Places to see and things to do
Ayia Napa and nearby Protaras have various places to visit, from their clear waters, surrounding nature & museums, organised events to sporting activities. The natural surroundings of Ayia Napa and Protaras will definitely catch your attention. It is worthwhile exploring the wild and interesting nature of these towns. The Ayia Napa museum is also a place not to be missed.
Nightlife:
The Square
The Square should be your first choice for nightlife in the area. Although the area is a lot smaller than you might expect, there is a lot packed into the area and there are plenty of places to drink. The Square is packed with restaurants, night clubs, bars and shops and is seen as the ‘focal point’ of the Ayia Napa nightlife. Some of the better known places include:
The Bedrock Inn
Looking for a place to go? Do you think that Ayia Napa is the place to be? Go to Bedrock to find out! It’s got everything for a night out - music, for those who want to shake it, singing, for those who dream to see themselves on a stage and drinking for those who believe that drink is a way of having a good time. It has plenty of entertainment.
Black & White Club
The only place to head for in Ayia Napa if you love soul, swing and RnB, Black & White is also one of only clubs in Napa that stays open all year round from 9pm-4am. The club has special guest DJs over the summer months.
Starskys
Don't be fooled by the name this club this is not a Starskys and Hutch themed club. Starskys is for the clubbers who like dance to commercially based music. There is a big bar downstairs, upstairs there are two more bars so you can stand upstairs and watch what is going on from there. They have a shop too.
Abyss
This huge club plays House & Garage, Drum and Base and more. Large dance floor areas with wall visuals and a very large sound system.
Castle Club
With four floors dedicated to retro, R&B, funky house and cheesy dance music, the Castle Club is Ayia Napa's biggest nightclub. For 16 years The Castle Club has dominated Cyprus’ nightlife in spectacular fashion. With its immense presence, 3 rooms, outdoor chill out zone & an elevated VIP section, The Castle Club is a must.
Guru Bar
Housed in an old traditional village house it takes you on a journey around the world with its atmosphere and contradictive simplicity. Guru bar is a design bar with an al fresco garden bar area with an amphitheatre, tents, lounges, garden beds and hammocks all dressed in orange lights and candles. There is a private lounge where you can smoke the nargille in different flavour tobacco. Outside the lounge is a themed bar and dining spot.
Insomnia
Guest DJ's join Insomnia for House and Garage music. With a new sound system and lighting system it is bound to get you in a stir.
ICE KU
This club has an amazing decor of mountain scenery. House and Dance and RnB is the music played here through a state of the art sound system.
Things to do in the day:
Ayia Napa Monastery
Ayia Napa Monastery is the best known landmark of the Agia Napa area. It has a charm and charisma that represents a time when Ayia Napa was just a sleepy fishing village. It seems that in ancient times, the location of the monastery was covered with a thick forest, visited only by hunters from neighboring villages.
Macronissos Tombs
Macronissos Tombs are found west of Ayia Napa village in the locality of Makronissos. They are an ancient burial site, located at a stepped road, which leads down to a rectangular entrance. The entrances were originally closed with one large or two smaller calcarenke slabs. Most of the chambers are almost identical. They are all provided with a rectangular trench in the middle slightly lower than the floor of the road and three benches at the sides of the chamber. Some of the tombs have additionally one loculus carved on the longitudinal axis of the tomb opposite the entrance, while another is provided with four benches at the sides and one opposite the entrance, thus providing room for five interments.
The sanctuary is a simple rectangular enclosure constructed with large irregular blocks. The few offerings found during the 1974 archaeological survey as well as those found during the latest excavations date the sanctuary to the Cypriot-Classical and Hellenistic period
Marine Life Museum
The Tornaritis - Pierides Municipal Museum of Marine Life was founded in June 1992 in Agia Napa and since 1997 it operates with the cooperation of the Hellenic Bank.
It is the first museum of its kind in Cyprus with exhibits of past and present marine life, scientifically classified. Its main purpose is to show to the Cypriot and foreign visitor the marine fauna of Cyprus and the Mediterranean, helping the study and research of this part of Natural History, but also to stress the importance and necessity of preserving the marine environment.
The Marine Life Museum is located in Ayia Napa's Town Hall and every specimen in the museum was removed from its natural habitat after death. The Marine Life Museum is visited every year by thousands of tourists
Ayia Napa Harbour
Another focal point is the crescent harbour, crowded with bright fishing boats. The day's catch is tonight's dinner at the popular restaurants nearby. Life in this southeastern corner of Cyprus revolves around the sea, with water sports of all kinds readily available - from scuba diving to water-skiing to paragliding.
Explore the rugged coast toward Cape Greko, with its string of calm sandy coves, and stay for the indescribably beautiful sunset. Or head north, toward the basket-making community of Liopetri, stopping at Sotira to take in the pretty village churches that date to the 15th and 16th centuries. East to Protaras, more glorious beaches spread out under the sun, while just inland the white-washed town of Paralimni boasts open-air tavernas known for their succulent grilled fish.
Waterworld Waterpark
3km west of Ayia Napa is Waterworld Waterpark which has received over 20 prestigious awards. It offers wet, sand-free thrills for all ages, with various pools, water slides and roller coaster rides. There’s a shallow pool for toddlers too, two restaurants, a bar and a gift shop. For more information see http://www.waterworldwaterpark.com/
Protaras Ocean Aquarium
A magical journey through the rivers, lakes and oceans of the world, where you will encounter 400 different species of sealife. Visit the penguin house, one of the most wondrous sites in the aquarium, where the penguins are kept in surroundings suited to them and in Antarctic temperatures. Stroll through 15000sq meters of gardens where you will be free to walk among tropical plant life amongst see ponds filled with fish and turtles and swamps containing crocodiles and ducks sitting in the shade.
Moonshine Ranch, Cape Greco
An enjoyable way to spend a day, trekking through nature. Located close to the Grecian Park Hotel.
Magic Dancing Waters
A magical show which is a spectacular combination of 12 metre high fountains of water “dancing” to Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Greek music as well as a laser show, volcanic eruptions, fire and smoke.
Profitis Elias Chapel
On a solitary outcrop dotted with caves and dominating the area is this relatively isolated chapel built in carved reddish limestone. It was rebuilt in 1984 on the foundations of the old Church. Outside the church the trees are covered with handkerchiefs bearing prayers and messages.
Deryneia
As the nearest town to the now deserted settlement of Famagusta, Deryneia gives an insight into recent Cypriot history and is possibly best known for its view of the ghost town, which, once a major tourist resort, now lies empty. From the observatory on the top of the cultural centre visitors can look through a telescope across no man's land to the closed city.
Fun Fair
The smallish fun fair is dominated by 3 super rides, you simply must try at least one! The rides are:
• Skycoaster in which you fly through the sky on an enormous swing strapped into a horizontal harness.
• Rocket Bungee which sees you strapped in, two at a time, into an open orb attached to two huge bungee cords which hurls you towards the sky
• Slingshot is similar to Rocket Bungee, but it uses metal cables rather than bungee cords so it goes higher and faster.
Diving:
Have you always dreamt of scuba diving? Take advantage of the excellent Cyprus weather where one of the longest dive holiday climates in the world is on offer. The waters surrounding the island are warm and clear with even tides and visibility reaching 30-40 meters. If you have never dived before, Cyprus is a wonderful place to experience the initial exhilaration of the underwater world. In safe conditions and under professional supervision, learn the basics of breathing underwater; visit the underwater remains of ancient archaeological ruins and explore rock gardens encapsulated in sponge.
Both certified and amateur scuba divers with varied ranges of experience and varied cultural backgrounds are at home in the sparkling clear Mediterranean dive sites in Ayia Napa. On offer are introductory daily instruction as well as intermediate level diving courses which meet the highest international standards are available.
Trips, lessons, tuition, guides and equipment for scuba or snorkeling are offered for all levels of experience. There are four major diving centers in the Ayia Napa area which can provide all required instruction and equipment depending upon your level of diving expertise.