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Ayia Napa Travel Guide
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Ayia Napa beach © Cyprus Tourism Organisation |
Overview: What was once a small fishing village in the south-eastern
corner of Cyprus is now a hotspot for holidaymakers looking for a
lively vacation - over 250,000 clubbers swarm into
this party capital each summer and the phenomenal atmosphere in its
scores of bars and nightclubs is nothing short of explosive.
Located in the centre of the market garden area of the island, Ayia
Napa also boasts a string of superb golden sandy beaches and
vestiges of its cultural heritage - there is a Venetian decorated
monastery fronted by a 600-year-old Sycamore tree, and a quaint
harbour filled with colourful fishing vessels. Just a few miles
away, the resort of Protaras is more restrained and is much more
suited to family holidays. Both resorts have excellent beaches, the
most famous being Fig Tree Bay. Other popular beaches include Nissi
Beach and Nissi Bay, two miles (3km) west of Ayia Napa; Cape Greco
to the east, where the challenge is to leap from the rocks into the
sea; and Konnos Bay, just past Cape Greco, where there is a beach
café and speedboats for hire.
Shopping: Shopping in Ayia Napa is pure pleasure, with real bargains to be
had particularly on designer goods. Top name watches, sunglasses,
clothing, cameras and jewellery are available at prices up to 30
percent cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Shops and boutiques are
generally small and friendly, opening until 11pm every night except
Sundays. The local handcrafts make for good souvenir shopping,
including beautiful embroidered Lefkara lace, original ceramic
pottery, artistic silver jewellery, baskets, woven and silk goods
and high quality leatherwear. Major credit cards are accepted
everywhere.
Restaurants: Variety is the spice of dining out in Ayia Napa, where countless
restaurants specialise in a host of cuisines from around the world,
everything from the romantic and traditional, to fast food and
pub-grub being on offer. Whether it is a Big Mac, fish ‘n
chips, a Chinese or formal French you fancy, you won’t have
to go far to find it. Visitors are well advised to try the Cypriot
fare, however, particularly in the delightful, traditional tavernas
clustered around the harbour. Highly recommended is the typical
Cypriot ‘meze’, made up of between 15 and 30 island
dishes. Other local specialities include taramosalata, tsatsiki,
moussaka, stifado (beef or veal stew), aphelia (pork and red wine),
and loukoumades (doughnuts dipped in syrup).
Nightlife: Visitors to Ayia Napa soon learn that it is essential to plan an
afternoon siesta, if they are to make the most of the sensational
nightlife for which the resort has become world-renowned. The
Cypriot's appreciation for the good life and good times comes to
the fore after the sun sets, with bars, discos, nightclubs and
bouzouki clubs open well into the early hours of the morning. Most
hotels have their own nightly entertainment with a resident band,
and Greek nights with folk dancing are offered. The resort's
clubbing scene is legendary with big name DJ's appearing frequently
at some of the popular clubs.
Activities: The extensive, silvery sandy beaches along the coast of Ayia
Napa are washed with warm waters that provide a myriad of
opportunities for watersports, including water-skiing, windsurfing,
sailing, canoeing, pedal boats, motor boats, parasailing, scuba
diving and snorkelling. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation supervises
the beaches, many of which have Blue Flag status. Visitors can take
excursions to places like Agia Thekla, four miles (6km) to the
west, with a small offshore island, Makronisos Beach, a cluster of
three sheltered bays, or to the historical city of Larnaca, 25
miles (40km) along the coast. Jeep safaris around the island itself
are popular, with attractions like the Caledonian Falls and the
Byzantine Monastery of Kykkos waiting to be explored. The island's
position in the Mediterranean also lends itself to making
excursions to other countries, even Jerusalem or Cairo, for a night
or two of sightseeing.
Negatives: Generally Ayia Napa is clean, well ordered and favoured by all
types of holidaymakers. Those who do not enjoy noise and bright
lights, however, are advised to stay clear of the central monastery
square area, which is where most of the popular nightclubs are
situated. The main clubbing season is between June and September,
and during this period the resort is packed with young people from
all over Europe. Older holiday makers may prefer to enjoy the
resort during the ‘shoulder’ months (April, May,
October and November), when the weather is still good, the sea
relatively warm, but the tempo quieter. The island can be windy,
but the geographic locations of the surrounding beaches means that
it is possible to find a sheltered beach even on windy days. Nissi
Beach tends to be overcrowded, but there are other beaches within
easy reach where it is possible to enjoy peace and quiet.
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