Piale Pasha Promenade

Larnaca is best known for the Finikoudes promenade, but it has a second promenade running on from it. This is Piale Pasha, named after the commanding general of the Ottoman army and navy, who came to the city in 1571. It was in fact the first seafront street in Larnaca; only later, in the 19th century, did the city expand towards Finikoudes. The promenade starts at the medieval castle and runs all the way to Mackenzie.

Finikoudes joins Piale Pasha around the castle, where two pathways split — one passing the castle on the street side, the other on the sandy beach side. At night both are lit from the ground, which shows off the castle and the beach.

The two levels

Piale Pasha was upgraded in 2014, and the rebuild made two walkways: one at street level, the other lower down so that it feels as though you are walking at the level of the water. Glass panels divide them, so you can see across from either. The route takes you past old-style houses, restaurants, cafés and fish tavernas on one side, with the beach and the sea on the other, and there are always cyclists, runners, walkers and people fishing along it.

The old quarter, and the Psarolimano

Past the tavernas and cafés you reach the old Turkish-Cypriot neighbourhood, which is worth turning into: bars, snack shops, the workshops of local artists, traditional architecture and a park. Carry on along the promenade and you come to a small fishing harbour known as the Psarolimano, with more fish tavernas, and then Mackenzie — beach, watersports, ice cream shops and hotels.

So the strip runs Finikoudes, then Piale Pasha, then Mackenzie. A dawn jog or a sunset walk gives you the golden hour along the whole of it.