Majestic and Atlantis guidebook
Food scene
Zephyros Restaurant
37 Piyale PaşaTop fish restaurant in the area
Very good quality of food and great atmosphere.
81 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Lush Beach Bar Resto
Piyale PaşaVery good quality of food and great atmosphere.
Rebuke Lounge
Piyale PaşaVery good restaurant in the area
TGI Fridays Cyprus - Larnaca Finikoudes
38 AthenonValtou Rigani - Souvlakopolio (Larnaca)
36 Bay Street
Salsa/Bachata party every Friday
Neighborhoods
Mackenzie beach is one of the most popular southern shores of Larnaca, situated approximately 3 km from the homonymous capital city on the island of Cyprus.
The name of Mackenzie beach is connected with the expression “pame stou Mackenzie” (let’s go to Mackenzie), namely the history of Scot McKenzie, who was married to a Greek Cypriot and
once resided in Larnaca. In the 1940s, he set up, for his own use, a small residence at the location identified today with this particular beach, and over the years the coastal region became the absolute reference point, with the numerous cafes, restaurants and hotels, and is now the most trendy spot for the locals.
Today, the awarded with the Blue Flag, Mackenzie beach is approximately 1,000 meters long, and at some places the shore is up to 80 meters wide. The walkway that extends along the coast is a must-destination for all ages and nationalities. Walking along this central road is an endless promenade for both the young and the old, and especially for the bike ride lovers or those wishing to try the famous ice cream of the area.
Near the beach Mackenzie is the Larnaka International Airport, and so planes pass in the foreground, right in front of the bathers, a breath away from the sea before finally landing. Moreover, a few kilometers away from the beach, you will find the famous for the pink flamingos who find refuge in its waters, Aliki of Larnaca (salt lake).
Whether lying on the gray fine sand or swimming in the clear waters of Mackenzie Beach, guests are sure to enjoy all the organized facilities offered there, along with a wonderful view over the Mediterranean sea. Along the sandy beach there are sun beds and umbrellas for rent, toilets and changing rooms, while experienced lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, for those engaging in various water sports.
Although it is very popular with kite surfing enthusiasts, the more adventurous can dive at the Zenobia wreck, located just 2 nautical miles from the Mackenzie beach, and which is considered as one of the ten best and the five most visited shipwrecks in the world.
Finally, Mackenzie beach is easily accessible by car or by bike, as well as on foot by the avenue Tassos Mitsopoulos. You can also visit it by public transport. Behind the restaurants and the cafes of the beach, there are enough car parking spaces.
26 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Mackenzie
Mackenzie beach is one of the most popular southern shores of Larnaca, situated approximately 3 km from the homonymous capital city on the island of Cyprus.
The name of Mackenzie beach is connected with the expression “pame stou Mackenzie” (let’s go to Mackenzie), namely the history of Scot McKenzie, who was married to a Greek Cypriot and
once resided in Larnaca. In the 1940s, he set up, for his own use, a small residence at the location identified today with this particular beach, and over the years the coastal region became the absolute reference point, with the numerous cafes, restaurants and hotels, and is now the most trendy spot for the locals.
Today, the awarded with the Blue Flag, Mackenzie beach is approximately 1,000 meters long, and at some places the shore is up to 80 meters wide. The walkway that extends along the coast is a must-destination for all ages and nationalities. Walking along this central road is an endless promenade for both the young and the old, and especially for the bike ride lovers or those wishing to try the famous ice cream of the area.
Near the beach Mackenzie is the Larnaka International Airport, and so planes pass in the foreground, right in front of the bathers, a breath away from the sea before finally landing. Moreover, a few kilometers away from the beach, you will find the famous for the pink flamingos who find refuge in its waters, Aliki of Larnaca (salt lake).
Whether lying on the gray fine sand or swimming in the clear waters of Mackenzie Beach, guests are sure to enjoy all the organized facilities offered there, along with a wonderful view over the Mediterranean sea. Along the sandy beach there are sun beds and umbrellas for rent, toilets and changing rooms, while experienced lifeguards are on duty during the summer months, for those engaging in various water sports.
Although it is very popular with kite surfing enthusiasts, the more adventurous can dive at the Zenobia wreck, located just 2 nautical miles from the Mackenzie beach, and which is considered as one of the ten best and the five most visited shipwrecks in the world.
Finally, Mackenzie beach is easily accessible by car or by bike, as well as on foot by the avenue Tassos Mitsopoulos. You can also visit it by public transport. Behind the restaurants and the cafes of the beach, there are enough car parking spaces.
City/town information
Beautifully compact, easily accessible and truly authentic, Larnaka is Cyprus' oldest soul; the longest continually inhabited region of the island, with a history that dates back 10,000 years, and the most centrally positioned, offering easy access to other regions.
And whilst it is rich in the ancient culture of hundreds of years of contrasting civilizations and architecture, Larnaka is also a thriving and modern European city that offers the best of all worlds. A characteristic feature of the region is that tourists will find that there is no distinction between resort and town; locals and visitors alike can enjoy the same daily experience of a charming and diverse Mediterranean city. From stretches of varied coastline, a mix of traditional and cosmopolitan establishments and fascinating monuments, Larnaka seamlessly blends its two ‘faces’.
The coastal city of Larnaka
The defining features of Larnaka city include the bustling promenade of Foinikoudes - which is lined with mature palm trees and flanked by beach, eateries and entertainment - and its joining sea walkway of Piale Pasha, which passes by quaint old neighbourhoods and fresh fish taverns. The parallel shopping centre with its tradtiional architecture puts everything at your fingertips, whilst the famous Salt Lake that fills with flocks of vibrant pink flamingos in the winter months attracts visitors for its natural beauty and ecological value. Larnaka town is also significant for both Christians and Moslems. The most revered monuments of the two are included in the main attractions of the city: the Church of Agios Lazaros, the patron saint of the town who Jesus resurrected and held dear as a friend; and the mosque of Hala Sultan – an important place of pilgrimage for Moslems that is flanked by the Salt Lake.
Thriving rural villages
Larnaka city stretches out to rural villages with some of the larger suburbs, constituting small towns in their own right, and active in the cultural offerings of the region with their own annual festivals, museums, monuments and tourist attractions.
Mountainous Larnaka
Further still, the mountainous areas of Larnaka trail up the Troodos range, which is dotted with charming villages with narrow streets, where traditions and skilled handicrafts are still practiced. Of the most famous is the handmade lace embroidery of Lefkara and its delicate filigree silver, whilst villages like Kato Drys and Odou are also pretty and tranquil.
Once you fall in love with Larnaka, you will discover for yourself why both flamingos and visitors always return to their favourite Mediterranean region!
52 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Larnaca
Beautifully compact, easily accessible and truly authentic, Larnaka is Cyprus' oldest soul; the longest continually inhabited region of the island, with a history that dates back 10,000 years, and the most centrally positioned, offering easy access to other regions.
And whilst it is rich in the ancient culture of hundreds of years of contrasting civilizations and architecture, Larnaka is also a thriving and modern European city that offers the best of all worlds. A characteristic feature of the region is that tourists will find that there is no distinction between resort and town; locals and visitors alike can enjoy the same daily experience of a charming and diverse Mediterranean city. From stretches of varied coastline, a mix of traditional and cosmopolitan establishments and fascinating monuments, Larnaka seamlessly blends its two ‘faces’.
The coastal city of Larnaka
The defining features of Larnaka city include the bustling promenade of Foinikoudes - which is lined with mature palm trees and flanked by beach, eateries and entertainment - and its joining sea walkway of Piale Pasha, which passes by quaint old neighbourhoods and fresh fish taverns. The parallel shopping centre with its tradtiional architecture puts everything at your fingertips, whilst the famous Salt Lake that fills with flocks of vibrant pink flamingos in the winter months attracts visitors for its natural beauty and ecological value. Larnaka town is also significant for both Christians and Moslems. The most revered monuments of the two are included in the main attractions of the city: the Church of Agios Lazaros, the patron saint of the town who Jesus resurrected and held dear as a friend; and the mosque of Hala Sultan – an important place of pilgrimage for Moslems that is flanked by the Salt Lake.
Thriving rural villages
Larnaka city stretches out to rural villages with some of the larger suburbs, constituting small towns in their own right, and active in the cultural offerings of the region with their own annual festivals, museums, monuments and tourist attractions.
Mountainous Larnaka
Further still, the mountainous areas of Larnaka trail up the Troodos range, which is dotted with charming villages with narrow streets, where traditions and skilled handicrafts are still practiced. Of the most famous is the handmade lace embroidery of Lefkara and its delicate filigree silver, whilst villages like Kato Drys and Odou are also pretty and tranquil.
Once you fall in love with Larnaka, you will discover for yourself why both flamingos and visitors always return to their favourite Mediterranean region!
Sightseeing
Larnaka Salt Lake is the second largest salt-lake in Cyprus and measures 2.2 square kilometres. In 1997 it was declared a protected area under Cypriot Law for the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife and under the European Habitats Directive. It is a significant Ramsar and Natura 2000 site – one of the most significant biotopes in Europe - and one of the most important habitats in Europe for waterfowl.
Located southwest of Larnaka town and east of the villages of Meneou and Dromolaxia, the Salt Lake – known locally as ‘Alyki’ - is actually one of four lakes in Larnaka. Together, with Lake Orphani, Lake Soros and Airport Lake, the lakes collectively cover a total area of 1761 hectares.
During the winter, the lake fills with water and is home to migrating birds, including thousands of flamingos that stay between November and March, along with wild ducks and other water or shore fowl that find refuge here on their migratory journeys. The most basic element of the food chain in the lakes’ ecosystem is the small brine shrimp Artemia (Artemia salina), which the other life greatly relies on. When flamingos and other water birds are unable to find the shrimp, they desert the salt lakes and continue their journey by travelling to Lake Akrotiri in Lemesos or south towards Africa.
Winding through the lake area is a designated, linear nature trail that is 4 km in length, and leads all the way up to the old aqueduct of Kamares. The various flora of trees, shrubs and flowers is signposted with information along the way, and there are also periodic benches, making the path popular for walkers and joggers.
Archaeological finds show that the Salt Lake area and that of the nearby mosque have been inhabited since the Late Bronze Age (2nd century BC). In prehistoric times the Salt Lake was a harbour that served the town, unearthed near where the Hala Sultan Tekkesi mosque stands today. The town was one of the large urban and commercial centres of Cyprus in the Late Bronze Age (1650-1050BC). When the town was abandoned, the estuary silted up and the natural harbour was destroyed.
According to legend, the lake's saltiness stems from Agios Lazaros (Saint Lazarus) request of an old woman for food and drink. She refused, claiming her vines had dried up, to which Lazarus replied ‘may your vines be dry and be a salt lake forever more’. A more scientific explanation is that the salt water penetrates the porous rock between the lake and the sea, making the water very salty.
Throughout the Middle Ages, salt was so plentiful that it became one of the primary export commodities of Cyprus. Its harvesting and selling were strictly controlled and taxed. Salt was last harvested in 1986.
154 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Salt Lake Larnaca
Larnaka Salt Lake is the second largest salt-lake in Cyprus and measures 2.2 square kilometres. In 1997 it was declared a protected area under Cypriot Law for the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife and under the European Habitats Directive. It is a significant Ramsar and Natura 2000 site – one of the most significant biotopes in Europe - and one of the most important habitats in Europe for waterfowl.
Located southwest of Larnaka town and east of the villages of Meneou and Dromolaxia, the Salt Lake – known locally as ‘Alyki’ - is actually one of four lakes in Larnaka. Together, with Lake Orphani, Lake Soros and Airport Lake, the lakes collectively cover a total area of 1761 hectares.
During the winter, the lake fills with water and is home to migrating birds, including thousands of flamingos that stay between November and March, along with wild ducks and other water or shore fowl that find refuge here on their migratory journeys. The most basic element of the food chain in the lakes’ ecosystem is the small brine shrimp Artemia (Artemia salina), which the other life greatly relies on. When flamingos and other water birds are unable to find the shrimp, they desert the salt lakes and continue their journey by travelling to Lake Akrotiri in Lemesos or south towards Africa.
Winding through the lake area is a designated, linear nature trail that is 4 km in length, and leads all the way up to the old aqueduct of Kamares. The various flora of trees, shrubs and flowers is signposted with information along the way, and there are also periodic benches, making the path popular for walkers and joggers.
Archaeological finds show that the Salt Lake area and that of the nearby mosque have been inhabited since the Late Bronze Age (2nd century BC). In prehistoric times the Salt Lake was a harbour that served the town, unearthed near where the Hala Sultan Tekkesi mosque stands today. The town was one of the large urban and commercial centres of Cyprus in the Late Bronze Age (1650-1050BC). When the town was abandoned, the estuary silted up and the natural harbour was destroyed.
According to legend, the lake's saltiness stems from Agios Lazaros (Saint Lazarus) request of an old woman for food and drink. She refused, claiming her vines had dried up, to which Lazarus replied ‘may your vines be dry and be a salt lake forever more’. A more scientific explanation is that the salt water penetrates the porous rock between the lake and the sea, making the water very salty.
Throughout the Middle Ages, salt was so plentiful that it became one of the primary export commodities of Cyprus. Its harvesting and selling were strictly controlled and taxed. Salt was last harvested in 1986.
Landmark of Hala Sultan Tekkesi
Finikoudes Beach
Supermarket
Petros Supermarket
İhsan AliBest supermarket in the area