Ayia Napa Entertainment

Visitors to Ayia Napa soon learn that it is essential to plan an afternoon siesta if they are to make the most of the sensational nightlife for which the resort is world-famous. The Cypriots appreciation of the good life comes to the fore after the sun sets, with bars, discos, nightclubs and bouzouki clubs open well into the early hours of the morning.

Eating out

Variety is the spice of dining out in Ayia Napa, where countless restaurants specialise in a host of cuisines from around the world, everything from the romantic and traditional, to fast food and pub-grub being on offer. Whether it is a Big Mac, fish and chips, a Chinese take-away or formal French you fancy, you wont have to go far to find it.

Local cuisine

Visitors are well advised to try the Cypriot fare, particularly in the delightful, traditional taverns clustered around the harbour. Highly recommended is the typical Cypriot meze, made up of between 15 and 30 bite-sized island dishes. Other local specialities include taramasalata (a dip made of cod roe, lemon juice and olive oil), tsatsiki (a dip made from garlic, yoghurt, olive oil and cucumber), moussaka (an aubergine lasagne), stifado (beef or veal stew), aphelia (pork and red wine) and loukoumades (doughnuts dipped in syrup).

Theatre and music

Many of the hotels, pubs and bars offer live music, but clubbing and discos are the main features of Ayia Napas music scene. The resorts clubbing scene is legendary, with big name DJs appearing frequently at popular clubs like Starsky & Hutch (1970s funk, soul and jazz disco), Grease (70s to 90s disco) and Insomnia (garage, house and R&B).

One of the best pubs in Ayia Napa is called the Bedrock Inn and its based on the theme of the Flintstones. Give it a visit, especially if you've got children; the staff are dressed as cavemen, they serve food and it is the best karaoke bar in Ayia Napa. On the downside, children are asked to leave at 23:00.

Other clubs include: Buzz Bar; established in 1998, this bar is visited by tourists, celebrities and visiting football stars alike. Visiting DJs routinely make a guest appearance here and it is open until 02:00.

Nissi Bay Caf Bar is an excellent choice for afternoon drinks overlooking the beach and as a bonus, the beer is relatively cheap.

Club Abyss is a four-level club with a massive guest DJ list. It is extremely popular, one reason being that it has air conditioning! Pzazz Club plays mostly house and garage and is really popular, with a capacity for over 2,000 clubbers.

There are no theatres as such in Ayia Napa, but during the September Street Festival, open-air plays are performed.

Shopping

Shopping in Ayia Napa is pure pleasure, with real bargains to be had, particularly on designer goods. Top name watches, sunglasses, clothing, cameras and jewellery are available at prices up to 30 per cent cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Shops and boutiques are generally small and friendly, opening until 23:00 every night except on Sundays.

The local handicrafts make for good souvenir shopping including beautiful embroidered Lefkara lace, original ceramic pottery, artistic silver jewellery, baskets, woven and silk goods and high quality leather ware. Dont forget the famous local wines of Cyprus, which are of a very high standard and internationally recognised throughout the world. Major credit cards are accepted everywhere.