A beautiful picturesque city on the southeastern coast of Cyprus, Larnaca is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the birthplace of the philosopher Zeno, founder of the Stoic school - which later assumes his name - of Kition. During the eighteenth century Kition was a commercial center, the main port and the seat of the European consulates.
Modern Larnaca is built on the ancient site of Kition, the remains of which are located in the heart of the city.
Larnaca is now recovering its ancient glory and importance thanks to the tourist infrastructure, the marina and the new international airport.
Don't miss a nice stroll along the palm-lined promenade known as "Phinikoudes". Phinikoudes is one of the main streets of Larnaca and is home to some of the trendiest bars, restaurants and cafes, while the palm side beach is a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike. The area is home to the two-week fair of Kataklismos which usually takes place every June. The fair of Kataklismos, which means "feast of the flood", is the Christian feast of Pentecost and is included in the UNESCO intangible heritage list. It is the largest folkloric festival in Larnaca and Cyprus and is celebrated in all the cities of the island on the waterfront. The fair is organized by the municipality of Larnaca and attracts more than 300,000 people. The festival program includes popular concerts, traditional dance competitions, songs, poems, music, satire, theater, swimming and sailing competitions, and fireworks.
At the end of "Phinikoudes" lies the Larnaca fort, built in 1625. Today the castle houses the medieval museum. Nearby is the church of San Lazaros, one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in Cyprus. The church was built in the 10th century on the tomb of the saint. Larnaca was the second home of San Lazzaro where he lived, according to tradition, after his resurrection and later became the first bishop of the city. Next to the church there is also the Byzantine Museum Ayios Lazarus. It is also worth visiting the Archaeological Museum of Larnaca district, the cultural center of the Laiki group, the museum of paleontology of Pierides - Tornaritis and the museum of the city of Larnaca.
Along the coasts of the city is one of the 10 most interesting underwater wrecks in the world, the Zenovia wreck, and many people travel to Cyprus just to explore it. The Zenovia boat sank in the bay of Larnaca in 1980, only 1 km from the coast, fortunately without victims. It is almost 200 meters long and is completely intact. The top of the Zenovia is only 16 meters below the surface and all the trucks it carried can be seen in the wreck or lying on the seabed.
Another landmark of Larnaca is the group of salt lakes near the old airport which form one of the two unique wetlands in Cyprus of considerable environmental and beauty importance. For several decades in the past century, lake salt was processed until it was deemed unfit for consumption. Still, the salt lake is still a vital site for wild life. Salt lakes during the winter are a favorite stop for thousands of migratory birds including: pink flamingos, ducks, swans and seagulls.
Next to the salt lakes is the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque, built in honor of the aunt of the prophet Muhammad. The mosque was built in 1816 above the tomb of Umm Haram and is the third most important pilgrimage site for Muslims in the world, immediately after the shrines of Mecca and Medina. Tekke hosts cultural and entertainment events, as well as a small museum.
Outside the main town on the road to Limassol is the old aqueduct known as "the Kamares". It was built during the Ottoman rule in 1745 to transport water from a source about 6 miles south of Larnaca into the city and remained in use until 1930.
On the outskirts, the Angeloktisti Church in the village of Kiti has rare 6th century Byzantine mosaics and the Stavrovouni monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Cyprus. Choirokoitia and Tenta are important Neolithic settlements.