Weekend in Ayia Napa, Cyprus

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If you’re going to Ayia Napa in Cyprus, you want to be there in the heat of the season, so July & August.

If you’re old and boring like me, you go there in November, when all the life and parties are done and dusted, and you’re left to admire the deserted holiday resort in its full glory, without the distractions of drunken stag dos and hen parties.

It’s been a few years since I visited last time and I have to say, nothing has changed.

Ayia Napa is known as the party capital of the island, and that’s probably one of the reasons I’ve been avoiding the place – I prefer my holidays in peace and quiet, just like those retired people that come to Paphos.

Having said that, there is plenty to explore in the area and if bars and nightclubs are not your thing, you can keep yourself busy visiting monasteries, beautiful natural landscapes with caves, watersports, checking out museums and historic sites.

Much of the life in Ayia Napa is concentrated in the coastal area and the most know hotspots – the high street and Nissi beach.

Depending on when you’re visiting, you are greeted with a very different picture. In summer, the streets are so busy that you are literally avoiding people coming from all directions, on cars, quad bikes, those funky grandma bikes and other modes of transport.

There is a lot of noise, teenagers who are just getting familiar with the local beer and young families heading to the Flinstones Bar.

The beaches are all super crowded, so taking decent holiday pictures involves a 6am wake up call to get to the beach before the other thousands of tourists descend on it. It’s the full on holiday experience you paid for.

In winter, it’s a stark contrast. A lot of the restaurants already closed, the tourist crowd gets noticeably older and you feel like you’ve been granted a private excursion to a usually very busy tourist destination.

Don’t get me wrong, even in November, summer is still here, sea water is warm and you get to enjoy a whole beach for yourself without feeling like a sardine in a box. What’s there not to love?

The choice is yours!

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Lucia has spent 6.5 years living in Cyprus, and writing about all the local gems and beautiful places the island has to offer. On Cyprus Escapes, she shares her discoveries to help travellers plan an unforgettable trip to Cyprus.

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