Nature And Outdoors in Larnaca

The nature around Larnaca falls into two unlike halves — the salt flats at the town's edge and the mountain forest an hour and a half away. The first begins just past the airport: a chain of salt lakes where flamingos gather from November to March. In summer the water goes and a white crust of salt remains, which must not be walked on, but in winter the birds are visible straight from the road, and on the shore stands the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in a grove of palms.

The second half is Troodos. The road climbs through vineyards to pine forest, where it is fifteen degrees cooler in summer than on the coast. From there trails run to the Caledonia and Millomeris waterfalls and to mountain villages that make halloumi and wine. A third line is the sea: sailing yachts are taken for four hours or a full day and head for the empty bays east of town, where the bottom is pale and fish show without a mask.

Practical notes. Flamingos are not approached closely: they keep their distance and fly off when crowded, so binoculars serve better. Mountain trails need closed shoes, and the stones are slippery after rain. Full-day trips to Troodos run ten to twelve hours, and a jumper is worth taking up top even in August. Yachts are cancelled on wind, with money returned.