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Larnaca: (Larnaka) |
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.
Dubbed Kition in classical times Larnaca first entered the history books as the
birthplace of the Stoic philosopher Zeno. A few hundred years later Lazarus
decided to settle here (post-resurrection) and became Larnaca’s first bishop and
the city’s patron saint. Arab raids in the seventh century forced the citizens
inland and the city into decline and it wasn’t until the end of the Middle Ages
that its fortunes revived. Under the Ottomans Larnaca became the island’s
premiere port and commercial hub, only to be eclipsed by Limassol and Famagusta
in the middle of the 20th century.
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 on the up and the
town centre corrals together an enviable collection of bars, cafes and tavernas.
Larnaca lacks the polish of other Cypriot resorts and often gets branded as
‘shabby’ or ‘dilapidated’ by guidebook writers. Despite, or perhaps because of
this, the city has a charmingly laid-back attitude. Larnaca’s main tourist
attraction is the 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 verdant 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 no rated as one of the world’s top ten wrecks.
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