Protaras is a southeastern resort near Ayia Napa. It is most often chosen by those who, on the one hand, want to be close to the most popular place in Cyprus, and on the other, not to live in constant noise and among the crowd. This is not the most budgetary area, but one of the most prestigious and respectable.
It is always warm here, even in January the air temperature does not drop below 17 degrees Celsius, and in summer it warms up to 28-32 degrees. You can swim in Cyprus until the end of October. The beaches of Protaras are considered some of the best in Cyprus. Unlike the gray beaches of Lisamola, they are covered with golden sand.
This coast is considered the center of Cypriot snorkeling: sandy coves with beaches are interspersed with rocky areas, near which you can find many interesting fish. Fishing is excellent here: on almost every beach you can agree on a fishing tour and catch, for example, an octopus with your own hands.
Districts of Protaras
To the south of the resort lies the territory of the Cavo Greco National Park, next to which you can also settle: it has its own pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes and unique nature. The administrative center of the region is Paramlimi, and on the coast, besides Protaras itself, there are several other resort towns and villages:
- Protaras city center
- Beaches Byzakia and Green Bay
- Paralimni
- Kipparis
- Pernera
- Konnos (Cape Greco)
City center
A beautiful resort town with its own harbor and several interesting sights surrounded by beautiful beaches. Once there was an ancient city called Lefkola, and this port was first mentioned as early as the 4th century BC. It is not as noisy here as in Ayia Napa, but all the conditions for a perfect rest are created.
Singing fountains are worth noting among the sights. Every evening there is a show here, admission is paid, everyone celebrates it as one of the best singing fountain shows in Europe. On the mountain above the city is the church of St. Ilya, to which a long staircase leads. There is an observation deck near the church, from which you can see the whole city. The date of construction of this church is the XIV century. From there you can walk to the small cave chapel of Agia Saranda. In general, Protaras can be safely considered one of the centers of trekking and pilgrim tourism: there are many hiking trails in the mountains in its vicinity, mainly from church to church, and if you are resting off peak season, when it is too hot for walking, then all of them are quite possible explore.
The city has two large beaches. Both of them are sandy, with a smooth entry and very clear water. The longest is Sunrise Beach or Flamingo Beach - after the name of the largest hotel and most interesting restaurant. Its length is 850 meters, along with a traditional promenade. The beach is not wide, there are a lot of people on it, but there are beach activities and playgrounds. The second city beach that has a reputation for being elite is Fig Tree Bay. There are indeed some very old fig trees growing here. There are no waves on this beach: it is protected from them by a small stone island in the bay. But here they are engaged in snorkeling, there is a huge water entertainment center, where you can eat water skis, parachutes, catamarans, and bananas. The area of this beach is considered the most expensive in Protaras. Here is the status hotel Capo Bay, where celebrities stay. Its restaurant, surrounded by a pool with decorative carps, is considered the best in the city.
Protaras is ideal for families with children. There is a large playground for children, almost all hotels have playgrounds. There are two shopping streets with shops. This is one of the most expensive resorts in Cyprus, so the prices for quality goods in boutiques are appropriate here. There are no large multi-storey shopping centers, but there are several chain supermarkets, the largest of which is Lidi. There is a METRO on the southern outskirts of the city, so you can buy food and all simple souvenirs here, but for something exclusive you should go to other places.
Despite the fact that all the main discos of Cyprus are concentrated in Ayia Napa, there is also something to entertain in the central streets of Protaras: there are several nightclubs here. But on the outskirts, life completely dies down by 22 o'clock.
- Dignity; a comfortable resort with an ideal balance of silence and entertainment, the best beaches on this coast, children's infrastructure.
- Disadvantages: Not cheap.
Beaches Byzakia and Green Bay
To the south of the city center there is a resort area with Byzakia and Green Bay as the main beaches. Here a continuous strip of beaches ends, for the most part the coast is rocky, and there are only small sandy coves.
Some of the hotels do not have access to the beaches, from them there are descents to the water directly into the stones. But here there is budget accommodation, small apartments, and it is very close to the center or the nearest beaches. Here are the best places for snorkeling, there is a diving center, and there are attractions: archaeological excavations nearby, the chapel of St. Andrew. Developed urban infrastructure: shops and restaurants. But it is precisely the beach vacation in this area that is not the most comfortable; you will have to specially get to the long and comfortable beaches.
- Advantages: quiet and budgetary, diving conditions.
- Disadvantages: many small beaches among the rocky coastline.
Paralimni and Kipparis
Paralimni is a town located three kilometers from the sea on the shore of a dry lake. This is a large settlement, larger than Protaras itself, the administrative center of the region. The city was founded in 1561. There are several attractions here: the church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, two churches of St. George - old and new, a number of 19th century houses in the traditional Cypriot style. Sometimes people come here for excursions or shopping. The closest resort area to Paralimni is Kipparis on the coast at the very border with the Turkish part.
Paralimni is convenient because it is not a resort in itself: here you can rent very low-cost housing from local residents, food is much cheaper here than in Protaras, there is a market. But you have to get to the sea from Paramlini.
- Advantages: budgetary, well-developed urban infrastructure.
- Disadvantages: far from the sea.
Pernera
The area to the north is less crowded than Protaras. It is connected to the city by a continuous promenade, so you can walk or take a bus if you want - they run along the entire coast. It is cheaper here, there is a lot of housing not on the first or second line, but in the depths of the building. However, the area is actively developing, and large hotels are being built in it.
The beaches themselves are very good, but small and separated from each other by rocky areas, as in the south of the city. The most beautiful and interesting beach is Kalamis. The main beaches have water pools so there is plenty to do, restaurants and shops along the boardwalk. The main attraction here is the Ocean Aquarium, which is combined with a small zoo and an amusement park.
- Pluses: quiet and budget, there is entertainment.
- Disadvantages: developing area, there are construction sites.
Konnos (Cape Greco)
In the south, the Protaras region ends with Cape Greco, on which the national park is located, and in the eastern part of it there is a British military base. People come here with excursions from Protaras and Ayia Napa, but it is quite possible to get there on your own by public transport: there is a stop near the entrance to the park. The closest place to the national park with hotels is called Konnos beach, it is 2.5 km from the beginning of the protected area, can be reached on foot. It is very beautiful here, but also very quiet, Konnos is a tiny village of several hotels and a supermarket. There is an observation deck next to the beach, which overlooks the bay, and the beach itself is under a cliff - you will have to go down and climb the stairs to it. A short walk from this beach is the famous Cyclops Cave. You can only get to it on foot, from Konnos it is only one and a half kilometers away. Greek tradition says that it was here that Odysseus once met the Cyclops. It is a large cave with three rooms; in fact, there were once quarries here.
Throughout the cape there are roads from sight to sight. These are marked ecological trails with picnic areas, observation decks, etc. One of them is called here "Aphrodite's Trail" - in fact, it is a short part of a much longer route, 75 km long. Among the interesting places it is worth noting the Peace Monument, the stone arch of the Bridge of Sinners (you cannot walk on it, it is dangerous, but you can and should take pictures), the Blue Lagoon - a small cozy lagoon with the purest bright blue water and, finally, the Ayia Anargiri Church. Tradition says that the famous brothers-healers Saints Kosma and Damian once lived here - they are also very much revered in Russia. A church was built in their honor, and above it there is a small cave where they hid.
- Advantages: Ideal for hikers and ecotourists, on a budget.
- Disadvantages: very quiet, nothing but a few hotels and nature; to the beach from any accommodation you need to go up a steep staircase.
