Things to do in Larnaca

Larnaca is a small seaside town with the island's main airport at its edge, and many visitors land here first. It stands on ancient Kition, a city-state founded in the 13th century BC. Most things to do in Larnaca are trips out.

The town on foot

The old streets and the waterfront sit a short walk apart. A medieval fort stands on the same waterfront.

• Finikoudes. The palm-lined promenade along Athenon Avenue, with the town beach on one side and cafes on the other.
• Church of Saint Lazarus. Built in the late ninth or early tenth century by the Byzantine emperor Leo VI, over a tomb held to be Lazarus's.
• The Salt Lake. On the edge of town. Flamingos stay from November to March. In summer it dries to a crust, and the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque stands on its shore.

Day trips from Larnaca

Full days run seven to nine hours. Most include a hotel pick-up.

• Troodos. Mountain villages with three winery tastings, or halloumi-making followed by brunch in the hills.
• Nicosia. The old centre inside its 16th-century walls, Ledras Street and a handicraft stop.
• The north. Famagusta with Salamis and the sealed-off quarter of Varosha, or Kyrenia with Bellapais Abbey. Both cross the UN buffer zone.
• The south-west. Ancient Kourion and Paphos with Aphrodite's Rock in between. A winery day takes in Omodos.

On the water and in the air

The evening cruise serves dinner, stops for a swim and ends with fireworks. Private yachts sail from three to six hours. A light plane flies for an hour with a pilot, from age nine.

Practical

• Weather. Summer days reach 33C, and nights hold near 23C. January runs 17C by day and 8C at night. About 350 millimetres of rain a year arrive between November and March.
• Passport. The Famagusta and Kyrenia days pass a checkpoint on the Green Line, so carry it.
• Mountains. Troodos is cooler than the coast. In winter take a warm jacket and closed shoes.
• Weather calls. Cruises depend on the sea, and flights are confirmed with the pilot on the day. Both run in daylight.
• Dress. Churches and monasteries expect covered shoulders and knees, and shoes come off at the mosque.