Larnaca holidays - travel guide - lifestyle

Shopping

Larnaca offers a wealth of traditional Cypriot shopping. The main district is Zenon Kiteos street, where loads of small gift and clothes shops sell souvenirs and beach gear and a bustling food and crafts market takes over every Sunday. More shops can be found on the Larnaca-Dekelia road, along the waterfront and on Ermes Street, which is packed with jewellery shops. Souvenirs to look out for include intricate lace from Lefkara, colourful embroidery, silver jewellery, leather goods and the island's delicious home-produced wines and brandies.

Cuisine

Larnaca boasts a wide spectrum of international restaurants, cafes and fast-food outlets serving everything from Italian to Chinese foods, as well as a good choice of traditional tavernas and seafood restaurants - many stretched along the lovely palm-dotted waterfront and beaches. If you're keen to go ethnic, the main must-try is meze - Cyprus' much-loved small dishes of titbits like hummous, olives and haloumi cheese, plus other classics like hearty kleftiko, rosemary-infused roasted lamb and yemista, stuffed vegetables of every description. Don't leave without sampling some of the island's good-value fruity wines or for something stronger, ask for a brandy sour - a refreshing, ice-filled combination of brandy, lemon juice and angostura bitters.

Night-life

Whether you want to raise the rafters or while away the evening over a moonlit dinner, Larnaca has something for everyone. For a party atmosphere, head for the Larnaca-Dekelia road, where pubs, bars and dancespots provide plenty of excuses to strut your stuff. For quieter evenings, hit the waterfront to enjoy its many seafood tavernas and traditional restaurants or take a relaxing stroll to the Kamara Aqueduct, which is illuminated at night to create a dazzling spectacle.