bay on the island’s south coast. Although Larnaca is the location of the country’s main airport, it is actually only the third largest city, with a population of just 72,000. The city is blessed with some lovely beaches, but if you just want to see the key sites, I think a day is probably enough.
Getting around Larnaca
Many of the city’s attractions can be explored on foot. If you want to visit the salt lake or aqueduct, they are a couple of miles out of town, so best reached by car as public transport is fairly limited.
Where to stay in Larnaca
There are plenty of hotels to choose from, especially along the coast. But for something a little different; the Rise Urban Art Hotel, which is decorated with street art both inside and out.
Larnaca in 1 Day Itinerary
| Flight to Larnaca Accommodation – Rise Urban Art Hotel Drinks at Rise Urban Art Hotel | |
| Day 1 | Morning Walking Tour: Church of Saint Lazarus Turkish Quarter Djami Kebir Mosque Larnaca Castle Finikoudes Beach Afternoon Road Trip: Larnaca Salt Lake Hala Sultan Tekke Mackenzie Beach Kamares Aqueduct Dinner at Eu Kouzin |
Flight to Larnaca
We flew from London to Larnaca Airport. The Airport is just 5 miles south of the city centre, so it’s a quick drive into town by shuttle bus, taxi or car.
We rented a car via AERCAR Rentals, which offers some cheap deals. They are based off airport. It isn’t particularly clear from the airport signage, but to reach the off airport rental shuttles, you need to go upstairs to departures. Bear in mind that if you opt for AERCAR’s cheapest deal, the cars are quite old – ours had 180,000 km on the clock. As the driving in Cyprus is fairly manic, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Our car was damaged when someone reversed into it in a car park and the rental company didn’t care. It’s worth noting, however, that the car was too old to have a USB charger and required an adaptor which plugs into the cigarette lighter.
Once we were acquainted our ancient hire car, we could drive to Larnaca and tonight’s hotel.
Accommodation – Rise Urban Art Hotel
A quick drive up the B4 brings us to Larnaca and our accommodation; the quirky Rise Urban Art Hotel. The hotel is covered inside and out with street art. It’s dark when we arrive, so we don’t get to see the building in its full glory.
The hotel claims secure off road parking, but there are only 4 spaces and already 5 cars parked there. So we have to make do with taking a photo of the car park, complete with hitchhiking spaceman, before parking on a vacant building plot a couple of blocks away.
We check into our room. Each bedroom has its own theme. I’ve seen photos and lots of the rooms look really cool. Ours is rather creepy with an aboriginal child sucking a dummy.
The hotel offers free parking (but you have to be quick, as there are only 4 spaces), Wifi and breakfast.
Drinks at Rise Urban Art Hotel
Our hotel reservation includes a free drink token for the rooftop bar, which is adorned with art and overlooking the city. So we head upstairs for a drink. Even if you don’t stay here, it’s worth a visit to admire the decor.
Larnaca in 1 Day
Today, we split our day into two; in the morning, a walking tour of the old town and the prom lining Finikoudes Beach. Then in the afternoon, a drive to the nearby salt lake and Mackenzie Beach.
Morning Walking Tour
We start the morning with a walk round the Old Town of Larnaca, visiting a church, a mosque, a castle and a beach. Total distance – 2.5 miles.
Church of Saint Lazarus
The Church of Saint Lazarus is a 9th Century church. It is allegedly the second burial place of Lazarus, who was resurrected by Jesus first time round.
The church was refurbished in the 17th Century and the impressive interior is brimming with gold and intricately carved wood. There is a small Byzantine Museum in the courtyard.
The church is open daily from 8 am until 12.30 pm and from 2.30 until 5.30 pm. Hours differ slightly on Sundays. Entry to the church is free and the museum is €1.
Turkish Quarter
The narrow streets of the Turkish Quarter of Skala are packed with souvenir shops and food stalls. You can pick up a local souvenir from one of the ceramics workshops.
Djami Kebir Mosque
The Djami Kebir Mosque was a church when first constructed in the 16th Century. It was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans a century later, but you can still spot some old Christian graves in the courtyard.
Larnaca Castle
The seaside fortress of Larnaca Castle was built in the 12th century. It too was remodelled by the Ottomans, then subsequently used as a prison during British rule. It now houses a small museum.
The castle is open daily from 8 am (9.30 at weekends) until 5 pm. Entry costs €2.50.
Finikoudes Beach
Larnaca’s popular Finikoudes Beach has a sandy beach backed by a tree lined promenade and plenty of bars and restaurants. It’s a great place for a leisurely morning stroll. The promenade runs north from the castle to the marina.
There is public art a various points along the prom, but each piece is in front of a children’s play area, which gives me the impression that the instigator was some sort of pervert…
Afternoon Road Trip
In the afternoon, we drive a little further afield to Larnaca Salt Lake and its surroundings. Total distance; 14 miles.
Larnaca Salt Lake
Larnaca Salt Lake is just to the west of the city. The area is a nature reserve. There is a walking trail round the edge, from where you can enjoy views of the lake, unless you visit in summer, when the lake dries up completely, leaving just salt behind. In spring, flamingos can be spotted in the lake. When we visited, they were all a long way from the shore, so just tiny pink spots in the distance.
Hala Sultan Tekke
The picturesque Hala Sultan Tekke mosque is built on the shore of the lake. It is said to be constructed on the spot where Mohammed’s wet nurse died when she fell off her donkey.
The site is open daily from 8.30 am until 5 pm (7.30 pm in summer). On Fridays, the mosque is closed between 1 pm and 3 pm. Entry is free.
Mackenzie Beach
From the mosque, we head back to the coast to Mackenzie Beach; Larnaca’s most popular beach. We park up to take a wander along the prom.
The promenade is lined with bars and restaurants, all of which runs out abruptly when you reach the flight path to the airport.
Kamares Aqueduct
Our last stop of the day is further round the salt lake. A couple of miles west of the city, the remains of the Kamares Aqueduct can be found in a field. The aqueduct was built in the 18th century and delivered water to the city. It remained in use until the 1930s. Nowadays, just 33 arches of this engineering marvel remain.
Dinner at Eu Kouzin
In the evening, we venture out to sample the local cuisine at Eu Kouzin. As I want to try the sheftalies (Cypriot sausages) and the old man loves meat, we opt to share a mixed grill. Verdict: Cypriot cuisine does not rank among my favourites, but they make excellent wine!
- Trip taken: January 2024
- Updated: April 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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