CITIES IN CYPRUS

LARNACA

Larnaca itself is known as the “Gateway to the Republic-of-Cyprus” compliments of its outstanding state-of-the-art International Airport able to handle up to 9 million passengers, a commercial and Cruise Ship Port – about to receive a major investment of up to 1.5 billion euro in the first phase, and a modern Yachting Marina.

The city features a fascinating and uninterrupted continuous history, extending for a staggering 4000 years. In terms of ancient times, Larnaca was known as the centre of the island, and the whole of Ancient Cyprus referred to Larnaca as Kition, expressed in Latin as Citium.

The Phinikoudes Palm-Lined Boulevard is deemed by many to be Larnaca’ principle tourist attraction and in the summer month in particular visitors from all over the Republic-of-Cyprus and people of different cultures from overseas flock towards this attractive row of cafes, bars, clubs and restaurants, running parallel to the beach.

The following rental locations are available for renting a car in Larnaca:

• Larnaca Airport
• Larnaca Office

AYIA NAPA

Since the mid 70’s Ayia Napa has developed into one of the most popular holiday resorts in Europe.

Situated on the southeast coast of Cyprus it has everything to offer the tourist. Over 320 days of glorious sunshine each year, luxurious accommodation from private villas to first-class hotels, some of the best beaches on the island and the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea.

Around Ayia Napa you will find an abundance of shops restaurants and bars to cater for your every taste, a marina housing fishing boats, cruise ships and private boats with superb fish restaurants looking over the blue waters, a monastery built in the 1500’s and just on the edge of Ayia Napa you will find one of the largest themed Water Parks in Europe. If you like things a bit more lively, there are always the nightclubs which are conveniently confined to the central square area of the town leaving the outer areas to the families and tourists that prefer a more tranquil holiday.

The following rental locations are available for renting a car in Ayia Napa:

• Ayia Napa Accommodation
• Ayia Napa Office

PROTARAS

Situated on the east side of the Island, Protaras covers approximately 5km of the golden Famagusta Coastline.

Protaras flourished into a charming tourist resort in the 1980s as a more sophisticated alternative to its neighbouring town, Ayia Napa (located 5 miles west of Protaras).

Before becoming a tourist resort Protaras was essentially uninhabited, the area was mostly covered by a multitude of windmills, some of which still stand, adding to the character of the Protaras landscape.

Protaras became an idyllic holiday resort largely due to the beautiful sandy beaches in its vicinity. There are several excellent beaches, each developed to appeal to a particular type of holidaymaker. For instance, the main beach “Fig Tree Bay”, regarded as one of the most popular beaches on the island, offers a wide range of water-sports, while to the north of the coastline, the tranquil waters of Skoutari Beach, make for great snorkelling.

Protaras is particularly apt for package-holidays owing to the impressive array of hotels that have been built in the area since not many people actually reside in this town. Some hotels are enormous comprising several swimming pools and have been purpose-built to fulfil their guests’ every need

The following rental locations are available for renting a car in Protaras:

• Protaras Accommodation
• Protaras Office

PAPHOS

This southwest corner of Cyprus has an ambiance all of its own: Soft breezes, old stone, elusive enchantment, and an air of antiquity. This is the kingdom of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and her presence seems to linger. Paphos itself is really two towns, each with its own character; Ktima on the cliff and Kato Paphos by the sea, two kilometres down the road. The one is unchanged over centuries and thoroughly Cypriot while the other has expanded over the last decade from a sleepy fishing village and harbour into a bustling, busy, sprawling cosmopolitan resort which is still growing.

Roman Paphos was the island’s capital, and the 3rd-century mosaics here are the finest in the Mediterranean. The atmosphere is funloving and friendly, with plenty of bars, pubs, discos, a few nightclubs and innumerable eating places providing anything from choice Italian cuisine to sizzling souvlaki off the spit.

Swimming in the bay’s deep, clear waters is very pleasing. The coastline to the north is peppered with small sandy coves but the area’s best beach is a 15-minute drive away at Coral Bay. Paphos is an ideal centre from which to explore this region of wild coastline, unspoilt hillside villages and natural beauty; yet it takes less than an hour by car to reach Limassol.

Paphos combines both culture and entertainment in a conveniently sized package. In Paphos, you will find some of Cyprus’ most stunning archaeological gems such as its Roman mosaics and Tomb of the Kings situated amongst beach-front resort hotels and golden beaches. Cultivated bananas grow in profusion along the south-western litoral, yet the Akamas Peninsula is one of the island’s last unspoilt wildernesses and is home to flora and fauna species found only on Cyprus. Small beach resorts that have not yet succumbed entirely to commercialization await discerning travelers and there are abundant land and sea-based activities to suit every taste. While Limassol is brash and Larnaka is demure, Paphos is quite friendly and is one of Cyprus’ most desirable cities. Kato Paphos (Lower Paphos) is the port annex of Pano Paphos (Upper Paphos) and is home to the greatest number of archaeological sites in the area. It provides a lively and friendly ambiance in its renovated port area where visitors, unlike elsewhere in Cyprus’ ports, can actually swim. With its palm tree-lined boulevards, tasteful public and private buildings, Paphos is a pleasant place to spend a holiday. There are ample restaurants and watering holes and if you tire of the beach annex you can always retire to Pano Paphos for an afternoon stroll or evening meal.

The following rental locations are available for renting a car in Paphos:

• Paphos Airport

LIMASSOL

Limassolians have a reputation for being fun-loving and always ready to party. The wine festival in September and the Carnival in March are major events on the island.

Limassol is a large, cosmopolitan port city and resort, with some of the best hotels in Cyprus and an enormous selection of restaurants, nightclubs and shopping malls, golf resorts, waterparks, and the island’s main casino resort. It’s also the island’s main business hub for international companies that wish to relocate due to the attractive taxation system and advanced infrastructure offered.

Limassol is also the main gateway to the mountain resorts which can easily be reached via a very enjoyable and mesmerizing route from Limassol. The city’s whole seafront, Pissouri, Lady’s Mile, and Governor’s beaches are within easy reach as is the enormous beach at Curium. The villages in the mountains around Limassol are set in the midst of vineyards with several of these locations being renowned globally for their fine wine. The crusader castle of Kolossi, the headquarters of the Knights Templar and St. John of Jerusalem, is within easy reach as are the ancient kingdoms of Curium to the west, and Amathus to the east. It was at the Limassol castle that Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre…!

NICOSIA

The capital and the main commercial centre and home of the Republic of Cyprus government, Nicosia, the last divided capital in the world, is often ignored when visiting Cyprus because it’s not a beach-front city.

Recently, a very dynamic mayor has forced the renovation of the old town which is now quite charming with many cafes, open-air restaurants and shops within the narrow streets and gracious old buildings. Nicosia is only a half-hour drive from Larnaca and it is very easy to reach the Troodos mountains from here too.

The archaeological museum is world-famous and must be visited. The Cyprus tourist office runs free walking tours every Thursday. The restaurants in Nicosia, because they cater for the home market, are the best on the island.
The historic, divided inland capital and centre of the island’s activities is not a resort but a place of interest and a useful base for excursions. The old quarters are coming alive with courtyard restaurants, craft shops and houses as traditional buildings are renovated to stand side by side with excellent modern shops and skyscarpers. A visit to the restored 18th century House of Hadjigeorgakis is worth a visit, and guided tours within the walls of the old city are run regularly.