Larnaka, Cyprus

I love Cyprus moneyboss . DH and I were regular visitors up until a few years ago. We never based our holiday in Larnaca itself but visited many times (day and evenings) and I think it would be a lovely place for a holiday. Beautiful restaurants, tavernas, promenade etc. (with the bonus of being very close to the airport too) . When the children were young we visited Ayia Napa quite a lot which was ideal for families and a whole different place than you imagine if you go slightly out of season. We used to go in May, June, September and October and it was perfect. (We're certainly not party people) . DH and I even visited in January and April (and whilst it was by no means sunbathing weather it was quite pleasant) . We also visited Protaras which was a tiny little place back then, just a couple of small taverns and a nice beach. It's now grown into a large resort. In later years DH and I holidayed in the Polis area which is served by Paphos airport a very pretty place full of lovely restaurants and a few little shops but not really a place frequented by British holiday makers. We also spent a fair bit of time in a village called Pomos which is way up the coast and quite close to the North/South border. At one time you couldn't get through it was a dead end so very quiet and hardly any tourists at all. Just a couple of nice restaurants/tavernas a small beach and some lovely walks. A place where you really just mixed with the locals.

I imagine Larnaca would be very easy to travel to independently (we always did when we went to Cyprus) as its close to the airport. I don't thinks the big package holiday companies go there (which would be a good thing if your looking for something away from British bars etc) writing this has brought back some very happy memories. One day we hope to go back.

We stayed Latching on the Paphos side and loved it because it's not too 'touristy'. I've looked at Protaras but after seeing a McDonalds on the corner, not sure it's for me. DH insists on package holidays as he's concerned about doing it independently, so that does limit where we go a little.

I like Latchi too moneyboss isn't but where the turtles hatch ? We always did it independently and hired a car so we could see a lot of the island. I don't think you'd like Protaras these days . It used to be a nice quiet pleasant cove now it's a huge tourist resort in its own right . I think you would like Polis on the paphos side and Larnaca too . There are some wonderful little villages off the usual tourist map if you have a hire car .

Meant to add that the whole place is very different out of the main season, which we loved. You are making me long to go back .

We are hoping to go to Larnaca next year too. DH has some friends that live there and has not seen since they all lived in Britain many years ago. I've never met them but I am looking forward to going to Cyprus as I have never been!

It's a long time since we've been and we stayed in Larnaca and enjoyed it very much and then the next time was a very last-minute trip with no fixed hotel. We were sent to very nice apartments in Ayia Napa but, as it was very much out of season (beginning of March), it was fairly quiet and most visitors were older. Pleasantly warm on the coast but snow up in the mountains! We hired a car.

We'd like to go back to visit the Paphos side of the island

Sorry - it was Limassol where we stayed (it was a long time ago). The hotel was lovely.
Is Larnaca where the airport is? That's probably why I remembered it.

Yes Jalima Larnaca is the airport that serves the likes of Ayia Napa, Protaras etc. Ayia Napa gets a bit of a wild reputation but out of season it's really lovely . Limassol is a lovely resort too. Sigh wish I was going ..

My daughter and family have just moved to Episkopi so I'm heading out there in late September/ October. I've only ever been once before and that was kate July and VERY hot

I can truly recommend a lovely little village called Fyti (Fiti) which is around 30 minutes drive inland from Paphos (Pafos) . I know Episkopi too kezia and have some happy memories of visiting there and photos taken around the ancient ruins when my DD was young. September and October will be perfect . I have visited in October many times. Lovely and warm (but not baking hot) but be warned when it gets dark it's like someone switches the lights out it happens so quickly.

Oh I am sooooooo depressed now.

Living in Cyprus for half the year, although up in the Troodos mountains, I can recommend hiring a car and seeing the island. There are two airports on the South of the island ( the Greek Cypriot side) Paphos in the east and Larnaca in the west. The island is not that big and can be easily navigated by car. There are also quite good bus services in the towns, and also some which go into the countryside, but you will need to find out about these as we drive everywhere.

There are lots of food shops if you are self catering, but no home deliveries but there will be bakeries open 24 hours for the essentials. Lidl is very popular, although don't expect the same range of food as in UK as it stock mainly for the local market not the expat and holidaymakers. The other local Supermarket is Alpha Mega who has a deal with Tesco and now proudly boast at selling over 2000 Tesco products, mainly tinned, dried and frozen. The water is OK to drink and there are a range of specialist milks (soya, coconut, rice, almond etc) available everywhere. Plugs are three pin as UK and we drive on the same side. Talking of which when you pull in to a petrol station they are not self service but an attendant will fill up the car and usually wash the windscreen as well.

If eating out try to go to where the locals are, although they don't usually eat till eight or nine at night. Prices can vary as to where you are, holiday areas as in UK being far more pricey than local villages. There are of course the usual MacDonalds etc, which I have to admit I have never been in over here.

The usual UK shops Debenhams, M&S, Monsoon, Holland and Barrett are also around although the prices are considerably higher than at home.

All in all a great place to have a lovely holiday, take the opportunity to see the sights, if you are in to Roman Ruins a trip to Kurium the other side of Limassol is a must and the beach just below it has lovely restaurants and a chance for a swim and an ice cold draft Keo ( the local lager!!!) . The temperature today as I type this is a mere 40 degrees and set to rise, although rain is forecast it never lasts long and is very localised.

Oh pippa you have made my longing to go back even worse !

Me, DH and DD stayed an a really old hotel that looked like a film set, in the centre of Nicosia for a few days . Loved it . Fabulous restaurants and hardly and not many tourists around at night.

gillybob, glad to be of service. We are setting off at about 9pm to collect DS, DiL and sprogs from Paphos, about and hour and a bit from the house. Tomorrow will be spent at home, by the swimming pool with a BBQ !!!

I'm sooo jealous Pippa. Part of the reason for a return visit to Cyprus is to have a look round with a view to spending winters there when we retire in a few years. Are there any smaller resorts towards Larnaka you could recommend as a base for next years holiday. Definitely not looking for a brits abroad holiday.

Moneyboss Larnaka is at the beginning of the tourist area in the west, with Ayia Napa being not that far away, although there are good beaches near here. If you go towards Limassol there is Kiti, and the areas around there, this is on the sea and again is the region for lovely beaches. It really depends on what you want from a holiday. If you come up to the mountain area, there are a lot of very pretty villages where there are fewer brits on holiday as most seem to hove too the sea and sand.

www.agrotourism.com.cy will give you a lot of ideas for smaller villages and places which are more out of the usual norm for tourists. We live way up in the mountains, near Kakopetria and are the only brits in the village!!

We liked Larnaca as a town when we visited, but weren`t too impressed with the beach, the sand was very flat, and felt hard and crunchy underfoot. Yeroskipou, just outside Paphos, was nice and family orientated when we were there, and inland we liked Platres. We hired a car each time we went to Cyprus, hubby said driving there was easy and pleasant.

Northern Cyprus is supposed to be lovely too, although I have only seen it from across the barriers that were there then.