Things to do in Ayia Napa
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Ayia Napa
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months, with warm sea, everything open and prices and heat below the July and August peak.
Peak months, regularly above 35C, busiest and most expensive, with club season at full strength.
Shoulder months, pleasant and quieter, with a cooler sea in April and some venues opening or closing.
Off season, mild but many hotels, boats and WaterWorld close, and the town is quiet and local.
What's on
- Kataklysmos Festival of the Flood May or June, around Pentecost
Cyprus sea festival at the harbour with water events, concerts and food stalls.
- Ayia Napa Youth Festival August
Open air music festival drawing a young crowd in peak season.
- Ayia Napa International Festival Late September
The flagship cultural festival around the monastery square, with concerts, dance and Cypriot tradition.
- Ayia Napa Medieval Festival October
Medieval reenactments, music, dance and street performance around the Venetian monastery.
- Ayia Napa Cultural Winter November to March, Thursday evenings
Free concerts, recitals, theatre and dance at the Municipal Town Hall in off season.
- Epiphany Blessing of the Waters 6 January
The cross is thrown into the sea at Ayia Napa harbour and retrieved by swimmers.
Best things to do in Ayia Napa
Nissi Beach
A pale sand crescent with shallow turquoise water and a wadeable islet, calm early and lively at the bar end by afternoon.
Makronissos Beach
Three linked golden coves west of Nissi with clear water and calmer crowds, plus ancient tombs a short walk inland.
Konnos Bay
A sheltered, scenic bay at the edge of Cape Greco with very clear water, best early before its small beach fills.
Ayia Napa Monastery
The Venetian era monastery the town is named for, a quiet walled courtyard and church minutes from the busy square.
Ayia Napa Sculpture Park
A free open air hillside of large sculptures above the sea, best at golden hour because there is almost no shade.
WaterWorld Themed WaterPark Ayia Napa
A large Greek myth themed waterpark with slides for small children and teenagers, worth a full weekday in peak heat.
Thalassa Municipal Museum
Ayia Napa sea museum built around a full size reconstruction of the ancient Kyrenia ship, ideal for a hot hour.
Love Bridge
A natural rock arch over clear water on the Cape Greco road, a short scenic stop best paired with the sea caves.
Where to stay in Ayia Napa
Grecian Bay and Limanaki
best all round base and luxury
A sandy bay and promenade into the harbour, close to the centre but far enough from the square to sleep.
Nissi Beach and western Nissi Avenue
beach first stays
Large resorts by Nissi, Landa and Sandy Bay, lively by day and a bus or taxi from the club centre.
Makronissos and Ayia Thekla
quietest family base
The far west pocket by Makronissos Beach, with larger family resorts, space and the quietest nights.
Harbour, Monastery and the centre
convenience and nightlife access
Everything is walkable including the square, so choose streets toward the harbour and a room away from the street.
Think twice about
- Ayia Napa Square, Ayias Mavris (Bar Street) and Grigori Afxentiou
Clubs and bars run past 4am in season with crowds, promoters and traffic all night. Cheap rooms here are cheap because of noise.
- Central Nissi Avenue, rooms directly over the avenue
Through traffic, bars and quad hire run late at the centre end. Set back or beach side properties on the same avenue are fine.
Best restaurants in Ayia Napa
Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar
Ayia Napa fine dining room for steaks, sea bass and a serious wine list, the best night dinner in town.
Avra
The harbour side seafood splurge for fresh whole fish, fish meze and Cypriot wine in a garden setting.
Flames Restaurant and Bar
A large, dependable steakhouse famous for generous portions, the safe choice when a big group cannot agree.
Sale e Pepe
The Italian name locals give first, for pizza, fresh pasta and warm service in the centre of town.
Los Bandidos
The original Ayia Napa Mexican, a festive garden restaurant of fajitas and margaritas made for group nights.
En-Yevo Tavernaki
The central Cypriot taverna pick for meat meze, kleftiko and halloumi without leaving town for a village.
Isaac Tavern
A traditional harbour fish taverna at Limanaki for whole grilled fish, calamari and fish meze by the boats.
Quadro
A strong second Italian in the centre with pizza and pasta at mid range prices, useful when Sale e Pepe is full.
Outdoor things to do in Ayia Napa
Cape Greco National Forest Park
Marked trails across a protected headland of caves, arches and a chapel, ending with a swim at Konnos Bay.
Cpt Marko
A long running harbour cruise to the Blue Lagoon and Konnos with swim and snorkel stops past Cape Greco.
Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa
An underwater forest of more than 90 sculptures off Pernera Beach, dived or snorkelled with local dive centres.
Ayia Napa Quad Bike Safari
A guided three hour quad safari to the sea caves and Cape Greco viewpoints, fun only with helmets and a guide.
Varosha
The abandoned resort suburb of Famagusta, visited on guided and Red Bus tours that also cover the walled old town.
Troodos Mountains
A jeep safari day in Cyprus green mountains, with villages, viewpoints, a waterfall and cooler summer air.
Green Bay
A sheltered beginner snorkel and dive bay near Protaras, known for clear water and frequent turtle encounters.
Aphrodite Hills Golf Resort
Cyprus flagship championship golf near Paphos, a full day splurge trip because no course exists near Ayia Napa.
Best hotels in Ayia Napa
Alion Beach Hotel
A small five star directly on Grecian Bay sand with allocated sunbeds, calm gardens and exceptional repeat guest service.
NissiBlu Beach Resort
A modern five star resort near Nissi Beach with large pools and a spa, polished enough to absorb a whole day.
Grecian Bay Hotel
The established grand five star on Grecian Bay, with extensive grounds, a beach tavern, spa and tennis.
Olympic Lagoon Resort Ayia Napa
A large luxury lagoon style resort on the Nissi side, built for families and groups who stay on site.
Napa Mermaid Hotel & Suites
A well rated mid range hotel in the Grecian Bay pocket, a short walk to the beach and the harbour.
Napa Plaza Hotel
The best central mid range hotel, adults focused and set around a pool near the monastery, walkable to everything.
Nestor Hotel
A dependable family four star near Sandy Bay with a large pool and half board reviewers rate above average.
Faros Hotel Ayia Napa
A garden four star on the harbour side of Grecian Bay, offering the best pocket at mid range prices.
Is Ayia Napa expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €75 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €145 a person |
| Splurge | €320 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- WaterWorld Themed WaterPark Ayia Napa: a few days ahead
- Cpt Marko: a few days ahead
- Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa: a few days ahead
- Ayia Napa Quad Bike Safari: a few days ahead
- Varosha: a few days ahead
- Troodos Mountains: a few days ahead
- Aphrodite Hills Golf Resort: weeks ahead
- Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar: a few days ahead
- Book named five star hotels three to six months ahead for July, August and the September International Festival.
- Book Sage always, and Sale e Pepe, Los Bandidos and Avra on summer weekends, days ahead.
- Book boats, diving, the Red Bus Varosha tour and Aphrodite Hills tee times days to weeks ahead in peak season.
Is Ayia Napa safe?
- Watch belongings in crowded bars and never leave valuables unattended on the beach. Emergency number is 112.
- May to September sun and heat cause the most ruined trips, so hydrate, use shade at midday and go outdoors early.
- At the sea caves wear proper shoes, check sea conditions and do not jump where depth has not been checked.
Ayia Napa travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Free shots and fishbowl cocktails on the square are low quality and expensive in effect, and club drinks cost far more inside.
- Harbour and strip restaurants with photograph menus, touts and no fish prices are the food trap.
- The cheapest unsupervised quad hire, without insurance paperwork, is the excursion trap.
Getting around Ayia Napa: public transport and more
- Larnaca Airport is about 45 minutes away by motorway, with transfers, shuttles, intercity buses and taxis.
- Walk the centre and harbour and use local beach buses along the Ayia Napa to Protaras corridor via the beaches and Cape Greco.
- Cyprus drives on the left. Hire a car for Troodos, golf in the west or exploring beyond the resort corridor.
Who Ayia Napa suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Great |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make Ayia Napa your trip
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