CY
Larnaca
A relaxed seafront town by the main airport, with a salt lake, a Byzantine church and a famous wreck dive
A relaxed seafront town by the main airport, with a salt lake, a Byzantine church and a famous wreck dive
A palm-lined seafront with a town beach, cafés and the small medieval fort at its southern end.
Photo: Georgy Papantoniou, CC BY 3.0
Built in the 9th century over what tradition holds is the tomb of Lazarus, the church has a richly carved wooden iconostasis and a crypt.
Dress modestly.
Photo: Hannes Grobe/BHV, CC BY 3.0
In winter the lake fills with water and attracts thousands of flamingos; in summer it dries to a white salt crust.
Flamingos are usually present from about November to March.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
An Ottoman mosque on the shore of the Salt Lake, built around the tomb of Umm Haram, an important site for Muslims.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Seafront tavernas serve meze, fresh fish and halloumi. Try loukoumades or a Cypriot coffee on Finikoudes.
Mackenzie Beach, near the airport, has beach bars and fish restaurants.
Cyprus has two international airports, Larnaca and Paphos. There are no trains; intercity buses link Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Ayia Napa, and car hire is common. Larnaca Airport is about 10–15 minutes by road from the town centre, with local buses and taxis.
Intercity buses run to Nicosia, Limassol and Ayia Napa. Cyprus is in the EU but, as of late 2026, not yet a full member of the Schengen area, so expect passport or ID checks on arrival.
Cyprus uses the euro (€); the Turkish lira is the main currency in the north, but euros are widely accepted there. Traffic drives on the left, and sockets are the UK three-pin type.
Prices are approximate; check current rates.
Town, lake and sea.
Visit the Church of St Lazarus and walk Finikoudes to the fort, then dine on the seafront.
Walk around the Salt Lake to Hala Sultan Tekke, then relax at Mackenzie Beach or dive the Zenobia wreck.
🛂 Entry rules: Cyprus and the EU’s new systems
Cyprus is in the EU but not yet in the Schengen area, so the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) isn’t used at its borders and passports are still stamped.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
ETIAS will cover Cyprus when it starts.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Larnaca is a convenient first or last night in Cyprus.
The Zenobia ferry wreck, sunk in 1980, is one of the Mediterranean’s best-known dives.
Visit the Salt Lake in winter for flamingos.
July and August are very hot.
Quick answers for planning time in Larnaca.
About 10–15 minutes by road.
Usually from about November to March.
A ferry that sank off Larnaca in 1980 and is now a popular wreck dive.
Finikoudes and Mackenzie are convenient town beaches.
April to June and September to November.
English is widely spoken, but translation helps with Greek and Turkish signs.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Cyprus travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.