What to see in Ayia Napa in Cyprus on your own? What sights can be visited with a rented car, where is it better to go with children for their development, what do tourists say in reviews, which sightseeing tours are better to take and where?
Not so long ago, a little-known resort began to be called almost the second Ibiza. Beautiful clean beaches, which can boast a blue flag, have begun to attract not only locals and Europeans, but also tourists from the Russian Federation, who increasingly prefer sea vacations abroad than a trip to Crimea.
Where to go for a walk at the resort in the evening? This is not a problem, as the resort is considered one of the most popular in the world. A huge number of nightclubs and bars, in which colorful alcoholic cocktails flow like a river, as well as the world's best DJs, will not let you get bored until the morning.
It's funny, but compared to Ibiza, the Cypriot resort is not only a "movement" for young people, but also an amazing children's recreation area. But everything is in order.
What to see in Ayia Napa on your own?
Lovers of independent travel, you can fully explore the famous resort in a rented car or resort to excursions from local guides with great experience and a fascinating route, more on them later.
The best sights of Ayia Napa, among which we advise you to visit first of all the following:
- It is better to start your first acquaintance with the island with spiritual attractions. The main place, according to the locals, is Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos of Agia Napa.
There was a monastery at the church, which, unfortunately, is no longer operating. How to get there? It is necessary to move from the sea along Makarios street. After a while, the traveler will find himself at Seferi Square, where the church is located. During the season, the doors are open from 09:00 to 21:00, and the rest of the period until 17:00. You can continue your spiritual enlightenment with the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For all their riotous life, it should be understood that Cypriots are quite religious people. That is why it is necessary to approach the holy places here with all courtesy and reverence.
- After visiting the Temple, you can take a walk on Monastery square.
Completely free of charge, tourists have the opportunity not only to relax, but also to admire the whole ridge of fountains. The fresh sea breeze will help you take a breath and move on.
- If we talk about the surroundings, then spiritual enlightenment can be completed in Protaras. Only a few tens of kilometers away is ancient chapel of Elijah the Prophet.
In order to see all the beauty, you need to climb only 160 steps. A small platform opens up a magnificent panorama not only of the town itself, but also of the northern part of Cyprus. At night, the backlight adds to the impression.
- Kavo Gkreko National Park and Blue Lagoon.
Here you can not only swim and sunbathe on the best beaches in the area, but also wander along the trails of the botanical garden. The amazing forest park covers an entire 380 hectares. You can wander with the help of an excursion or come on your own, many take bicycles and come on their own. Be sure to bring water and sun protection products with you.
To get to the place, you need to take bus number 101, which follows from the island, and get to the stop with the same name, the ticket costs 2 euros. Most come with a rented car, the link to a good car rental has already been given above. If you decide to stay here for the whole day, we recommend that you climb higher to the observation deck and watch the sunset, here it is especially beautiful!
As for the lagoons with crystal clear water, the descent into the water is dangerous, we advise you to swim from a boat, most sea cruises stop in the "Blue Lagoon".
- Tombs of Makronisos.
Not so far from the resort are the famous rock tombs, of which there are about 19 pieces. An interesting burial place where the icon of the Holy Mother of God was discovered. The place is under the protection of the International Archaeological Society. A visit for locals and tourists is absolutely free and around the clock.
- What to see in Ayia Napa, Cyprus for two? Be sure to include the mysterious the ancient city of Famagusta.
It is located near the resort. It is here that there is a tower called "Othello" in which the sad events took place, later described in detail by Shakespeare. An incredible number of operating temples, picturesque ruins, ditches, Islamic mosques will leave a lot of impressions. It is better to set aside one day for inspection.
- Caves-grottoes.
If we talk about the water area, then lovers of sea adventures can definitely find something to do here. In order to see everything with your own eyes, you need to book a boat trip. Thus, the grottoes can be viewed not only from the mainland, but also from the sea.
- For those who want to combine business with pleasure, after the above ancient tombs, you can relax at the local Landa beach.
A place of crazy beauty that you can safely add to the list of must-see views. Incredibly clean sand, a gently sloping bottom with no even small pebbles and shells, the purest turquoise sea allows you to relax even with very little crumbs.
- If we continue the theme of a beach holiday, then we should not ignore "Nissi Beach", where the parties never subside.
During the day there are many people who want to swim and take a tan, but with sunset the place opens its arms for young people and those who want to hang out until the early morning. Ayia Napa has many beaches that you can visit, but since they are monotonous, we did not describe them. And yet, if you are at Cape Greco, then drop by Konnos Beach, a small coastline with sun loungers and clear water among the rocks.
- Richard the Lionheart castle.
This chic place is located near the resort - in the city of Famagusta. Until 1974, this place was a center of tourism, but after the attack of the Turks, everything changed dramatically. The city was completely destroyed by the enemies and remains so to this day. A wonderful place that embodies the Middle Ages. You can get there either by car or by bike. In the first case, the journey takes about 30 minutes, and in the second, an hour.
- Valley of the Windmills.
If a tourist wants to visit ancient Famagusta, do not lose sight of this gorgeous place. Endless spaces with interesting designs are endlessly captivating.
- Fig Tree Bay.
Another place that is named after a lonely tree of the same name. The local beach is very popular during the season for its clean sand and water area. Boasts an International Blue Flag.
- The bridge of love.
The place is probably familiar to almost every tourist who came to rest in Cyprus. The beautiful beach line with luxurious sand and mountainous landscapes is complemented by a unique stone arch. Natural education makes it easy to climb to the very top and take impressive shots.
- Where to go in Ayia Napa in the evening? Recommended club Castle club, it often hosts funny foam parties, which attracts a young audience here in the first place.
More than a dozen bars, several dance floors, outdoor recreation and VIP rooms are able to "drag" tourists until dawn.
- Going on a night sea voyage at night? Easy with Fantasy boat party.
The party ship meets guests from 16:00 and then sets off for a short voyage. The best DJs, pirate cuisine, several photo zones will leave only the best memories not only on Instagram, but also in the soul. You can book a ticket by phone +357 99408132. Cost per person 55 euros. They have their own website fantasyboatparty.com.
- Family tourists are advised to take a relaxing cruise along the coast on a pirate ship.Black Pearl"From the film of the same name.
An entertainment program with a focus on the characters and the plot of the picture. You can book a ticket by phone +357 96314197 or on the website blackpearlayianapa.com. The ticket price per adult is 35 euros.
Both pleasure boats leave from the port of Ayia Napa, which at one time was considered a tourist attraction of the seaside resort among Instagram lovers, in the evening you can take great pictures here.
As you can see from the list above, most of the attractions in Cyprus can be visited absolutely free. But there are programs that are simply worth trying on yourself, for the purpose of not only self-education, but also new impressions from what you see.
Prices for excursions in Ayia Napa
If you want to see the maximum number of places, but at the same time not spend too much time, you can order excursions in Ayia Napa in Russian with experienced guides. From a huge variety of options, we have identified several routes that will most fully and interestingly show you the life of a seaside resort.
- «All Cyprus in one day»Will give you the opportunity to see the most famous sights for only 199 € per person.
The tourist will follow this path: the greatest monastery of Maheris - inspection of family wineries - a trip to the north of the island, to its Turkish part. The duration of the excursion is about 11 hours. Details about the tour.
- If you are interested in outbound excursions in Cyprus from Ayia Napa, then we advise you to choose “Ancient history and myths».
The guests of the city will go to the ancient cities of Kourion and Paphos, then to the birthplace of Aphrodite, and also visit the Temple of Apollo of Ilat. The end of the evening can be spent in a tavern with the best traditional Cypriot cuisine. The price of the trip is 249 € per person, not so expensive compared to the emotions you received. Details about the tour.
Where to visit with children?
If you are planning a family vacation, then the question immediately arises: "where to visit with children?" But before that, we advise you to choose a good child-friendly hotel, be sure to consult with tour managers who have really visited Cyprus and know a lot about the recommended hotels.
Today, a number of the following attractions of Ayia Napa should be highlighted:
- Thematic center Water world... Here the child can not only get acquainted with the ancient past of the area, but also have fun.
The territory of the center is equipped with a huge water park, various water attractions, a go-kart center, trampolines and more. The cost for children under 13 years old is 24 €, over 38 €. Free for babies up to two years old. The only thing we advise you to pay attention to is the coating of the slides (seams), last year many children and adults scratched while descending on some attractions, the owners promised to fix the problems this season, but still.
- Luna Park Parko Paliatso will give you the opportunity to get an adrenaline rush.
An incredible number of carousels, designed for any age, will give children a ton of joy and pleasure. They have their own site parkopaliatsocy.com. How much does the ticket cost? It is more profitable to buy a bracelet (35 euros) than tokens 1 token = 1 euro.
- Interesting places in Ayia - Napa for a child – this is of course sea Thalassa Sea Museum.
The interesting architecture of the building in the nautical style, the skeletons of the found mammals, as well as the found ceramics will be of interest to schoolchildren. The ticket costs 4 € for an adult and 2.5 € for a child. You can visit the museum from 09:00 to 17:00, on Monday it is open until 13:00, and on Sunday until 19:00.
- Dinosaur park is part of the amusement park.
A huge variety of prehistoric creatures will definitely be of interest to children. The ticket price is 8 € for a child and 12 € for an adult. Working hours from 17:00 to 23:00 every day.
Summing up, we can conclude that a beach vacation in Ayia Napa is not only a vacation by the sea, but also a storehouse of crazy natural beauty, developed infrastructure that will be of interest to tourists of all ages.
