Finikoudes, Larnaca's palm tree promenade

Finikoudes is Larnaca’s postcard, an avenue of palms with the beach on one side and cafés on the other. It won’t win prizes for beauty, but few beaches in Cyprus are as convenient, and at dusk it is the place in town I would choose to sit.

The promenade

The tourist board of Larnaca describes it as the promenade that has it all. It starts at Europe Square, home to a museum and a gallery, and ends at Larnaca Castle, with a pier where boat trips leave. Along the way there are restaurants for every budget, most with outdoor tables all year, and a seafront stage that, with Europe Square, hosts concerts, markets and tournaments. There’s free wifi along the whole promenade and on the beach.

The colonial buildings that line it, says the board, went up after the British arrived in 1878, when Larnaca was still the island’s most important town.

The beach

Finikoudes beach runs for about 600 m, with fine sand somewhere between beige and brown and still, shallow water that’s easy with children. The board presents it as a Blue Flag beach, without a date, and lists its facilities. Lifeguards watch from their tower at busy times and in season, and they help with the floating wheelchair, which is free. Sunbeds and parasols are paid for, and the beach has toilets, showers and changing rooms. For fun, there are sand courts, a pétanque pitch, playgrounds and outdoor gym equipment.

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The talking statues

What I like most about the promenade is a small detail. Several statues and busts belong to Larnaca’s storytelling statues project. You scan the QR code with your phone, choose English or Greek, and the figure calls you to tell its story. In the middle of the promenade is the bust of the Athenian general Kimon, placed in the 1920s, who died during the siege of Kition in the 5th century BC and asked for his death to be hidden until victory. Zeno of Kition, the Stoic philosopher born here, has a statue in Europe Square.

Kataklysmos

In late May or early June, 50 days after Orthodox Easter, Finikoudes fills up for Kataklysmos, the Pentecost festival on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list. There are stalls, a funfair on the beach and shows on the promenade stage and in Europe Square.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Finikoudes and pick one that fits your day.

Museums on Europe Square

At the start of the promenade, on Europe Square, stand colonial buildings of 1881 that make up the municipal cultural centre. The Municipal Gallery puts on temporary exhibitions in four connected rooms, is free and opens Monday to Saturday, with a split day on weekdays. Next door, the Larnaca Historic Archives Museum, also free and open on weekday mornings, devotes its first room to Zeno of Kition and another to the story of Kataklysmos.

Pairing it with other places

The church of St Lazarus is about 400 m away and the Pierides Museum about 300. To the south, the front continues as Piale Pasha past the fishing harbour and Kastella beach to Mackenzie beach, and dives to the Zenobia wreck leave from the fishing harbour. I compare the rest in Larnaca beaches.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Larnaca before you arrive rather than at the desk.

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