The name Ayia Napa was taken from a venetian era monastery of the same name, located in the center of the town, next to the square which today is the clubbing center. The word "Ayia" (Agia) means "Saint" in Greek. The word 'Napa' is archaic and it means "wooded - valley". In ancient times the area surrounding the town was covered with thick forest.
Ayia Napa has become synonomous with partying and has become a tourist capital of Europe because of the climate, beaches and the specific character of the scene that has built up here. Agia Napa is beautiful
It is one of Cyprus' most popular beach resorts. Normally the little village has less than 1000 inhabitants, but during summer season it hosts more than 10000 tourists per day. The beaches are excellent: thin and fine sand, hidden among a chain of rocky boulders that form many small and cosy bays. The main centre of the district is Paralimni, 3 miles north of Ayia Napa itself. East of the village is Protaras, which has also become a tourist resort.
The Square, central to the town, is filled with restaurants, nightclubs and shops, and for many is seen as the focal point of the Agia Napa night-life.
Agia Napa is mentioned for the first time by Leontios Mahaeras (a Cypriot choreographer) in 1366 A.D. and a second time by the same in 1373 in his account of the shipwreck of five Venetian ships loaded with booty, which the Venetians had stolen during the looting of Cyprus. The next mention of Agia Napa is encountered in Venetian documents and maps of the 16th century. Due to the lack of sufficient historical evidence, this study is based mostly on archaeological findings and the local tradition.
The monastery and the village took their name from the ancient Greek word "Nape", which means "wooded valley". This term is used by Homer in the Illiad, by Pindar in his Pythian poems, and later by the Christian Hymnographers.
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It is one of Cyprus' most popular beach resorts. Normally the little village has less than 1000 inhabitants, but during summer season it hosts more than 10000 tourists per day. The beaches are excellent: thin and fine sand, hidden among a chain of rocky boulders that form many small and cosy bays. The main centre of the district is Paralimni, 3 miles north of Ayia Napa itself. East of the village is Protaras, which has also become a tourist resort.
The Square
The monastery and the village took their name from the ancient Greek word "Nape", which means "wooded valley". This term is used by Homer in the Illiad, by Pindar in his Pythian poems, and later by the Christian Hymnographers.