I named this travelogue the tranquility of the island of Cyprus, because the hospitality of the locals is proverbial. It was also an opportunity to explore Larnaca and its surroundings, to enjoy the incredible blue of the Mediterranean, to touch a world different and close to ours. To start over. A flight from Europe to Larnaca takes two hours in the air. I arrived early in the morning. So early that I enjoyed the first coffee of the day and a tempting pancake with spinach and fresh salad on the Coastal Boulevard next to Finikoudes Beach. The price of a pancake with coffee is 5 euros.
The sight of palm trees playing with the wind and the sun caressing the peaks, against the background of the sea, which in no way, but does not smell of our Black, is intoxicating. At noon, a temperature of about 33-35 degrees invited me to rest in the apartment near the center, built on an old Turkish neighborhood with small crooked streets. The first impression was not pleasant. The mixture of old buildings and new ones that should be gathered in the narrow spaces creates a feeling of architectural misunderstanding. But my curiosity did not wane. What did I see? Shops where everyone is smiling, kind and caresses the self-confidence of the customer.
Gorgeous clothes delivered mainly from the Arab world. Groceries in pushed groceries, separated by types of food – fruits and vegetables, bread and dairy, meat, etc., but the taste is incomparable. Nothing to do with artificial additives. As incredible as it sounds, the food is real, very real. Purchases of several bags are equal to 15 euros. The situation in the restaurants is different. Fish Soup, the most delicious fish soup I’ve ever tasted, so gorgeous you can’t even imagine the taste, is available at the Navy Marine on Boulevard Boulevard.
What to visit on the island of Cyprus
- Larnaca Castle
- Hala Sultan Teke
- Mosque Phinikoudes Beach
- St. Lazarus Church
The price is 6.50 euros, served with toast and butter. In all restaurants, meals start at 10 euros and up to 16-18 per serving. One evening, no amount was able to stop me from trying grilled fish, served in a portion quite enough for two with a bonus Arabic cakes and a mini dessert. The surprise was that two girls from Europe work in the restaurant. We met immediately, the meeting was warm. In the evening, you can enjoy cocktails in the many bars, but the one you should not miss is the Stories Espresso & Wine Bar, hidden in a closed street in the direction of St. Lazarus Church.
Urban space, with a DJ who mixes music on the street and staff who serve in steps to the beat. A place with atmosphere is the least I can say about the bar. So far with the restaurants. Let’s walk around the city and its surroundings. The first thing I should note is that transport is not well regulated. There are buses, but at long intervals and no one seems to rely on them.
All locals are by car. If you rent a car, it is good to know that English left-hand traffic is used on the island. In Larnaca, I saw a single footpath, there are traffic lights outside the center, where traffic passes through roundabouts, but again, do not miss that it is entered to the left in the direction of travel. For sightseeing, the most practical choice is hop on hop off bus, which departs again from the Coastal Boulevard twice a day. The ticket is 15 euros per person. The price is worth it because the amount of fees in Larnaca is high. The bus passes through nine landmarks and stops at some of them. Do not miss: Larnaca Castle, located at the end of the Coastal Boulevard. It is believed to have been built in the 14th century to defend the coast from the sea.
The salt lake, around it there are paths for walks, benches and gazebos. This is the only place in Cyprus for a couple where a colony of flamingos can be seen in winter. The lake borders another of Larnaca’s major landmarks, the Hala Sultan Teke Mosque, built on a fallen meteorite and considered by some to be the third most important after Mecca and Medina. Undoubtedly the biggest attraction for which I recommend taking special time, because the bus just passes from there is the church of St. Lazarus. The saint is the patron saint of the city. The church was built in the 9th century and is located in the center, near the Coastal Boulevard.
The scriptures say that after Jesus brought Lazarus back to life for fear of murder, Lazarus fled from Judea, settled in the city then called Kition, and became the first bishop. Lazarus’ tomb is believed to be in the church. There is a tomb with relics of the saint. Now let’s go back to the beach, where temperatures of 35 degrees are not felt under the thick shade of the umbrella. Phinikoudes (or Foinikoudes) Beach is perhaps one of the most famous beaches in southern Cyprus. The center of Larnaca is just behind this beach, separated from it by the promenade of Athenon Avenue.
It is called Finikoudes Beach because of the small palm trees that have grown here since 1922 and are now large trees offering wonderful shade at noon. The wide pedestrian zone with colorful bushes makes you feel like you are in Miami rather than the Mediterranean. Phinikoudes Beach has Blue Flag status, is very well maintained and guarded in summer. Its sand is fine, gray. In fact, sand is not the right word, because it looks more like clay.
The price of an umbrella with two sunbeds is 7.50 euros for a whole day. Do not think to save them, because without shade you will certainly burn in the hot sun, and it is hardly comfortable to lie on the so-called. sand. Finally, I left to share the two phenomena that impressed me the most. It is no coincidence that I use the word phenomena because they are phenomena.
The first is that time in Larnaca flows in a different rhythm, as if in another world. Time has stopped there, their two hours are equal to our five. No rush, nerves, tension. There is a feeling that half a day has passed, and only about two hours, so full, so meaningful, so full. The second thing that impressed me the most were the Cypriots. Men, I would not say beautiful, but very attentive, caring for their families, devoid of complexes, despite the difficult moments that remember their ancestral memory.
Young men of two or three or five sitting for coffee is the most normal sight. There is no complex of being alone. There is no desire to prove and show in the presence of many or often changing women. The heat they emit exceeds the temperature of the air, even on the hottest days. Women, natural and smiling. I did not see any local women with improvements. Probably words like extensions, silicone, hyaluronic, artificial or any heavy makeup to taboo. The young girls are dressed fashionably but decently. Nowhere did I see bodies shown, more than necessary.
Everything is in moderation. You will unmistakably recognize rich women in the evening at the bars, in the long, elegant dresses or stylish overalls. And if on the first day I thought that there was some architectural misunderstanding in the center of Larnaca, the hospitable Cyprus captivated me, so much so that any elements beyond the sensations are insignificant.