After the Limassol Marathon: Larnaka

The Route: Limassol → Larnaka → Limassol Logistics: Intercity route 45, about 1 hr 30 min each way, single fare €5 or return €9 at the time of writing. Departures are timetabled from the New Port, not from the Molos. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Limassol New Port ──(about 1 hr 30 min, Intercity route 45)──> Larnaka Nikolaidis ──(taxi or walk)──> Foinikoudes
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        └──────────────────────────(same route back, fix the last departure first)────────────────────────┘

The marathon finishes on Sunday, which leaves Monday 5 April for a trip that asks very little of your legs. Larnaka fits because the useful part of the town is a strip of flat pavement beside the sea, and a bus from Limassol drops you within reach of it.

April in Larnaka: the morning is usually cool enough for a light layer and the afternoon warm in the sun, though conditions vary and a sea breeze can make the shade feel colder than the forecast suggests. Take a thin jacket and sun cream.

Start with the bus. Route 45 runs from the New Port in Limassol, so a hotel on the Molos needs a short taxi or a slow walk to reach the stop. The journey takes about 1 hr 30 min. The Larnaka terminal reference is the Nikolaidis building, which is not on the waterfront, so plan a short taxi ride on to Foinikoudes. Check the timetable and fare at intercity-buses.com before you go, and decide the last return bus before you leave the stop.

The waterfront and Saint Lazarus

Foinikoudes is the palm-lined promenade, paved and level, with benches at short intervals. Walk it in sections and sit between them. A coffee on the front takes an hour and nobody minds.

Saint Lazarus Church stands a few streets back from the sea in the old town. The regional tourism page lists March to October opening from 08:00 to 18:30, with separate services on Sundays, and entry is free. Monday avoids the Sunday sessions. It is a working church, so keep your voice down and cover your shoulders. The crypt involves steps and is optional.

Lunch is best taken near the old town. Militzis, at Piyiale Pasa 42, opens daily from 12:30 to 23:00 and serves halloumi-filled ravioli, giant beans and oven potatoes, with meze for two. Seat yourself early, because Cypriot kitchens do not hurry.

Getting back

Leave a clear margin before the last bus. A suitcase does not suit this day, so leave luggage at your Limassol hotel and ask whether the room can be kept until the evening. If you would rather stay, Les Palmiers on the Finikoudes front and Sun Hall on Athens Avenue are both on the seafront. Allow extra time on the way back, because the taxi from the waterfront to the Nikolaidis building depends on traffic.