If you are going to spend family vacation in Cyprus, our review may appear to be helpful: here we collected all the best kids-friendly places and attractions in Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos and other popular districts. Where in Cyprus can one ride a horse or even a camel? Which museums are worth visiting with kids and where to go when it is raining? You can find answers to these (and other) questions below.
Things to do with kids in Limassol
One of the most popular among people of all ages spots in Limassol is the Municipal park located in the city centre. There are children’s playgrounds, picnic and rest areas, shady parkways and an open-air theatre in the park. Festivals and various cultural events for children and adults are regularly held here. The Limassol zoo, another city landmark, is also located on the territory of the park. Here visitors can watch rare animals, birds and reptiles, pat and feed domestic animals that live at the mini-farm and have a rest in one of the several cafes.
Water slides, a wave pool, «fish» pedicure and other unusual experiences are offered at the Watermania waterpark in Limassol. Not only water attractions, swimming pools (including a paddling pool), but also a gift shop, a confectionery, a juice-bar and several restaurants and cafes can be found here.
If you are looking for real adventures for children from 8 years old and their parents in Limassol, try visiting the Sayious park and spend 2,5 hours racing, riding carts and practising archery.
The Arizona indoor adventure park is located in Episkopi village close to Limassol. Here kids and their parents can ride electric carts, play video games and hold a birthday party (prior arrangement is required). There is also a playground with slides, merry-go-rounds and climbing frames at the park.
If you (or your children) want to experience free fall effect, go on the swings, jump in a bouncing castle, ride an observation wheel, play shooting games and much more — visit the Oasis theme park located in the center of Limassol.
Being a summer resort, Limassol provides tourists with more than 10 fully equipped, clean and kids-friendly beaches. Some of them are sandy, some are pebbly, some are isolated and some are noisy, several are known for shallow waters (which is great for small kids), and one is located just next to the ruins of the ancient city of Kourion. Indeed, Limassol beaches fit every taste.
MYMALL shopping mall in the West of the city is another place in Limassol where attractions for kids are offered. There is an ice rink in the basement of the mall and a recreational center with video games and bowling. If you go shopping, you can leave you kid in a special play space with bouncing castles and slides.
The Galaxy recreational center is also full of family leisure activities. Here visitors can play bowling or video games and attend a small outdoor adventure park with attractions for kids of different ages.
The Archimedes museum introduces children to laws of physics while they are playing in a mirror maze, lifting themselves on a rope or working on the 3D-puzzle. The Cyprus Theatre Museum holds workshops and interactive excursions for children.
Things to do with kids in Larnaca
There is a theatre, a library, the Museum of Natural History and a children’s playground with attractions both for small kids and for teenagers in the Municipal Gardens of Larnaca.
The Lucky Park family theme park is a wonderful place to spend time with kids in Larnaca. Here visitors can drive karts, play video games and try a roller coaster ride. There are also water attractions in the park. The Wow Action is an indoor entertainment park with bouncing castles, an obstacle course and a climbing wall, where it is also possible to hold a kid’s birthday party.
The Fun Factory and the Ciokoland are two other recreation centres in Larnaca (the Ciokoland also houses a confectionary and a toy shop).
Children and their parents can explore the sky full of stars and listen to stories about the planets and the space at the Kition Planetarium. Educational programmes for young astronomers are also held here.
If you want to experience something unusual, it might be a good idea to go to Mezatos village not far from Larnaca, where visitors can ride a camel at the Camel Park farm. Here children can even feed the animals. There is also a playground at the park.
The Golden Donkey farm includes a wax museum, a traditional Cypriot house and a donkey’s milk products shop.
There are kids-friendly beaches in Larnaca: for example, the CTO beach with the Water Sports Center, where holiday-makers can water ski, windsurf, try diving or just go for a wild banana boat ride.
Meet instructors from the Nemo center to explore the sunken Zenobia ship which had become a beautiful artificial reef. You may also see colourful fish living in the ship from the boat with the glass bottom.
Things to do with kids in Nicosia
Nicosia, the capital of the divided Cyprus, houses the children’s museum which is called Rota and located in the Old Town. Visitors can play with interactive objects, attend an exhibition «Treasures inside of me», dedicated to our emotions, take part in art workshops and educational programmes for children and adults.
In the Shadow Theatre Museum, children create their own performances. There is an observation deck on top of the Shakolas tower and a museum inside.
The Athalassa National Park with a wooden children’s playground, cycle lanes, picnic areas, a botanical garden, a pond and a birds watching point is located on the outskirts of the city.
If you want to see the largest collection of living birds on the island, be sure to visit the Melios zoo. Here visitors can meet rare animals and attend animal care classes. There is also a shop, a cafe and a children’s playground at the zoo.
The Loufa is a theme park with giant bouncing castles, slides, an obstacle course, various sports facilities, and other attractions. Children can also watch cartoons in the rest area.
The Papafilipou is an indoor adventure park in Nicosia. There is a merry-go-round, video games and various active leisure exercises (including electro mobiles) at the park.
The Extreme Park center is divided into indoor and outdoor areas. Here children and adults can play basketball and football, complete an obstacle course, drive an aero board, jump on trampolines and even try extreme sports. Activities for the smallest kids are also provided.
The Play4Kidz center includes a 4D-cinema and activity rooms for kids. Visitors can also play bowling and swim in an open pool (from May until the end of September). There is a cafe on the territory of the center.
Things to do with kids in Paphos
The Aphrodite water park in Paphos is open all the year round. There are extreme and family slides, a wave pool, a «lazy river» and lots of other water attractions here.
If you (or your kids) are interested in watersports, be sure to visit the Nick’s Watersports Centre, where visitors can experience a banana ride, paraglide above the sea and learn how to water ski. 12 Paphos beaches, all marked with a «blue flag», an international sign of high beach standard, are also perfect for a family vacation.
Meet wild and domestic animals at the Paphos zoo, where owls and parrots perform for the public every day. There is also a Natural History Museum, a theatre, a restaurant where traditional Cypriot cuisine is served, an exhibition hall, a gift shop and so-called Cypriot house on the territory of the zoo.
Where to ride a horse in Paphos? The Horse Riding Paphos ranch offers riding lessons for children and adults. More experienced riders can go hacking around picturesque surroundings of the city.
Paphos Atlantis Cruises take off from the city harbour daily. One of the best things to do on the boat is to watch turtles (if you get lucky you will see dozens of them), fish, and other marine creatures from illuminators.
Things to do with kids in Ayia-Napa and Protaras
More than 1000 fish and other sea creatures, including piranhas, crocodiles, turtles and penguins live at the Protaras Aquarium. There is also a tropical garden and a wild birds aviary here. A small cafe is open for visitors during the working hours.
The WaterWorld waterpark is located at one of the Ayia-Napa’s beaches. The park features a lot of great family attractions: several swimming pools (including a wave pool), slides for children and adults, an obstacle course, a lazy river, a water playground and more. There is also a karting next to the exit of the water park.
The XS is a watersports center in Protaras, which provides visitors with fresh ideas of how to enrich a beach vacation. Here you can rent a canoe, ride a «flying fish», water ski, try parasailing and wakeboarding.
The Moonshine Ranch is located close to the Capo Greco, one of the most beautiful places on the island. Visitors of the ranch are encouraged to go hacking around the cape. Small kids can ride a pony.
The Palliatso is an adventure park in Ayia-Napa. There are several thrill rides, an observation wheel, a 5D-cinema, a karting, roller-coasters, merry-go-rounds and a few attractions for the smallest visitors at the park. Sports facilities, cafes and snack bars are also open for the visitors. The park operates from April until September.
The Thalassa museum in Ayia-Napa features the replica of the Kyrenia ship, that had sunken in Famagusta area in prehistoric times. The museum exhibition also includes stuffed animals and sea creatures and archaeological finds.
The Black Pearl pirate ship takes off from the Ayia-Napa city harbour every day. Day cruise includes lunch, entertaining performance for kids and their parents, a quest and several stops for swimming. The Yellow Submarine with a glassed underwater deck offers a wonderful opportunity to explore sea life and enjoy the divers’ performance.
