Finikoudes seafront
First-timersThe palm promenade, the town beach, the marina and most of the restaurants and beds.
Larnaca city guide
Things To Do In Larnaca
The airport city with a palm promenade, flamingos on a salt lake in winter, a sunken ferry to dive on, and the cheapest beds in Cyprus.
1
Hostels in the city
9.1
Average, from 481 reviews
10min
From the airport to the seafront
10,000
Flamingos on the salt lake in winter
1980
The Zenobia sank, and became a dive site
The one most people fly into and leave
Larnaca has the island's main airport ten minutes from the seafront, which means almost everyone passes through it and very few stay.
Those who do get a palm-lined promenade, a town beach in the middle of the city, and prices noticeably below Limassol and Ayia Napa.
Two things make it distinctive. The salt lake behind the town fills with flamingos between November and March — up to ten thousand of them — and dries to a white crust in summer. And the Zenobia, a Swedish ferry that capsized outside the harbour in 1980 with its cargo still aboard, is consistently rated among the best wreck dives in the world.
The Hala Sultan Tekke mosque on the lake shore is one of the most important Islamic sites in the eastern Mediterranean, and Agios Lazaros in town is built over the tomb of Lazarus.
Two days, or use it as a cheap base.
Where to stay
A seafront strip, an old quarter behind it, and the salt lake inland.
Old town and Skala
CharacterBehind the seafront: the Turkish quarter, pottery workshops, Agios Lazaros and quieter streets.
Mackenzie
Beach and barsSouth towards the airport, with a beach strip, bars and planes low overhead. Popular in summer.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Larnaca
Dive the Zenobia if you dive at all. A 172-metre Swedish ferry that capsized outside the harbour on its maiden voyage in 1980, still carrying more than a hundred lorries, lying on its side at 16 to 42 metres. It is consistently listed among the best wreck dives in the world, and a two-tank day runs about €70 to €110.
The salt lake behind the town is a flamingo site from November to March, with up to ten thousand birds, and a dry white crust in summer. A path runs around it.
Hala Sultan Tekke on the lake shore is a mosque built where the Prophet's foster mother is said to be buried, and it is one of the most significant Islamic sites in the region. Free.
Agios Lazaros in town is a ninth-century church over the tomb of Lazarus, who tradition says lived here after the resurrection.
Free things
Free things to do in Larnaca
The Finikoudes promenade and the town beach are free, and the beach is right in the middle of the city.
The salt lake path is free, and the flamingos between November and March cost nothing to watch.
Hala Sultan Tekke is free to enter, as is Agios Lazaros church.
The old Turkish quarter of Skala, with its pottery workshops, and the medieval fort at the end of the promenade cost little or nothing.
Walking the coastal path south towards Mackenzie is free, with planes landing low overhead, which is its own entertainment.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Larnaca
Cheaper than Limassol and Paphos. A full meal is €12 to €20, and meze runs €18 to €28 a head.
The seafront restaurants are priced for visitors; the old town behind and the streets around the market are where locals eat, at a third less.
Fish meze on the coast is the local version, and kleftiko and souvla fill the rest of the menu.
The villages inland — Lefkara, known for lace and silver, and Kato Drys — have tavernas that are better than anything in town.
A beer is €3 to €4 and a coffee €2.50 to €3.50.
Nightlife
Going out in Larnaca
Modest and mostly local. The Finikoudes seafront has bars and cafés that run into the evening, and Mackenzie beach south of the centre has the summer beach bars and a younger crowd.
The old town has a handful of good small places with a Cypriot clientele.
A beer is €3 to €4 and cocktails €7 to €10, cheaper than Limassol and far cheaper than Ayia Napa.
This is not a nightlife destination — Ayia Napa is 45 minutes away and Limassol an hour, and both are where people go for a bigger night.
Getting around
Getting around Larnaca
The airport is ten minutes from the seafront and the bus costs about €1.50, which is the cheapest airport transfer on the island by a distance.
The seafront and old town are walkable, and buses cover the rest at about €1.50 with a day pass around €5.
Intercity buses reach Nicosia in 45 minutes, Limassol in an hour, Ayia Napa in 45 minutes and Paphos in two hours.
There are no trains on Cyprus.
For the salt lake, Hala Sultan Tekke and the villages inland, a bus reaches the lake and a car or tour is better for Lefkara and the Troodos foothills.
Costs
What Larnaca costs
The cheapest of the Cypriot cities. Dorms are €12 to €25, a full meal €12 to €20, and a beer €3 to €4.
A day is €35 to €60.
The Zenobia dive at €70 to €110 is the one significant expense, and it is the reason a lot of people come.
The beach, the promenade, the salt lake, the mosque and the church are all free, which makes a cheap day easy here.
Safety
Staying safe in Larnaca
Larnaca is a safe, quiet city with low crime.
The town beach is calm and shallow, and the sea here is gentler than the west coast.
The Zenobia is a deep wreck at 16 to 42 metres with penetration routes, and it has killed divers who exceeded their training. Dive it within your certification and with a reputable operator.
The salt lake dries to a crust in summer and is not a walking surface — stay on the path.
Summer heat is significant and shade along the promenade is limited. Driving is on the left. Emergency number is 112.
What's on
What is on while you are there
A flood festival in June and flamingos in winter.
June
Kataklysmos
Finikoudes seafront
The festival of the flood, unique to Cyprus, with water throwing, boat races, music and stalls along the promenade for several days.
November to March
Flamingo season
Salt lake
Up to ten thousand flamingos on the lake behind the town.
November
Larnaca Marathon
Seafront
A flat coastal course in the best running weather of the year.
Easter Saturday
Saint Lazarus feast
Agios Lazaros
The icon carried through the streets from the church built over his tomb.
June to September
Summer beach season
Mackenzie and Finikoudes
When the beach bars run and the seafront is busy every evening.
Hostels
Where to stay in Larnaca
The cheapest beds in Cyprus, concentrated near the seafront and the old town. Live from Hostelworld.
When to go
April, May, October and November for warmth, or winter for the flamingos.
Jan
Mild, with flamingos on the lake. Very quiet
Feb
Flamingos at their peak. Green and pleasant
Mar
Excellent. Flamingos still there, wildflowers out
Apr
The best month. Warm, and swimming starts
May
Warm sea, comfortable days
Jun
Hot. The seafront fills after dark
Jul
Very hot. Diving and evenings only
Aug
Peak heat and peak prices
Sep
Superb. Warmest sea of the year
Oct
Excellent. Still swimming, cheaper
Nov
Warm and quiet. Flamingos return
Dec
Mild and green. Very few visitors
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. The salt lake is a flamingo site from roughly November to March and dries out entirely in summer, so the two versions of Larnaca are quite different.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
A Zenobia dive day at €70–110 sits outside these figures and is the main reason divers come.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Larnaca travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is Larnaca worth staying in?
For two days, and as a cheap base it is the best on the island — the airport is ten minutes away, beds are the cheapest in Cyprus, and Nicosia, Ayia Napa and Limassol are all within an hour.
What is the Zenobia?
A 172-metre Swedish ferry that capsized outside the harbour on its maiden voyage in 1980, still carrying more than a hundred lorries. It lies on its side between 16 and 42 metres and is consistently rated among the best wreck dives in the world. A two-tank day is €70 to €110.
When are the flamingos there?
Roughly November to March, when the salt lake fills and up to ten thousand birds arrive. In summer the lake dries to a white crust and there is nothing to see.
How cheap is the airport transfer?
About €1.50 by bus for a ten-minute ride, which is the cheapest airport connection on the island by a wide margin.
Is there a beach?
Finikoudes in the middle of town, which is sandy, calm and free, and Mackenzie further south with beach bars and planes landing low overhead. Neither is spectacular, and both are convenient.
Is it cheap?
The cheapest city in Cyprus. Dorms €12 to €25, a full meal €12 to €20, and a day around €35 to €60.
When should I visit?
April, May, September or October for warmth and swimming. Winter is mild, green and cheap, and it is the only time to see the flamingos.
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