CLEAN NIGHT LIFE IN CYPRUS

NIGHT LIFE IN CYPRUS AND THE PLATE SMASHING RITUAL

Cyprus is one island that promises a lot and delivers! And that includes night life. The huge range includes stylish cafes and bars, pubs, jet set beach clubs, chic lounges, music bars and pulsating dance clubs. Relax, chill out or dance the night away, and get ready to have the best time! Nightspots are always included in tours around Cyprus. 

The cities that figure prominently are Limassol, Ayia Napa and Larnaca. Nicosia, Protaras, Pernera, Paphos and other cities do have their night spots but at a subdued scale when compared to the other cities mentioned. Nightlife in Protaras not quite as lively as Ayia Napa but regular buses from Pernera and Protaras will get you to swinging Ayia Napa in half an hour. Dress is fairly casual – this is not an environment where you’ll be restricted from wearing your flip flops in hot weather – but since most also cater to the young, hip crowd, stylish, hip clothes are welcome too. When you go clubbing, be aware that most locals don’t even hit the clubs until around 2 a.m., if you’re seeking the company of locals. These cities are major tourist attractions in Cyprus during the day, but equally prominent when your trip for sightseeing in Cyprus includes night life. 

Limassol nightlife has gone down slightly with the close of Galatex (a strip of bars near the beach), however, there is still a vibrant bar scene. Some of the better known places for a great late evening in Limassol in the Tourist Area are the Step Inn; the iconic Basement Club; the Rumours Bar; the Breeze - Club, Restaurant & Café; the Gioia Bar; the Guaba Beach Bar, open only in the summers and the Cote D'Azure. The more lavish nightspots are a bit more expensive and dress conscious, like Caprice Restaurant & Lounge Bar at Londa Hotel; the Dizzy Bizzy Café Bar on the coastal road in Limassol at Ayios Athanasios, with its iconic electric green logo; the Dolce Club, just off Amathounta beach, a fantastic, one of a kind, cosmopolitan night club and the epitome of luxury and style. On the beach, the Waves Beach Bar, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Elias Beach Hotel with free parking recommend themselves. As is well known, Limassol is one of the most modern tourist attractions in Cyprus.  

Ayia Napa has some of the best night life in Europe. With a wide choice of clubs and over 80 bars, there truly is something for everyone in Ayia Napa. Most of the bars around the main square and strip in Ayia Napa open at around 8 pm. They don't get busy though until around 11 pm. The clubs open at around 1 am. The bars on and around the main square in Ayia Napa start to fill up around 11 pm and this is where the music is loud, sitting down is a no-no and the atmosphere is electric. There is no dress code in Ayia Napa, so you will see a massive range of styles and clothing choices including fancy dress.

Everything from Dubstep, Trance, Party, Rock, and anything in between can be heard as the streets throng with the pre-club crowd. Expect dancing on the bars, lots of exposed flesh and plenty of flirting. Ayia Napa is a sexy place in the summer and the hours of midnight until 4 am is when things get hot. People spill out of bars all over the centre of Ayia Napa turning the streets into one big party. Ayia Napa hosts Destino. Although Destino is described as a cafe-bar, that is some understatement! Destino is simply the place to be!! Liquid Cafe Bar, Cafe Central, Jello and Fresh provide a lot of noise and fun. The White Rock VIP Bar & Club is an awesome place to chill out with friends. The ultra-trendy Pepper Bar - Lounge at the Napa Plaza Hotel is a fancy Café Bar in the afternoon and a smashing outdoor venue at night. In fact, Ayia Napa is one the prime places to see in Cyprus, extending well into the next day!  

Club Aqua, in the basement of the Pambos Magic Hotel in the centre of Ayia Napa is one of the most popular late night clubs and after party venues in Ayia Napa. With capacity of 700, Aqua Club is open until breakfast time. Black N White is an urban music club, situated in the heart of Ayia Napa, just off the square; Carwash Disco’s party atmosphere has been drawing crowds ever since it opened in 1996; the Castle Club is the largest club in Ayia Napa as well as in the whole of Cyprus and Club Ice is one of Ayia Napa's larger clubs. 

As for Larnaca, The Preserve Lounge Bar on the historic Ermou Street has been a cornerstone of Larnaka's night scene for many years with throbbing energy and vibes. Blue Martini Club on Makenzy Beach, offers the perfect summer nightlife; don't miss Blue Martini's Greek Nights every Sunday. The Burlesque comes to life at night, combining good music along with original, colorful cocktails from every corner of the earth. The Geometry Club is one the hottest clubs in town, artistically designed with retro lighting. Club Deep features mainstream, Greek hits, RnB, house and old school. The Meeting Pub & Cafeteria, the Vogue Exclusive Club, the Caramel Disco and the Plateia Club are also popular. These cities are part of Cyprus tours, including those that Aphrodite’s Tours conducts.

Plate Smashing at Celebrations:

Pulsating night life aside, what everyone wants to know about is the tradition of smashing plates or glasses during celebratory occasions. Such an occasion would, of course, not arise in the nightlife discussed above, but is often seen in celebratory functions in smaller Bars and Nightclubs. The origin is not exactly known; in its earliest form, plate smashing may be a survival of the ancient custom of ritually ‘killing’ the ceramic vessels used for feasts commemorating the dead. The voluntary breaking of plates, a type of controlled loss, may also have helped participants in dealing with the deaths of their loved ones, a loss which they could not control. Breaking plates may also be related to the ancient practice of conspicuous consumption, a display of one's wealth, as plates or glasses are thrown into a fireplace following a banquet instead of being washed and reused. 

Since plate breaking often occurs at happy occasions, it may have begun as a way of fooling malicious spirits into thinking that the event was a violent one instead of a celebration. Worldwide, noise is believed to drive away evil, and the sound of the plates smashing against the stone or marble floors of the houses would be loud enough to scare off almost anything. Another school of thought says that a plate might also be broken when two lovers parted, so that they would be able to recognise each other by matching the two halves even if many years passed before they met again. Small split versions of the mysterious Phaistos disk are used by modern Greek jewellers this way, with one half kept and worn by each of the couple.

New twists to an old tradition: In recent times, smashing plates has been used to attract attention to Greek restaurants in Cyprus, with ‘plate smashers’ stationed at the doors to periodically toss down another plate and attract the attention of passersby. Some Greek restaurants even cater to the need of clients to break plates by designating a special ‘smashing area’. Many countries, including Britain and Greece, are regulating the ritualised breaking of plates, with mandated safety measures.

What is known is that it is an import from Greece, where knives used to be thrown at the feet of performing artistes, with a warning shout of ‘Opa’ in deference to the performer. As may be expected, there were many casualties and knives were replaced by plates and glasses. This practice continues to be seen on joyous occasions, such as weddings and birthdays, etc. The crockery is thrown onto the ground and stamped with gusto during the celebration. This form of fun was banned in Greece in 1969 by the military dictatorship of G. Papadopoulos that had suspended democracy and ruled Greece autocratically from 1967-1974. 

While the ban on plate smashing came to the great disappointment of locals and foreign tourists alike in Greece, it was not applicable to Cypriots. With time, as more and more Greeks came to Cyprus, the practice also died down. Today, it is no longer officially allowed at nightclubs, but still takes place occasionally for private celebrations. The host purchases specially-produced plaster plates, which are less expensive or dangerous, and easier to break. Another modern variation on the custom is for diners at small restaurants or tavernas to buy trays of flowers that they can throw at singers and each other, with basket/tray carrying flower girls selling their wares. Now you know what to do in Cyprus at night.