Ayia Napa, the golden southeastern coast Cyprus gem

More than 50 years ago, Ayia Napa was a quiet fishing port. Its inhabitants were dedicated to making handicrafts and working in the fields, where agriculture took them much of the time. There were no luxurious properties at that time, and the investment opportunities did not go beyond the odd work of art made by a talented craftsman. Who would have imagined that five decades later, this town would become an internationally renowned holiday destination?

There is a crucial moment to understand this growth, which does not stop. Beginning in 1974, history decided to divide the island, favouring Ayia Napa's rapid development. Nowadays, we find a wide range of monumental hotels and high-quality apartments that extend into the coastal areas, giving a unique setting to the city. As one renowned real estate agent says, Cypriots have Ayia Napa as their darling.

With a wide variety of natural attractions, Ayia Napa is in the east of the island. Right near Cape Greco. And awfully close to Protaras, a small city that has had an important development in the real estate industry but more focused on low-key family life. Ayia Napa's environment is unique, and Cape Greco National Park serves as a hub for major outdoor activities.

There, nature is present in a particular way, with deep cliffs, caves and beautiful beaches. World-famous, the park is visited for the best walks on foot or by bicycle and show off with unique photographs, especially at the Ayioi Anargiroi Chapel, the Crow Bridge, and The Blue Lagoon. History tells us that the origin of Ayia Napa is an event that happened in a cave. There, a hunter found a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary.

This motivated many faithful to come to this cave to visit the icon. This worship led to constructing a church in the 14th century, which was later enlarged and established as a monastery. Eventually, it gave rise to Ayia Napa as a population centre. The monastery owes its name to the "Icon of the Virgin of the Sacred Forest".

Undoubtedly, it is the most prominent and most visited monument, attended by hundreds of thousands of people every year. Tourism and real estate Cyprus real estate has been booming for decades. Thus, in Ayia Napa, the licensed estate agents found one of their favourite places to work.

One can find beautiful properties for sale or resale properties everywhere. British, Russian, and Israeli tourists, mainly, are attracted to this tourist enclave that offers a wide variety of investment opportunities. Even in recent years, there have been tourists from France and Italy, which gives the city a unique setting in the summer periods. Beautiful villas and elegant apartments are in front of the different beaches.

The best known of all is that of Nissi. There, Nissi Avenue acts as an obligatory centre for the entertainment of the youngest, especially between June and August. Another famous beach is Limanaki. It is one of the longest beaches in Cyprus.

What to know There are many places of interest to know in Ayia Napa, so we will refer to some of them in this article. One is the Ayia Napa Sculpture Park. It is located east of the city.

It arose as an initiative from the First Ayia Napa Sculpture Symposium in 2014. Currently, it has more than 200 sculptures by artists from different parts of the world. As for monuments, we also find the one dedicated to the fisherman, another of the most visited places in Ayia Napa. It was created in tribute to all the fishermen of the world and inaugurated in 2015.

There is also one dedicated to a mermaid. It is in the port of Ayia Napa. According to legend, the mermaid was the sister of Alexander the Great and had the peculiar characteristic of having two tails.