Larnaca Travel Guide: Where to Stay, Things to Do, Eat and Know

Larnaca is more than a small city in Cyprus that most tourists only experience as the twenty minutes between the runway and the highway west. Their loss. Mine too, the first time I passed through, but I’ve been making up for it ever since.

Larnaca is the perfect destination for beach lovers, offering perfect weather, golden beaches, welcoming people, and lots of history packed in its small size. And today’s travel guide will convince you that it’s worth visiting at least once.

Located just 15 minutes away from the international airport, Larnaca only has around 52,000 inhabitants, but is Cyprus’ third largest city. It’s small, warm, friendly and delightful: although touristy, it never seems to get too crowded (yet).

If you’re in the planning phase already, aim to visit starting mid-May and June to late September and early October, sleep near the Finikoudes promenade, eat like a local, and rent a car only for the day trips.

Done that way, Larnaca is one of the most likeable and affordable city breaks in the Mediterranean, and I’ll show you exactly how the money breaks down near the end. So let’s find out more about Larnaca below in my travel guide here!

Good to Know Before You Go

These are the things that usually surprise tourists here, so I’m listing them to prevent that from happening:

• You drive on the left. Cyprus kept the British rules, so the steering wheel is on the right and roundabouts flow clockwise. Be very careful about this if you’re used to the other side of the road.
• Plugs are the old British three-pin Type G. Pack an adapter, or grab one at any kiosk for a couple of euros to keep your devices charged..
• The currency is the Euro, tap water is safe to drink (although you’ll see locals mostly drinking bottled), English is spoken almost everywhere, and 112 is the emergency number.

Another important thing to know is that Cyprus is in the EU but not in Schengen. This means two important things:

1. Visitors from the US, the UK and most other Western countries need no visa for stays up to 90 days (but you can’t stay more than 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa).
2. The ETIAS travel authorisation that keeps making headlines is not in operation yet and has no confirmed start date, so there’s nothing to apply for before your flight. Always double-check this, though, as it might change.

If you’re still not sold, you can also consider snorkeling in Santorini. Although I recommend both Larnaca and Greece, since they’re so close anyway!

Getting Around

The airport sits 10 km southwest of the center, and the connection is fast, easy and cheap: Bus 425 runs to the Finikoudes area every 15 minutes or so from about 6:30 AM until midnight, takes around 20 minutes, and costs €2.40 for a daytime single, €4 after 21:00.

A taxi to the center runs €20-25 by day and a bit more between midnight and 6:30. It is more expensive, but it’s totally worth it if you are traveling as a couple or family and have luggage.

You don’t need a car to drive around Larnaca. The city center is flat and compact, and everything else is within walking distance (or at least a short bus ride away). Especially if you’re not used to driving on the left side, there’s no need to rent a car in Larnaca.

It might be worthwhile if you plan to take one or more day trips. For that particular situation, I recommend opting for a trusted platform like Discover Cars.

The site won the World’s Best Car Rental Booking Website award in 2022 (to name just one of the many awards received recently) and it has glowing reviews from those who used it.

With Discover Cars, you will get various affordable options for cars to rent, with prices starting at ~10 Eur per day. There are no hidden fees, the cars are in great condition, and you know you’re in safe hands by choosing a world-renowned and highly trusted service.

Best Places to Stay in Larnaca

Larnaca offers luxurious all-inclusive hotels as well as cheap deals for the low-budget minded traveler, which I consider a quiet luxury: tons of options to fit your budget, without the usual trade-off in location.

Since the city itself is on the smaller side, you will always be surrounded by small cafes and restaurants, but still just a few minutes away from the beach no matter where you decide to stay. And if you’re still undecided, here’s where to stay in Larnaca:

1. Lebay Beach Hotel – My TOP Choice

If you want to be right on the beach, but keep the costs low, then Lebay is the perfect choice for you. It has a large pool, a nice terrace to enjoy the views and the beach itself is just a few steps away.

Great prices all year long (it’s a 3-star rated hotel), but with good service and lots of value offered for the money. It has some really impressive ratings from customers as well, proving that it’s one of the best hotels in Larnaca.

Check prices for your dates here.

2. Sun Hall Hotel

If you want a bit more luxury, this four star hotel is a great choice and still offering great prices all year-long. It doesn’t have a pool, but it’s right on the beach, offering some spectacular sea views from some of its rooms.

The rooms themselves are large and beautiful and the food served here will really make your whole stay a perfect experience.

Check prices for your dates here.

3. Art & Wine Boutique Hotel

If you’re all set on luxury and top quality services, this hotel is an amazing choice. Think rooftop jacuzzis with a view, beautifully designed rooms and staff that’s really focused on making you feel welcome.

It is on a smaller side, but totally worth it. Plus, it’s very close to the beach, like all my recommended hotels.

Check prices for your dates here.

For more low-budget alternatives, check out the smaller hotels in the area and don’t be fooled by their placement on the map – even though some might appear to be far away from the beach, in reality they’re not, since the city itself is relatively small.

Best Cypriot food in Larnaca

Cypriots can definitely cook. Seafood and fish dishes are just two of their specialties that will make you fall in love with Larnaca.

A downside (or an advantage, depending on how you look at it) is the size of the portions – they are huge!

Fortunately, you can do a lot of swimming in the perfect water or just be active, walking around the city and exploring the promenade and burn some of those extra calories. Or just enjoy them – you’re on vacation, after all!

Apart from seafood and fish, the Cypriot cuisine has influences from both Greece and Turkey, taking the best from the two in my opinion and delivering a mouth watering experience on their own, with a perfect use of spices and meats and vegetables.

Among my favorites, I have to mention Ocean Basket which has everything you can dream of in terms of seafood and fish dishes, but also Alexander restaurant.

The latter doesn’t look like much on the outside, but the food is fingerlicking good: just look at some of the Google Photos taken there to see what I mean!

For the full old-school experience, Militzis, next to the medieval fort, is a family institution that started cooking in a mountain village in the 1930s and never stopped. Order the kleftiko or the mezze, and pace yourself.

If you want to eat where Larnaca eats on its own nights out, look up To Kazani or Alonia Tavern out in Livadia, a short taxi ride north: both are packed with locals and both hold near-perfect review scores

When it comes to choosing restaurants, I personally prefer the smaller ones that seem to be more genuine and visited by locals as opposed to the large, glamorous ones that are made for tourists. If you want the real Cyprus experience, you have to eat where locals do!

Here’s what to actually eat: grilled halloumi (or, in a good taverna, halloumi fried with honey, a dessert pretending to be a starter, but tasting like a miracle – if that’s even a thing), sheftalia, a herbed sausage off the charcoal grill, kleftiko, lamb cooked so long it surrenders off the bone, and a mezze table whenever there’s two or more of us, because twenty small dishes beat one big one. And, of course, all the varieties of fish you can think of.

For dessert, loukoumades, little honey doughnuts, and if the restaurant stocks it, a glass of Commandaria, the sweet wine the knights of old got emotional about.

Food prices, so you can plan ahead: a pita souvlaki from a takeaway can be as low as €5-7, and a proper sit-down local taverna dinner with a drink starts at around €20 per person, more if you order fish by the kilo.

Best Things to Do in Larnaca

While spending all the day soaking in the sun, enjoying the waves and taking short breaks to one restaurant or another to refill might be just enough for many, there are other things that you can do in the small city of Larnaca, Cyprus.

First of all, get lost on the streets! Larnaca’s tight streets will reveal part of the city’s charm and history with every new step you take.

Old houses, sometimes in poor condition, blend in with new constructions and impressive hotels, abandoned shops are mixed in between expensive brand stores… all of them offer Larnaca a charm like few other cities have.

Probably the most important touristic attractions in the city are the Church of Saint Lazarus (Agios Lazaros) – built back in the 9th century, the Hala Sultan Tekke and the Medieval Castle of Larnaca, which is conveniently located by the beach (and mighty impressive too!)

If you enjoy spending time on water, you can book a boat for a trip around the bay, or just relax at the beach and enjoy the warm, shallow water.

During weekends and especially during the main season, there are all sorts of events taking place in the city. Most are oriented towards entertaining tourists and not of the highest quality possible, but still fun to watch nevertheless.

If you enjoy biking, you will be very happy to hear that Cyprus is a very bike-friendly country, with hundreds of kilometers of bike trails available, taking you across the country. Larnaca has its own set of cycling routes, taking you to nearby villages and other attractions.

If you have time and this is something you enjoy doing, by all means rent a bike and go explore. But do have in mind that during the high season, it gets really hot there so cycling under the sun might not be the best idea.

The Salt Lake and the Flamingos

Between the airport and the city lies the salt lake, and this is where Larnaca becomes unforgettable. In summer, it’s a cracked white plain that people drive past without a glance.

But from roughly November to March, water returns, and with it flamingos, hundreds of them and in good winters thousands, a pink smudge against the distant mountains. As I write this, the first arrivals are landing for the season and it’s worth checking out if you’re also around here during this time of the year.

Diving the Zenobia

Now for the thing Larnaca is famous for among a specific type of travelers, and that almost nobody else knows: the Zenobia wreck.

In June 1980, a huge Swedish roll-on roll-off ferry sank just outside the Larnaca harbor, and it’s been lying there ever since, on her port side between 16 and 43 meters down, her cargo of trucks still strapped in place. This wreck is consistently rated among the top wreck dives in the world.

If you’re certified, this is a bucket-list dive you can do as a day trip from the beach. If you’re not, several dive centers in town run beginner dives that touch the shallow parts of the wreck (check this one out, if interested), and even from the surface it’s a strange thrill to float over a ghost ferry one and a half football pitches long.

If you’d rather stay on top of the water, you can book a boat trip around the bay, or just relax at the beach and enjoy the warm, shallow water.

Larnaca, Cyprus – Best beaches

Golden sand, small waves around your ankles, your favorite person next to you. Heaven, right? That’s the basic offer at Larnaca’s beaches, and it’s a good one! And as I said before, a good beach is always within walking distanc from anywhere in the city.

If you can be picky, you have the large, wide Finikoudes beach right by the city center, with its palm-lined promenade and shallow water that stays waist-deep forever – you can see it in the photos I’ve scattered around this article.

Also, there is the Mackenzie beach down south, which runs on two schedules: family-friendly calm by day, beach-bar buzz by late afternoon.

Mackenzie also sits at the end of the airport runway, so aircraft come in low right over the water. If you’re an aviation person, park yourself at a beach bar and enjoy the show; if loud engines ruin your afternoon, walk north instead.

Both are nice and not extremely crowded, with both sunbeds available and places for you to place your towel and enjoy the sand.

Larnaca: Prices and travel costs

Even though the country itself is considered a fiscal paradise, prices in Larnaca (and Cyprus generally) are not that high, although they’ve been climbing steadily, like everywhere in the world, in the past few years. Restaurant and service costs still run well below what you’d pay in Paris or Rome (or even Prague), which is why your bill keeps feeling too low rather than too high.

The country now has a minimum salary set by the government (and it’s pretty solid, I must say), but you should look at the the average wages in the EU to see how Cyprus fares against the other countries and truly estimate your buying power there.

These being said, if you go to Larnaca for a holiday, you don’t have to spend a fortune unless you really want to. As I mentioned before, a takeaway pita lunch costs €5-7, a sit-down restaurant lunch lands around €20 with a drink in a local taverna, even less if you can score a daily menu.

Even during the high season, you can have a hearty lunch at a restaurant for as low as 10 Euros, and enjoy the local strawberries for around 1.5 Euros per case.

A simple daily budget picture for travelers, excluding flights (price per person if traveling as a couple):

Staying longer as a digital nomad? Studios rent from around €450-600 a month these days, and a decent one-bedroom runs €700-1,100, with prices being a lot lower during the off season (from November to May, when the weather is still much better than in most parts in Europe).

If you’re a non-EU citizen planning to base yourself here as a digital nomad, the Cyprus digital nomad visa requires proof of about €3,500 in net monthly income; EU citizens can simply move and register locally.

Either way, Larnaca works for remote life: the internet is solid, the time zone overlaps Europe and the Gulf, and the airport is 15 minutes away when a client call demands a flight.

All in all, Larnaca stays affordable for both short visits and longer stays, which is rarer than it sounds on this island’s fancier coasts.

Wrapping up

Is Larnaca a perfect city for everyone? No. If you want 24/7 parties, go to Ayia Napa. If you want mountains and forests, go to Troodos. Larnaca is for people who want a real, lived-in Mediterranean city with a beach attached, history underfoot, and dinner portions that require planning.

One thing is certain: if you go there, you will surely fall in love with the city. It’s not as vibrant and huge as other places in the world, but it has charm and that’s all that matters in the end.

And if you’ve been there, I’d love to hear your thoughts and read about your experience in the comments below.