Mackenzie is one of the most famous prestigious neighborhoods in Larnaca. The area is quite small, but it is packed with new buildings like no other residential neighborhood of the city.
Where is Mackenzie located?
Our area is located between the center of Larnaca and the Skala neighborhood on the one hand and the international airport on the other. Mackenzie is located on the coast of the Gulf of Larnaca, so the distance between the farthest residential buildings to the sea is no more than 5-10 minutes by walk.
The area is divided into two parts: the proper Mackenzie beach, which is occupied by branded cafes and restaurants, as well as a sleeping area, which is separated from the beach by Piale Pasha Avenue.
Mackenzie Beach
The local beach is popular not only for the inhabitants of the surrounding neighborhoods, but also for residents of other areas of Larnaca. And for good reason. Mackenzie Beach is one of the best in the city, it has a blue flag of quality, which, however, is not rare in Cyprus. The sand is fine here, and the sea is calm because of the small reefs nearby.
The beach is a huge plus of real estate on Mackenzie. The coast is pleasant, comfortable and right under the windows.
The beach length is one kilometer, along its entire length the coast is comfortable. In summer and in the off-season, you can see crowds of people here. Some run, swim, ride bicycles, others play with children in playgrounds, which the beach is simply full of. And some have breakfast or dinner in restaurants.
The second reason to buy property in these neighborhoods is a dozen first-class cafeterias, restaurants, bars and clubs nearby.
Here is a short list of what is located on Mackenzie Beach, and where a local inhabitant can go for breakfast or dinner:
- Caffè Nero Mackenzie is a chain of cozy Italian coffee houses.
- Lush Beach Bar Resto is a restaurant serving Mediterranean and European cuisine. Also suitable for sushi lovers and vegetarians.
- Rebuke Lounge is a restaurant serving Greek and Japanese cuisine. Temporarily closed (valid for March 2021).
- Ammos is a restaurant serving Mediterranean (+ Cypriot), European, Japanese cuisine. Also suitable for vegetarians.
And so on...
Mackenzie bedroom community
Mackenzie Beach is separated from the residential neighborhood of the same name by Piale Pasha (Πιαλέ Πασά) avenue, named after the Ottoman admiral, one of the conquerors of Cyprus. The avenue named after him begins from the castle of Larnaca, passes through the Turkish Skala neighborhoods and the Mackenzie area and reaches Artemis Avenue, which connects the city with the international airport.
It is this part of the avenue that also has a second name - Tasos Mitsopoulos Avenue (in honor of the Minister of Defense, who died in 2014 the following week after being appointed to the post).
However, the name is new, so many people still consider this area a continuation of Piale Pasha.
The sleeping neighborhood has two parallel streets: the street named after the philosopher Goethe and the street of his "colleague" Nietzsche.
Crossed by German philosophers are the Flemish painter Rubens, the Austrian composer Schubert, Gaius Philoppapos (one of the most influential Greeks of the Roman Empire), and also one of the pioneers of the Cypriot theater Costas Markides.
As you might guess from the names, the streets are modern.
The fact is that the Mackenzie area began to be massively built up only in the second half of the 20th century. Unlike neighboring Skala, which is full of old, crumbling real estate, Mackenzie is young, and has both luxury homes and budget properties. The latter is mainly represented by secondary housing.
However, the fact that Mackenzie is a young district does not mean that there is no problem of Turkish-Cypriot property at all.
On the contrary, it was here that the famous scandal took place. In the early 2010s, a Greek Cypriot built an elite place for business and festive events on rented land. However, the land belonged to the Turkish Cypriot, who demanded to demolish the structure and return the plot to him. The court sided with the latter.
As you may know after the 1974 tragedy, the property of the Turkish Cypriots was seized by the state until the Cyprus problem was solved and the island was reunited. This real estate is rented out, used for the needs of the municipality, or is simply abandoned and destroyed by time. However, Turkish Cypriots, owners of property (building or empty plots) or their descendants, have the right to appeal to officials with a demand to return their property. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the requirements of the Turkish Cypriots are met.
At first glance, it seems frightening that your property can be taken and taken away!
Of course they cannot, if you make sure that the land (on which the desired private or apartment building) is located did not belong to Turkish Cypriots before the war.
Mackenzie infrastructure
Perfect sea, cafes, restaurants for every taste, new buildings. These are all the indisputable advantages of this area. However, Mackenzie certainly has its disadvantages. The biggest one is poorly developed infrastructure. There is nothing to do in Mackenzie.
Hypermarkets, shopping centers, museums, places for all kinds of events. If you want to visit them, you need to get into the car every time or (in good weather) walk for 30-40 minutes. We can say that Mackenzie is located within the center of Larnaca, but it is still poorly equipped.
On the other hand, an incredible view of the salt lake of Larnaca (or Larnaca Aliki in the Cypriot dialect) opens directly from the houses. In addition to the huge reservoir, which is full of flamingos in winter, from this place you can see the Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque, the most important Islamic shrine of the Turkish world, as well as the mountain and monastery of Stavrovouni, one of the main Orthodox shrines of the island.
And yep, one should not be surprised that such landscapes coexist with elite real estate.
This is the whole of Larnaca.
It is authentic, atmospheric, but at the same time safe and friendly! And yes, the salt lake embankment is another advantage of this area. A multi-kilometer well-equipped embankment, where you can run, walk with children, ride a bike.
The proximity of the airport should be noted separately.
It can be reached by car in just a few minutes. Or you can take a bus on the already mentioned Piale Pasha Avenue. It takes no more than a couple of minutes to get to the stop, and the bus takes about 5-7 minutes more. However, this does not mean that you do not need to leave home in advance to wait for the bus and catch the flight!
Why Mackenzie?
The history of the neighborhood begins with the activities of the Scotsman Mckenzie, who fell in love with a Cypriot woman and settled in this area. It was in the 1940s, during the British colonial rule. Since then, the area has changed, but the name of the first settler has remained.
NB! Not all properties named Mackenzie are actually located in this neighborhood! Before buying or renting a house or apartment, be sure to consult with the specialists of the DOM real estate agency in Cyprus.
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