Larnaca, or Larnaka, is a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus. The major international airport of Cyprus is located in this city. The whole district of Larnaca has something special to offer to the visitor, including Choirocoitia, the oldest Neolithic settlement on the island, Stavrovouni Monastery and the famous church of Angeloktisti. Although very much a working city; the palm-lined waterfront promenade, ancient fort and historic quarter imbue Larnaca with a distinct antique flavour. Today the city is a relaxed place well-loved for its easy going attitude and friendly people. Modern Larnaca is a bustling town with its own international airport, yet it has somehow managed to retain a good deal of historic Levantine charm. Tourism is beginning to catch on in a big way and hotels and resort-complexes are springing up on the outskirts of the town. The nearby beaches aren’t the best that Cyprus has to offer, but they improve markedly along the coast making Larnaca a good base for exploring the island. Larnaca’s nightlife is also growing and the town centre corrals together an enviable collection of bars, cafes and tavernas. Larnaca’s main tourist attraction is the nearby mosque of Hala Sultan Tekke, which draws pilgrims from across the Moslem world. The mosque is located next to a salt-lake southwest of the city and both can be visited in a day-trip. Heading out of town towards Limassol takes you into the green foothills of the Troodos Mountains, while to the west the frenetic charms of Ayia Napa await. Scuba divers are in for a treat in the shape of the Zenobia, a passenger ferry which sank in 1983 and is now rated as one of the world’s top ten wrecks.
One of the oldest, continually-inhabited cities in the world, Larnaka flourishes with sights. Nearby is an 18th-century aqueduct, and two wonderful museums — the Pierides Foundation and the Larnaka District Archaeological Museum. Both contain exceptional examples of Mediterranean art.
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