Sightseeing in Larnaca: Before you Hop, Swap your Tank Top
Cyprus is a popular destination in the eastern Mediterranean, thanks to places like Larnaca (Larnaka, Greek: ĪĪ¬ĻĪ½Ī±ĪŗĪ±).
It is the third-largest city in Cyprus after Lefkosia and Limassol. Tourists heading to Agia Napa or Protaras will likely arrive at the Larnaca airport. The town itself is worth a visit on its own, and it is highly recommended to spend a couple of hours sightseeing in Larnaca. It won’t take you long to experience its main attractions. So, I’ve prepared this Larnaca guide to help you make the most of your time sightseeing.
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Getting to Larnaca, Cyprus
Besides Paphos, the Larnaca International Airport (LCA) is one of the two official airports in the country. The capital city’s airport, Nicosia, is located in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It has only one connection with Turkey.
How to get to Larnaca from the airport
Several bus lines connect the airport with the city center: 418 and 425. They provide inexpensive transportation into the city of Larnaca, and travel time is 15 to 30 minutes. Please visit Cyprus By Bus website for more information.
The Larnaca bus station in the city center is the destination of the airport buses. It is also the bus station for the intercity buses connecting Larnaca with other cities. It is within walking distance of the seaside promenade called Finikoudes.
Alternatively, you can get to the airport by car or rent a car.
Getting Around Larnaca
Sightseeing in Larnaca is easy. Most of the main attractions are found in or near the city center, so you can get to most places comfortably on foot. However, sights like the Kamares Aqueduct and Hala Sultan Tekke are both well beyond the city center.
You have three options to visit these places. One is to rent a car for your visit; sightseeing and getting around Cyprus are much more manageable. Otherwise, you can use the city’s bus network, with a single ticket costing ā¬1.50. If you are a fellow lazy person with wanderlust, you are short on time, or tired, then the Larnaca hop-on hop-off bus is the best solution for you.
Larnaca Sightseeing: The Lazy Way
There is no need to reserve a sightseeing bus online in advance. The hop-on-hop-off buses park at the Finikoudes promenade, which is easy to find. Once you are there, you can pay the driver. During the high season, salespeople will come up to you with deals for the bus and other attractions, so you don’t even need to make an effort.
The Finikoudes promenade is the place to be if you look for restaurants, hotels, and bars. It is also the starting point for sightseeing buses.
Stops of the Larnaca Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
āIt is a really convenient way of sightseeing in Larnaca, especially when you are short on time. In the following, I’ll show you what sights you can see at the different stops of the hop on – hop off bus.
Map of Larnaca
Finikoudes beach and promenade
āThe Finikoudes promenade is the place to be if you look for restaurants, hotels, and bars. It is also the starting point for sightseeing buses. Finikoudes Beach offers plenty of space, and it is very accessible, right in the city center. The distinctive landmark by the beach is the lion statue, a gift from Venice.
Larnaca Fort
You can visit this 17th-century fortress next to the promenade, which was used as the Ottoman’s main line of defense for Larnaca. During the British era, the fort was used as a prison. Today, it houses Larnaca’s Medieval Museum, which displays a small weaponry collection.
Turkish Quarter
The intriguing Turkish Quarter (also called Skala) begins at Larnaca Fort. After the division of the island, the Turkish population was forced to leave for the north, so his part of the city has been quite rundown for the last few decades. However, the Skala has recently been rejuvenated as pottery shops started popping up here.
Church of Saint Lazarus
The Church of Saint Lazarus (Agios Lazaros) is easily the most noteworthy attraction in Larnaca. Lazarus died twice. First, he was raised from the dead, and second, he was buried right here, in Larnaca. The church is also a historic landmark, dating back to the 9th century.
Check out the extraordinarily ornate Baroque iconostasis. The Tomb of Lazarus is in the church (though remains found here in the 9th century were moved to Constantinople and later to Marseille).
Angeloktisti
The Byzantine church of Angeloktisti is a highlight of the Larnaca sightseeing trip. It is roughly 12 kilometers from modern-day Larnaka. The name Angeloktisti means: built by Angels. I wasn’t allowed to enter because of my improper clothing.
Hala Sultan Tekke
Heading away from the center of Larnaca, the following stop was the Hala Sultan Tekke. The mosque and minaret complex is a holy place for Muslims. It is the burial place of Hala Sultan, the Prophet Muhammad’s aunt, who suffered a fatal accident near today’s mosque. A dome was erected above her tomb in the 18th century. Interestingly, after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, Hala Sultan Tekke is the fourth holiest site for Muslims. Still, pilgrim visits are infrequent because they are on the island’s Greek, non-Muslim part. The present mosque was built by the Ottomans and dates to 1816.
Salt Lake
Larnaca Salt Lake is next to the Hala Sultan Tekke. It is a nature reserve and an important bird breeding ground, so you can observe thousands of flamingos here in spring. Unfortunately, I was there in the winter, so I have not seen any flamingos.
Kamares
During our trip, we visited the 18th-century aqueduct, the Kamares. The Roman-era style Kamares Aqueduct is considered one of the most impressive attractions in Larnaca. It was built during the Ottoman period and operated until the first half of the 20th century.
Phaneromeni
The last stop was the modern Byzantine-style Orthodox church of Phaneromeni. There are catacombs below the building, in a typical way for Cypriot temples.
Seeing the Sights of Larnaca in the Smart Way
The lake, the churches, and the aqueduct are spectacular. It is a shame I couldn’t enter the mosque or churches because of my clothing. I was dumb to wear hot pants and a tank top, but getting on the sightseeing bus was an ad hoc decision. Yet I was dumb, so you don’t have to be. Always, I repeat, always wear proper clothing for sightseeing trips.
I would love to visit Cypress. My husband is Greek and we have been to many Greek islands and to Turkey, but not to Cypress. I think that would be a great island to see.