New lease of life

DESTINATIONS — Greece & Cyprus
New lease of life
A multi-million makeover is changing the face
of Larnaca. Jeannine Williamson reports
W
ith year-round sunshine,
short flight times and
historic links with the UK, the
Mediterranean island of Cyprus
has long been a firm favourite
with Brits. Adding to its eternal
appeal, Larnaca, is halfway
through a major multi-million
euro makeover.
50 • travelweekly.co.uk — 10 January 2013
FAST FACT
The Zenobia wreck
off Larnaca is ranked
among the world’s
10 best dive sites
a worthy alternative, says Photis
Lambrianides, Olympic Holidays’
commercial director.
“With its attractive, palm-lined
promenade, home to a large
number of restaurants, tavernas
and bars, Larnaca has lots of
visitor appeal,” he says.
“It is also the resort closest
to the island’s major gateway
airport, which opened its new
terminal a couple of years ago and
has the greatest concentration of
flights from the UK. Importantly,
the transfer time to the main
beach area east of town is a
mere 15 minutes by taxi, great
for families with young children
itching to get on the beach.”
The CTO organises regular trade
initiatives, including fam trips and
marketing events, on mainstream
and special-interest products, to
keep agents updated.
l STAY: ACROSS
THE BOARD
While Cyprus is not generally
viewed as a budget destination,
and prides itself on the quality
of its accommodation, there
▲
l SELL: CONVENIENCE
AND QUALITY
Just 15 minutes from the island’s
main airport, Larnaca can be
sold as a short break as well as a
traditional one or two-week holiday.
And the town’s huge facelift means
there’s plenty more to encourage
visitors to stay in the town.
Four new museums, improved
beaches – including the trendy
McKenzie beach hot spot with
its shallow waters that are ideal
for families – adrenaline-fuelled
watersports, a new winery and
Olympic-standard shooting range
are just some of the projects that
have been completed as part of
the five-year investment.
“Larnaca has benefited from
the fact its tourism development
has been planned carefully and
consistently over the last few
years,” says Orestis Rossides, UK
and Ireland director of Cyprus
Tourism Organisation (CTO). “The
waterfront development has
created a pleasant environment
and visitors can experience a
beautiful contrast of a modern
and traditional way of life.
“The renovation of the Piyale
Pasha coastal road from the castle
to McKenzie beach is progressing
well. It will include a cycle lane,
walkway and green area and is
scheduled for completion later this
year. Larnaca has also designated
a beach for kitesurfing that
provides perfect wind and wave
conditions all year round.”
Ongoing schemes include the
redevelopment of the marina,
a championship golf course,
revamped marketplace, new
amphitheatre for concerts and
information centres at the salt
marshes and hillside village of
Skarinou outside the town.
While Paphos, Limassol and
Ayia Napa attract greater
numbers of UK tourists, Larnaca is
DESTINATIONS — Greece & cyprus
SAMPLE
PRODUCT
Palm Beach Hotel &
Bungalows
GIC The Villa Collection has introduced Cyprus to
its portfolio, with two properties near Pomos on the
northern coast of the island. The operator’s
newly-released 2013 brochure also features Stoupa
in the Peloponnese, plus new villas in Corfu, Kefalonia,
Crete and Paxos.
gicthevillacollection.com
Olympic Holidays offers
seven nights’ bed and
breakfast at the Palm Beach
Hotel & Bungalows from
£489, including flights from
Gatwick in January.
olympicholidays.com
0844 499 4449
The new palm
lined promen
ade
Sunvil has seven nights’
self-catering at the
two-bedroom Castella Court
apartment on McKenzie
beach from £1,738 for a
family of two adults and
two children, including
flights from Gatwick, for
departures in March.
sunvil.co.uk
020 8758 4759
are rooms to suit all pockets, from
self-catering apartments to luxury
resorts. Olympic Holidays offers
a selection of four and five-star
hotels in Larnaca plus self-catering
in its Winter Sun, Summer Sun,
upmarket Gold and Platinum
Collection and budget Smart
Choice programmes.
Among the properties
recommended by Sunvil is the
family-run Palm Beach Hotel &
Bungalows. Set in large gardens,
the property, which has recently
refurbished its 228 rooms, boasts
a spa, tennis and watersports
facilities. It also offers
agro-tourism excursions during
the autumn harvest season and is
well placed for active visitors who
want to hire bikes and explore the
island’s excellent cycling routes.
The 193-room, five-star Golden
Bay Beach Hotel, also featured by
a number of Cyprus specialists,
is a luxurious retreat for families
with a dedicated children’s club
and family mini suites with private
terraces and shared whirlpool
baths, four restaurants and a
health and leisure club.
A good three-star choice for
families and mature clients is
Crown Resorts Henipa with a
NEWS FROM GREECE AND CYPRUS
Tavernas line
the back streets
The marina is being
redeveloped
swim-up bar, children’s pools and
play area, gym and watersports
facilities at the nearby beach.
The hotel’s 164 rooms include
bungalows and eight accessible
rooms for disabled guests.
The stylish Amorgos Boutique
Hotel is an ideal property for
couples. Featured by operators
such as Cyplon, the newly
refurbished 46-room hotel is in a
quiet street but close to Larnaca’s
promenade and shops.
l SEE: HISTORY AND
NATURE
Larnaca may be half the size of
Limassol, but it is big on historic
attractions including an
impressive medieval castle,
the Hala Sultan Tekke – one
of the world’s most sacred
mosques – and Pierides
Museum covering 9,000 years
of Cyprus history. For clients
with an interest in churches and
Byzantine art, Larnaca is an openair museum and the Church of
Saint Lazarus is one of the most
important surviving Byzantine
monuments on the island.
Between the airport and the
town is a large salt lake, one of the
area’s most distinctive landmarks,
52 • travelweekly.co.uk — 10 January 2013
TOP TIP
Recommend a stay
during one of the
many festivals: Flower
Parade in May; Flood
Festival in June; and
Summer Festival
in July
A statue of General Kimon,
who died helping to free the
city from Persian rule, stands
on the seafront in Larnaca
Larnaca Tourism Board is offering a free half-day
excursion to the town’s surrounding villages, including
Lefkara and Tochni, every Saturday until the end of
March. Pick-up points include Golden Bay and
Lordos Hotel, Palm Beach Hotel, Livadhiotis City
Hotel and Flamingo Hotel.
larnakaregion.com
Skiathos Princess Hotel and the Aegean Suites Hotel
have introduced a healthy living programme, with
guests taking part in two group fitness activities a day –
from a choice of yoga, pilates, canoeing, hikes and runs
along the beach – plus a weekly workshop on healthy
cooking and one on beauty. A seven-day programme
starts at €170 or €35 per day.
skiathosprincess.com; aegeansuites.com
which will interest nature lovers
and bird watchers. Rare plants
and flowers grow there and it is
particularly colourful in the winter
and early spring when it is home
to large flocks of migratory birds.
Alexis Josephides, Sunvil Cyprus
product manager, says Larnaca
is an excellent base for people
who want to explore the island.
“It’s close to the airport and
has good road links,” he adds.
“Within 25 minutes, you can be
on Nissi beach, within 45 minutes
marvelling at the Venetian walls in
Nicosia and strolling through the
only divided capital in the world,
and less than an hour’s drive takes
you to the villages of the Troodos
Mountains.”
In villages such as
Lefkara, Kato Drys, Tochni
and Psematismenos, visitors
can take part in events that
have changed little over the
years and become acquainted
with the Cypriot way of life, from
learning about food and wine
production to basket weaving,
or simply take part in the timehonoured tradition of sitting at a
cafe in the village square to watch
the world go by. TW
10 January 2013 — travelweekly.co.uk • 53