What to do in Larnaca
Larnaca is the third-largest city in Cyprus after the capital (Nicosia) and Limassol. The city has an international airport and it’s most likely that you’ll arrive here when you visit Cyprus. With only about 70,000 people, the city is relatively quiet but it has plenty to do to keep you occupied for 3 days or more. Additionally, with everything is so close together that you can easily get around without a car.
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Where to stay in Larnaca
To get to your hotel or Airbnb back and forth from the airport without a rental car, I suggest you use Welcome Pickups because there is no Uber in Cyprus, and booking a taxi in advance has to be done over the phone, rather than online.
Cyprus is a pretty small country and if you prefer not to jump between hotels, you can see everything around Cyprus on day trips. There are two main areas of the city (Mackensi Beach and Old Town by the castle) that are best for visitors. They are just a 15-minute walk away from each other as well. Stay anywhere between these two for access to restaurants, bars, shops, and historical sites.
My sister and I spent 3 nights at this Airbnb studio, which had a kitchen, washing machine, and views of the sea.
Throughout our stay in Cyprus, we found the lodging prices very reasonable. We usually spent somewhere around USD 70 per night, for me and my sister. There are several Airbnbs between Mackensi and Old Town and you can’t go wrong at any of the locations.
Larnaca, like the rest of Cyprus, is very safe. It’s okay to walk around at night and day alone in these areas.
What to do in Larnaca
Larnaca is one of those cities where no matter how much you zoom in on Google Maps, it just can’t show you all the restaurants and shops available. I suggest walking along the promenade close to the beach and then going in and out of all the small streets.
The vibe of the city really changes from day to night so I recommend you walk around twice so you can see it for yourself. The city looked almost dead to me on a Saturday when we went around for breakfast. We returned for sunset drinks at 6pm and everyone came out of hiding.
Historical sites
Visit Larnaca Medieval Fort/Castle
For just €2.5, you can walk into the fort and climb the steps for a view over the city. The Castle of Larnaca was built in the 12th century to protect the harbor. The history and use of the castle gets a little fuzzy until the 18th century when it was rebuilt by the Ottoman Turks. There are gallows, a small museum with artifacts, and old canons. For the price, it’s definitely worth a visit, though you probably won’t spend more than 30 minutes here.
The Turkish Quarter and Djami Kebir Mosque
Take 5 minutes to walk around the mosque and peek your head inside. Covers are provided if you aren’t wearing modest clothing.
Walk into the Church of Saint Lazarus
Entrance to the church is free. There are covers by the entrance near the church shop if you’re wearing a summer dress or shorts.
Stop at the Kamares Aqueduct
This stop is only worth it if you have your own car. There really isn’t much to do except take a picture of the old aqueduct, but it’s cool!
Walk around Larnaca
Head up and down the beach promenade and walk through all the small streets. You won’t be able to get lost even if you tried, so just wander.
Visit this corner for a picture of this cute house.
Stop here for this cool (and closed) Black Turtle Bar.
Window Shop
Check out the boutiques around Ermou St. As I mentioned, there are a lot of cute boutiques and shops but they don’t show up on Google Maps. You could start here and make your way down to Ermou St.
Buy some ceramics and baskets
Stop at Studio Ceramics, not only for a cute photo of the blue and yellow house but also for the lovely handmade ceramic pieces. I bought a bowl here and was also tempted by the vases, mugs, and olive serving dishes. This was the only souvenir I bought from Cyprus and I love it.
Although I only passed by this shop at night, the Pancyprian Organization of the Blind in Larnaca has a wonderful offering of baskets. There isn’t a shop location on Google Maps so you’ll just have to trust me with the GPS drop.
Go to the beach
Although not as blue as the beaches around Ayia Napa, visit Mackenzi beach or Finikoudes beach for a day of sun.
Where to eat in Larnaca
We had the best breakfast at Lazaris BakeryBar. You can get traditional Cypriot coffee and breakfast as well as twists on favorite breakfast meals. I had incredible toast with hummus, carrot spread, and egg. My sister and I also split an olive pie—it’s literally filled with olives. The cafe is right next to the Church of Saint Lazaros so you can make a stop there before or after.
Stop at the national bakery favorite, Zorbas. There are several locations around Larnaca. You fill up a box with small savory pastries and pay by weight. There are cheese and olive classics as well as mini pizzas. We went to this location on our way to see the remains of the aqueduct. This bakery is so popular that it even opened a branch in New York City in 2015.
Get dinner at Charmers’s Fish Tavern for delicious, fresh fish.
Buy corn from street sellers. It’s a classic!
Near the end of our trip, our local friend took us to Al Dente. Italian food in Larnaca? Well, lemme tell you it was super good. I had the squid ink pasta, and it was one of the best dishes I had on the whole trip.
If you want to check out the vibe of a spot before eating, walk between Mackenzie beach and Charmer’s Fish Tavern. There are ice cream shops and traditional taverns (catering to tourists). Varelli Traditional Tavern had music playing in the evening and has great reviews online.
Bars in Larnaca
Mackenzi has the best beach bars in Larnaca. If you want to go clubbing, this is the closest thing you’ll find to it. The bars along with the beach range from laid-back to an open-air club vibe. You can also grab lunch or dinner here. You’ll need a reservation at most of these bars. I suggest spending an early evening catching dinner at Lush and then assessing the vibe for yourself to see what suits you for the evening.
During the evening, the bars around Old Town come to life. When walking around, it looked like a lot of young locals were hanging out around here. There are several bars with a roman street vibe. The courtyard area around here also had some bars and restaurants with a lot of evening patrons.
Day trips from Larnaca
- Visit the cute village of Lefkara, just 40 minutes away for a look into traditional Cypriot life.
- Take a private driver/tour to Paphos, visiting the 13th-century Kolossi Castle, the ancient Curium Amphitheater, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylati, and Aphrodite’s rock.
- Head out to the western coast of the island to go on a boat trip to the Blue Lagoon in Akamas Peninsula National Park.
- Go on this blue lagoon tour that combos a visit to the blue lagoon in Akamas with a visit to a local winery, the nearby shipwreck, sea caves, and Aprodites rock!
- Spend the day beach hopping at some of the best beaches in Cyprus around Ayia Napa.
- Go diving at the Zenobia Wreck in Larnaka. The Zenobia Wreck is a ferry ship that sunk in 1980. On the seafloor, you’ll find the ship’s massive propeller, huge anchor, and fully laden trucks! This tour includes scuba equipment. You must already be a certified diver.
- Visit the Blue Lagoon and sea caves at Cape Greco.
- Go on a foodie tour with the popular tour company, Cyprus taste tour. You can visit a winery and 4 traditional product workshops. You’ll also have a chance to taste these Cypriot delicacies. Or, learn how to make your own halloumi on a cheese-making tour.
Did I miss out on what to do in Larnaca? Let me know in the comments!