Larnaca or Limassol which is better? My Cyprus. Why should you choose Larnaca for your holiday? Larnaca or Paphos – where the beaches are steeper

Of course, you initially need to choose a city that you like: calm, clean, where you can have fun and stay comfortably. Cyprus has many, as well as large, beautiful cities, but not everyone can afford them or simply don’t like them. So, for example, a youth apartment is not at all suitable for older people, and it will be difficult for married couples with children to find a secluded, quiet place in. and - two famous, popular tourist towns in Cyprus, let's find out which one is better.

Limassol, like Larnaca in Cyprus, has many places for entertainment. Those who like a more relaxing, quiet holiday prefer to visit local beaches. Limassol has many sandy beaches with a gentle slope and developed infrastructure, so they are suitable and tourists highlight the Ladies Mile. On this shore, in addition to restaurants, hotels and rental shops, you will find instructors who teach aerobics lessons for children and adults. The downside of the beach is that there are a lot of people, so it’s so hard to find a secluded place and soak up the sun.

There are also many beautiful beaches for family holidays that tourists love. The best in this city is Mckenzie Beach, where you can watch planes landing. The advantages of a particular city in beach infrastructure can be listed for a long time, but let’s dwell on what unites them:

1. Availability. in Limassol and Larnaca lie in the main tourist areas, so you can get to them quite quickly with help.
2. Comfortable. Of course, you can rent a sun lounger, umbrella, etc. at rental points. And you can have a hearty lunch with the whole family in one of the restaurants or cafeterias.
3. Night life. At any time of the year in Cyprus, clubs and discos operate on the beaches of Limassol or Larnaca, where themed parties and concerts are often held.

In Limassol and Larnaca you can also find small abandoned beaches. They are covered with rocky pebbles and, in general, getting to them is not so easy. But, despite these nuances, they attract many tourists who are looking for solitude and silence.

Besides the beaches in Limassol or Larnaca, you will find many good places for entertainment. Wetn Wild and Fasouri Watermania water parks are considered popular for family holidays in Limassol. There are also many historical ones in the city: , and Kourion, the sanctuary of Aphrodite, . You can go on excursions to these places with your whole family and learn a lot. Limassol often hosts various cultural events that are very popular with tourists and local residents. For example, a theater festival is held in the summer, and a wine festival in February. They bring together residents from all cities of Cyprus. As usual, they are bright, colorful and impress all guests of Limassol.

Now about . The city is famous for its picturesque Phinikoudes promenade, where you can enjoy the sea views and eat with the whole family in good restaurants. In Larnaca you will find many historical sites: the ruins of the ancient city of Kition, the Turkish mosques of Al Kebir and. All these sights of the city amaze with their history and architecture, so they have become the main points on excursion lists. Many tourists and scientists fly to Larnaca to admire the amazing

It seems completely crumbled, yet it occupies a significant place in the world tourism industry. The island has many different resort towns, similar to each other and at the same time radically different. Which city to choose for a vacation, or, is a question Russian travelers often ask themselves. Let's try to answer it by comparing resorts by individual items. The focus will be on beaches, entertainment and attractions.

Limassol or Paphos - comparison of beaches

Limassol is ready to demonstrate its beach areas first; the characteristics are the best - the beaches are sandy or sand-pebble, the peculiarity of the sand is that it is of volcanic origin. The composition contains flint, so relaxation takes place with a slight healing effect. Almost all beaches have a gentle slope into the sea and well-developed beach infrastructure: jet skis; boating, motorboats, catamarans; water aerobics.

The beach areas of Paphos lag behind Limassol; there are sandy areas for relaxing by the sea with a convenient descent into the sea. On the other hand, this resort has a fairly large number of rocky beaches, which are not very convenient to relax on and difficult to get down to the water.

This is due to the initial orientation of the resort towards German tourists, who preferred swimming in the pools to the sea. Locals call Coral Bay the best beach in Paphos, and tourists who vacationed there agree with them. Romantic beach scenery can be seen in Lara Bay.

Main entertainment

In Limassol there is entertainment for parents with little tourists, for an adult group, and for active youth. In addition to the beach, young tourists can have a good time relaxing in local water parks, where they have a variety of slides, water attractions and swimming pools.

Adult tourists love Limassol for the huge number of festivals organized in the summer. While relaxing at the resorts, you can become a participant in a large theatrical performance or attend concerts of outstanding musicians. September is not only the “velvet season” in Limassol, but also the time for one of the most interesting cultural and entertainment events - the wine festival.

Sports youth will find their own ways to have fun at this resort - all kinds of clubs, dance halls, discos, various game sports and entertainment. In Paphos you can have a good rest, have fun and at the same time get acquainted with ancient sights. To do this, you need to visit the Odeon, a theater preserved from ancient times. Today it is not only a historical monument, but also an active theater and concert venue. A visit to this open-air theater will leave an unforgettable experience; during the performance you can almost completely immerse yourself in ancient times.

Another important activity for guests of Paphos is visiting the so-called “Baths of Aphrodite”, according to legend, in this place a beautiful goddess appeared from the foam of the sea. Unfortunately, it is not safe for modern beauties to swim here, but you can visit one of the ancient temples built in honor of the ancient Greek legendary person.

Popular attractions

Limassol has many witnesses to ancient history; a walk around the city will allow you to get acquainted with its architectural highlights, the ruins of the local Acropolis and Christian basilicas. In the vicinity of the resort there are the ruins of two more ancient city-polises, the names of which have been preserved by history. Modern tourists can see Amathus and Kourion, or rather, what remains of their former greatness.

Paphos is a place of concentration of ancient shrines, temples and monastic complexes. Many ancient monuments in the city are under UNESCO protection. The Royal Graves complex, despite such a sad name, is considered one of the most popular places in the resort. The underground necropolis evokes strange sensations, but the tombstones are made with great skill, almost masterpieces.

A comparative analysis of individual components of holidays in Limassol and Paphos leads to the following conclusions. Each of the resorts is good in its own way; any traveler will find a hotel to suit his taste, entertainment according to his interests, and sights that he has dreamed of seeing.

Limassol is chosen by guests of Cyprus who:

• they know about its convenient location and the ability to get to any attraction on the island;
• dream of combining a seaside holiday with a visit to water parks;
• love participating in various festivals and theatrical and musical events;
• We would like to learn about the ancient history of the island and its rich cultural traditions.

Paphos will be chosen by travelers who:

• are not afraid of rocky beaches;
• planning to attend an ancient performance;
• prefer pilgrimage tourism;
• dream of meeting Aphrodite or her modern copy.

For the first time, travelers usually face the choice of a resort that is suitable for them. If the problem of this choice is close to you, this article is just for you. The most popular are and. However, there is a significant difference between them, and it would be a shame to make the wrong choice. So let's try to figure out what is better - chic Paphos or modest Larnaca?

As for the air and water temperatures, despite the fact that Larnaca is located on the east coast, and Paphos is on the west, the temperatures in them practically do not differ. The only thing is that it’s not so hot in Paphos.

This is a luxury resort for people who are not burdened with family responsibilities and the need to save money. A huge number of offers for active recreation lovers are concentrated here. SPA treatments, horseback riding, diving and snorkeling, excursions and entertainment activities - all at your disposal. In addition, Paphos considers very interesting attractions of the island to be their home, such as, for example, the archaeological park of Kato Paphos, the Chrysoroyatissa monastery and the famous Aphrodite’s rock. So for an inquisitive mind, Pathos will be the best solution.

Taking into account only the shortcomings of these resorts, it is worth noting Pathos’ lack of preparation for the arrival of young travelers. There is absolutely no entertainment for children in the city, and in general, relaxing in Paphos with a child will not be very convenient.

One of the disadvantages of Larnaca is its undeveloped entertainment infrastructure. Young and energetic people here will most likely become bored after just a few days of constant lying in the sun and swimming in the warm sea. By the way, about the sea. In Paphos, according to tourists, the water is much cleaner than in Larnaca.

For budget tourists, for families with children or retirees, or simply for those who like to spend their entire vacation being lazy under the scorching sun, Larnaca is the best option. are also considered one of the best in Cyprus, so if you are not constrained by finances, love active recreation and all kinds of crowded events, go here and don’t hesitate - this resort is definitely for you. As for accommodation, there are enough hotels to suit every budget and taste.

But other than that, as the well-known song says, think for yourself, decide for yourself what exactly you expect from this vacation, and what you would like to avoid. In any case, all resorts in Cyprus are full of pleasant surprises, so you certainly can’t go wrong.

Cyprus is a beautiful country that is popular among travelers. It offers a lot of different resorts that can satisfy the wishes of any tourist. Many are interested in the most popular of them, so the question arises: what is better - Limassol or Larnaca, and where to relax?

Price

In translation, Limassol means “Middle City”, which indicates its central location in relation to the most significant attractions. By visiting this resort, tourists have the opportunity to see the most beautiful and important places in the country.

Various tourists meet here, including young people, families and fashionable people. This is explained by the fact that the resort is not very expensive, but it cannot be called the cheapest either.

Larnaca is a very old resort town in the country. It was here that archaeologists found human traces that are more than 600 years old. Nowadays, the city lives and develops thanks to tourism. It is suitable for a budget holiday, so families who do not have a very high income, students, as well as elderly people can go here. The same cannot be said about Paphos, another resort town that also attracts travelers.

If you are wondering which is better - Limassol, Paphos or Larnaca, then it all depends on your financial situation.

Pathos is designed for wealthy people. Most of them are British and Germans. The resort is absolutely not suitable for families with children, because there are few hotels here that can offer accommodation for children.

City beaches

When trying to figure out which is better - Limassol or Larnaca, you should talk about their beaches. You won't be bored in both cities. Lovers of silence and a more relaxing holiday prefer the beaches of Limassol. Most of them are sandy, they have a gentle slope, and the infrastructure is well developed. Therefore, you can come here with children.

The most popular beach is Lady's Miles, on the shores of which there are hotels, restaurants and rental shops. In addition, here you can use the services of instructors who teach aerobics for both adults and children.

The disadvantage of the beach is the large flow of people.

Larnaca is also not inferior to Limassol in terms of quality and quantity of beaches. The most popular here is Mackenzie Beach, which gives tourists the opportunity to watch planes land.

Since both resorts are famous for their good beach infrastructure, let’s look at what they have in common:

1. Accessibility - the beaches of both cities are located in the main tourist areas, so getting to them is not difficult and does not take long. This can be done using public transport.
2. Comfortable - you can rent everything you need at rental shops. You can also have a delicious meal in one of the restaurants or cafeterias.
3. Nightlife - regardless of the time of year, discos and clubs are always open on the country's beaches, which often organize interesting concerts and themed parties.

Both Larnaca and Limassol have abandoned beaches covered with rocky pebbles. They are quite difficult to get to, but they are still very popular among tourists who value privacy.

Safety

As for safety, Larnaca has a fairly calm and cozy atmosphere. The main thing is not to neglect personal safety measures, in which case you have nothing to fear. It is recommended to put all valuables and documents in a safe. On the beach, you should carefully monitor your belongings. There is no need to leave bags or wallets in a visible place in the car.

In Limassol, strict but fair police officers carefully monitor order. Here tourists can be completely calm, because cases of theft are very rare.

What kind of entertainment are there?

If we talk about entertainment in Limassol or Larnaca, which is better to choose, it is difficult to say, because everything depends on the desires of the tourist.

Since Limassol is a resort that has no age restrictions, there is entertainment for everyone here. Younger audiences are encouraged to visit water parks, which offer a variety of different rides and extreme slides. Older travelers prefer spas, swimming pools, and wellness centers. The city offers horse riding and a wide variety of sports. With the arrival of summer, Limassol becomes the center of many festivals.

Larnaca's main entertainment centers around the beautiful, calm promenade. Here a tourist can take a walk, admiring the exotic trees and seascapes. On the embankment there are many interesting restaurants, as well as taverns, which are designed in ethnic style.

Near Limassol there are ruins of ancient cities, such as Kourion and Amathus. The tourist has the opportunity to see how people lived in ancient times, as well as get acquainted with Greek legends.

There are also monuments that date back to a later time. For example, the citadel, which was built in the 14th century. In the past there was a Byzantine castle with a chapel here. It was here that one of the most important events in world history took place - the marriage of Richard the Lionheart to Berengaria, who became Queen of England.

Larnaca is famous for its ancient historical monuments. Here you can visit the ruins of the first Christian temples and other ancient Greek sanctuaries. There is the church of Panagia Angeloktisti, which is associated with a legend that the builders of this temple were angels. Inside there is an image of the Mother of God.

If we talk about which is better - Larnaca or Limassol in winter, then preference should be given to the first option. Larnaca has salt lakes, which with the arrival of winter are visited by beautiful flamingos.

Limassol or Larnaca - which is better?

By comparing resorts and reviewing them, you can draw conclusions that will help you make a decision.

Limassol is suitable for those who:

1. Loves sightseeing.
2. Prefers beaches with a gentle slope.
3. He is interested in the myths of Ancient Greece.
4. Loves to have fun.

Larnaca should be preferred by those who:

1. Loves comfort for a small price.
2. Prefers to take promenades along the embankment.
3. Interested in churches and temples.

Now you can understand for yourself which is better - Limassol or Larnaca.

These two resorts deserve your attention. Each of them has interesting places and quality service. Now you know where to relax in Larnaca or Limassol, all you have to do is make a choice.

In October of this year I was lucky enough to visit sunny Cyprus, and, as it turned out, this trip took place at the right time. While the euro and dollar are growing, I wanted to remember the moments of these bright days, and to record them for history - so that later I could re-read them, remember them and rejoice. I am an optimist, and I hope to get into the Eurozone next year, no matter how fantastic it may sound now :)
This post will be about our location - the city of Larnaca. In fact, we chose it completely by accident, having our eye on very good apartments (and we were right here too), and already on the island itself we realized that we had hit the mark.

View of Larnaca from the sea:

Here are some reasons why you should choose Larnaca when going to travel around Cyprus (I’ll say right away that we are not “seals”, we spend a maximum of 1.5-2 hours on the beach, we like to travel everywhere and see everything):

1. Very good location. Since our vacation plans, as usual, were Napoleonic, we spent a long time choosing a place to stay so that we could explore the island and have all the amenities close at hand. If you look at the map of the island, Larnaca is located in the southeast, between Ayia Napa and Limassol:

Since most of the time we traveled by bus, and took a car only in the last days of our vacation, the location of Larnaca was very advantageous for us: close to Ayia Napa with its golden beaches and blue caves (about 30 minutes drive); Limassol is nearby, with many interesting monuments nearby; Pathos is already further away, but we also went there for a day (for a Russian person this is not a distance at all); you can go to the capital of the island, Nicosia (Lefkosia), and the nearest checkpoint into Turkish territory is very close (we’ve already driven there by car). By the way, the bus service on the island is excellent, you can get the schedule without any problems (it’s available at the bus stops, and they also give you a printout right away at the hotel), and fares are about the same as in Greece - from 1 euro within the city, but if you travel between cities, prices range from 3 to 9 euros one way. By the way, it is very profitable to take so-called “one-day tickets” (round trip) - they are designed for you to return from your destination on the same day. Small, but savings.

2. Very nice beach. No, it's a VERY nice beach. Fans of Ayia Napa may throw slippers at me, but I liked the city beach of Larnaca much more than the popular Nissi Beach. Interestingly, in Larnaca the sand is dark in color, perhaps this is somewhat alarming to our compatriots.

For me, on the contrary, this is a plus - the sand is dense, does not stick too much to my feet and does not get clogged in all possible places (after taking photographs on Nissi beach, I apologize for the detail, I was tired of pulling the sand out of my panties :))
What is also very important for me personally is a smooth sandy approach. After an encounter with sea urchins on one of the wild beaches of the Peloponnese (which, fortunately, ended successfully), I always carefully watch where I am stepping, and walk on stones and large pebbles with caution. On this beach you can relax and not worry about stepping on the wrong side.
Well, one more plus - clean water! Not cloudy, without algae, which is also due to the smaller number of tourists than in Ayia Napa (besides, we were here at the end of the season, in October). There is quite a lot of algae on Nissi, the water is cloudy due to the large influx of tourists, although the color is still very beautiful.
Well, another bonus from Larnaca is cheap sunbeds, 2.5 euros apiece. It is clear that it is the end of the season, but in Napa the prices were much higher.
Of course, everyone has their own ideas about the ideal beach (for some it is certainly white sand), personally, I gladly ran to our beach whenever possible.

3. The city is small, and therefore very cozy. After a couple of days in Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos seemed like metropolises to us:) From the hotel it was very convenient to walk to the city center, the beach and the promenade, go shopping, bus stops are also all close. The streets of the city are very cute and truly homely:

Another important point for me is the beautiful embankment, which we enjoyed walking along almost every evening (if we didn’t collapse after a long trip around the island). The embankment is quite long, of course, there are many taverns on it, but the prices are normal (I’ll tell you about the prices separately). It’s early morning, there’s no one on the embankment yet:

And it’s already evening, view from the pier:

There is an airport near Larnaca (this is also convenient, 10 minutes - and you are in the city), so the planes fly quite low, but this does not cause any discomfort, on the contrary, it produces interesting shots:

Of course, the city also has a port where you can find such funny boats:

4. Prices! Compared to the same popular Ayia Napa, everything in Larnaca is cheaper - shops, taverns, even travel around the city. The prices are reasonable, generally remarkable for Europe: for example, we once bought half a kilo of excellent meat in a supermarket for just 2 euros. On weekends, next to our hotel (literally in the next yard) there was a market where local farmers brought their products. We picked up several bags of vegetables and fruits there (including exotic ones), paying about 5-6 euros for this abundance. We couldn't believe our eyes :)
And this is graffiti in the parking lot where the market was just taking place (it’s a pity we didn’t take a photo of the market itself, that wasn’t the time):

As for prices in taverns, fish meze costs around 20 euros - but this takes into account that it includes several types of fish, and we barely finished the entire dish between the two of us. Of course, the choice of dishes is very large, everything is incredibly tasty, just like in Greece, in one tavern we even found amazing soups. Cypriots are very friendly, and it is clear that they are not doing this for the sake of tips: in one tavern they did not want to let us go until we had eaten the dessert brought as a gift (it was already out, but it was impossible to refuse).

5. Larnaca itself also has something to see.
For example, the very beautiful Church of St. Lazarus, built in the 9th century. This is one of three Byzantine churches remaining on the island. View of the church at dawn, while there are no people yet, only earlier the sun paints it with delicate colors:

Like other cities in Cyprus, Larnaca is very eclectic, with many traces of Turkish influence:

One of the main attractions of Larnaca is the ruins of the ancient Cypriot city-state of Kition, which existed already in 1200 BC! This city is even mentioned in the Bible - there it is called Kitim. As a result of excavations on the territory of the ancient city, workshops, tombs, tombs were found, and most importantly, the temple of the goddess Astarte, who was especially revered by the Phoenicians who lived here. The ruins of ancient Kition are located within the boundaries of modern Larnaca:

In the Greek part of Cyprus, the ancient cities are very well “equipped”: special bridges have been built for tourists, in some places there are even observation decks (for example, in Paphos).

Another local attraction is the ferry Zenobia, which sank near Larnaca in the summer of 1980; it is also picturesquely called the “Titanic of the Mediterranean”. In the port you can take a boat trip to this ship, and in good weather you can see it even through the water! Also, pleasure boats are equipped with a glass bottom to better view the ship. By the way, Zenobia is one of the most popular diving spots in the whole world! Divers not only dive here, but also cook kebabs right away :)

In fact, Larnaca still has many advantages. I don’t want to say that other cities in Cyprus are worse, far from it, everywhere has its own interesting places and its own “zest”. We just really fell in love with Larnaca :)
A few more views of this wonderful place.
Morning, low tide:

Some people love airplanes:

Some people love steamboats...

By the way. if anyone is interested in a hotel, we booked the Alexia apartment on a well-known hotel booking site :) For very real money we got an excellent two-level room with all the amenities and a full kitchen. Well, a separate post can be dedicated to the staff - they greeted us like family, always helped with any questions and were sincerely interested in how we were doing.
This is the side entrance, I’m just standing next to the door of our room. The car is not ours, it’s local :)