Larnaca
Region: South Cyprus
A palm-lined seafront, a 9th-century church, flamingos on the salt lake and one of the world's best wreck dives just offshore.
Most visitors arrive in Cyprus at Larnaca, and many go straight on. It is worth staying: the town is relaxed and walkable, with a beach in the centre and plenty to see within a short drive.
Finikoudes and the old town
The Finikoudes promenade runs along a town beach under rows of palm trees, with cafés on one side and the sea on the other. At its southern end, a small medieval fort faces the water. Inland, the Church of Saint Lazarus, built in the 9th century over what is believed to be the saint's tomb, has a fine carved iconostasis.
The salt lake
Between the town and the airport, Larnaca Salt Lake fills with water in winter and draws thousands of flamingos. On its shore, the Hala Sultan Tekke, a mosque in a garden of palms and cypresses, is one of the most important Muslim shrines on the island.
Under the sea and up in the hills
The Zenobia, a ferry that sank off Larnaca in 1980, is one of the best-known wreck dives in the world. Inland, the village of Lefkara is famous for its lace and silverwork, and the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, a World Heritage site, is close to the motorway.
