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Travel advice for Cyprus
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Cyprus
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written by Andy Turner
updated 12.07.2021
The birthplace of Aphrodite and the crossroads between three continents, Cyprus has seduced and inspired generations of travellers for hundreds of years. And it continues to do so today. Here is our pick of the best things to do in Cyprus.
This article is inspired by the Rough Guide to Cyprus — your essential guide to travelling to Cyprus.
East of Acapulco Bay is Alagadi Beach, a “Protected Area” because of the green and loggerhead turtles that nest here. As well as sea turtles, the area is home to a variety of plants, lizards and butterflies.
Watch sea turtles in Cyprus Andreas Michael/Shutterstock
Driving on the Akamas means either renting a 4WD or signing up for a jeep safari, and only experienced walkers, properly dressed and equipped, should attempt it on foot. Given its military past, if you find anything that looks like a live shell or other ordnance, leave well alone.
For the faint of heart, the best way to see the peninsula is from the comfort of a boat – excursions run from Pafos and Lakki (Alkion run cruises in glass-bottomed boats along the Akamas coast.
Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus © f8grapher/Shutterstock
Apart from the harbour and the castle, much else is hidden among Girne’s steep serpentine alleys. The Anglican Church, the Cafer Paşa Camii, the Ottoman Cemetery and the Chrysopolitissa Church attest to the spiritual life of the town, and the tiny Folk Art Museum and Icon Museum to its cultural life.
Ready to explore the Mediterranean further? Read our guide to the best Greek islands.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Girne.
Beautiful view of the new port of Kyrenia (Girne), North Cyprus © MarinaDa/Shutterstock
A section of the European Long Distance Path E4 travels for 539km the length of the island, and there is 322km of good walking divided into 72 nature trails. The best general walking in the north is in the Kyrenia range and along the Karpaz Peninsula – look out for the tourist office’s excellent trail guides Kyrenia East and West and Karpaz East and West.
Hiking in Cyprus © MoLarjung/Shutterstock
As elsewhere in the world, restaurants come and go, but this shouldn’t deter you from seeking out exciting new ones. A new concentration of places to eat and drink – bars, chain restaurants and fast-food outlets – particularly patronized by younger locals, has been provided by the redeveloped Marina, which is located just south of the city centre.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Lemesos.
Marina in Limassol city in Cyprus @ f8grapher/Shutterstock
Find more accommodation options to stay in Nicosia.
Buyuk Han, Cyprus © Andriy Markov/Shutterstock
They are modest in construction, with steeply sloping wooden roofs (to shed snow during the winter) above stout rough stone walls. Inside, they are decorated with wonderful frescoes (and in some cases mosaics) which offer a glimpse of life and beliefs during the almost thousand years of the Byzantine Empire. Ten of these churches are collectively included in Unesco’s World Heritage List.
The beautiful painted churches of the Troods Mountains © Shutterstock
The castle formed the template for both the fairy-tale castles of King Ludwig in Bavaria and Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom. If possible, visit in spring when the surrounding landscape is a riot of wildflowers. The views from the snack bar are to die for.
Dreaming of seeing the great lost ruins of the world? Don't miss our guide to the great lost cities of the world.
St Hilarion Castle in Cyprus © Steve Allen/Shutterstock
With its mixture of religious observance and commercial enterprise, the presence of national hero President Makarios’s tomb and the nearby EOKA hideouts, a visit here is one of the best things to do in Cyprus for anybody trying to get a handle on modern Cyprus.
The Kykkos Monastery © ruzanna/Shutterstock
The approach to the site is along a road beside a huge picnic area, and the first thing you’ll see is a restaurant (Bedi’s) with a recently added beach bar and pier and a fine sandy beach. A plan of the site at the entrance offers two walking routes, one short, and one long.
Luckily the most important and most comprehensively investigated buildings are very close together just beyond the entrance. If you intend to view every single part of the city, it’ll involve a lot of walking so come prepared.
Romans ruins of the city of Salamis, near Famagusta, Northern Cyprus @ xabi_kls/Shutterstock
Here you'll find a large, hilly and wooded mouflon enclosure, where, if you’re lucky, you may see these iconic wild mountain sheep, the emblem of Cyprus. You can’t go into the pen (in 2011, a man who climbed the fence and goaded the animals was gored), but a path up some steps from the road runs around the perimeter fence.
Local mouflon © RudiErnst/Shutterstock
Apart from the catastrophic failure of a state-of-the-art ferry, the mystery is that, despite her intrinsic value and the €200 million cargo she carried, no investigation was ever carried out, and the owners never tried to collect the insurance. However, all is not lost; the wreck of the Zenobia is now considered to be one of the best dive sites in the world.
Cyprus wreck diving © Rostislav Ageev/Shutterstock
It’s all slightly old-fashioned and the collection is beginning to outgrow the current building – a new, purpose-built museum building has long been promised, but, courtesy of the world financial crisis, has still not arrived.
The Cyprus Museum is one of the best things to do in Cyprus @ Shutterstock
On the shore at the far end of the salt lake from Larnaka is one of Cyprus’s most important Muslim sites, the Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque. With its elegant domes and minaret peeping out from a grove of palm and cypress trees on the shimmering edge of the lake the mosque is extremely atmospheric, only slightly marred by the distracting wind turbines located on the hillside behind.
Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque © Shutterstock
The variety of restaurants in Cyprus has increased exponentially during the last decade or two. Most popular are still the traditional tavernas (still the only option in many rural areas), or the slightly more formal estiadoria. But these have been joined by a host of restaurants offering cuisine from around the world.
What to do in Cyprus? Enjoy the local cafe culture © Magicmood/Shutterstock
The beautiful Roman Pafos Mosaics © NORTH DEVON PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock
Immediately to the south lies the ghost town of Varosha, once the heart of Famagusta’s tourist trade, now isolated by the Turkish invasion of 1974. To the north lies a clutch of historically important sites – ancient Enkomi/Alasia, the monastery of Apostolos Varnavas, the Royal Tombs, and above all ancient Salamis – and the many kilometres of beaches that line Gazimağusa Bay.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Gazimağusa.
Gazimagusa, Cyprus © Sopotnicki/Shutterstock
Greek Cypriots also make pilgrimages here to visit Apostolos Andreas Monastery, near the peninsula’s tip. There is no fixed view of where Karpaz begins, but we’ve defined this area as east of Iskele/Boğaz on the south coast, and Kaplica on its north coast. On this basis, the atmospheric castle of Kantara falls within its boundaries.
The beautiful north coast beaches © Dmitry Pichugin/Shutterstock
Over two weekends in the middle of September, the Municipal Gardens are transformed into a tent city as the Lemesos Wine Festival hits town. The festival offers, in the words of the organizers, “a revival of ancient festive manifestations of worship of Dionysus and Aphrodite”, or, to the more cynical, a chance to get very drunk.
Dozens of Cypriot wine producers offer tastings and talks, and there’s plenty of information on the island’s wine routes. It’s an inclusive, fun affair – giant figures dressed in traditional Cypriot costumes wander around the park holding bunches of grapes in one hand and wine bottles in the other.
Wine-tasting is one of the best things to do in Cyprus © ElenYrebyata/Shutterstock
A trip to Bellapais is one of the best things to do in Cyprus, so it is often packed. Try to avoid the high season and late morning/early afternoon. Despite being such a popular attraction, Bellapais is not easy to find.
Travelling east on the main road from Girne, turn right at the Bellapais-signposted “peace” roundabout, and, a few hundred metres along, take the first (unsignposted) main turning left. At the top of the hill turn left at the (unsignposted) roundabout, and continue on to the village.
The medieval abbey of Bellapais © travelview/Shutterstock
Easter is the biggest event in the Greek Orthodox calendar. There are processions on the evening of Good Friday, midnight Mass on Easter Saturday, and lots of eating and drinking and games on Easter Sunday and Monday. Note that the Greek Orthodox Easter doesn’t always coincide with that in the rest of Europe.
Easter moments in a small church in Paphos @ Franginos Theodorou/Shutterstock
There’s a massive old wine press near the square, dating from the Lusignan period, while 1km north is the Ktima Gerolemo winery, which offers winery tours and wine tasting, as well as a gift shop.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Omodos.
A visit to Omodos is one of the best things to do in Cyprus© leoks/Shutterstock
There is evidence that early Christians also used it to bury their dead, while in the Middle Ages, people even lived in tombs. Since 1977, eight large tomb complexes have been identified. Each follows a similar plan: an underground atrium surrounded by Doric columns and a portico, with the tombs dug into the walls behind – imagine a Greek temple built in a deep pit.
An ancient burial chamber at the 'Tomb of the Kings' necropolis in Paphos, Cyprus © Shutterstock
Elsewhere on the Cape, there are picnic sites, walking trails (the Agioi Anargyroi and Aphrodite paths) and a new Environmental Centre. Along this stretch of the coast, you are likely to come across cruise boats anchored offshore for people to have a swim, and youngsters testing their mettle by jumping or diving off the cliffs.
A view of a sea shore in Kavo Greko nenar Aiya Napa, Cyprus © Shutterstock
Though much of the resort’s appeal is down to its nightlife, there’s now a lot more to it than that. Its remarkably compact centre sits behind a surprisingly charming small harbour (Limanaki) with some fine stretches of sand, notably Nissi beach, running west from here.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Ayia Napa.
Partying in Ayia Napa, Cyprus © Shutterstock
Despite its appeal, Cyprus is by no means the cheapest destination for travelling in Europe. For an alternative budget destination, read our guide to Croatia - the perfect honeymoon destination.
Ready for a trip to the Balearic Islands in Cyprus? Check out our Rough Guide to Cyprus.
If you prefer to plan and book your trip to Cyprus without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.
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written by Andy Turner
updated 12.07.2021
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Cyprus
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