Ayia Napa Cyprus travel advice and Guide

Ayia Napa Cyprus travel advice: Overview Once a just a small quiet fishing village in the south-eastern corner of Cyprus, Ayia Napa is now a loud blaring hot-spot for holidaymakers looking for a lively holiday.

That being said – 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.

To continue: An incredible 250,000 clubbers swarm into this Cyprus party capital each summer and the phenomenal atmosphere in its scores of bars and nightclubs is nothing short of explosive.

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So Lets get the Negatives out of the way first..

Generally speaking Ayia Napa is clean, well ordered and favoured by all types of holidaymakers. But it will be noisy…

However if you do not enjoy loud noise and bright lights, we advise you 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.

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.

Located in the centre of the market garden area of the island, Ayia Napa also boasts a string of superb golden sandy beaches and 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 from Ayia Napa, 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 as in the rest of Cyprus is pure pleasure for holidaymakers, with superb bargains to be had particularly on designer goods.

Top name watches such as Rolex and Seiko, plus sunglasses, clothing, cameras and jewellery are available at prices up that are at least 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 leather wear. Major credit cards are accepted everywhere.

Restaurants

Variety is the spice of dining out in Cyprus and Ayia Napa is no exception, 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, holidaymakers won’t be disappointed.

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

Holidaymakers in 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.

Ayia Napa holidyay Activities on offer.

The extensive, silvery sandy beaches along the coast of Ayia Napa are washed with warm waters that provide a myriad of opportunities for water sports, including water-skiing, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, pedal boats, motor boats, para-sailing, scuba diving and snorkeling.

The Cyprus Tourism Organisation supervises the beaches, many of which have Blue Flag status.

Holidaymakers can take excursions from Ayia Napa 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.