Best travel experiences in Cyprus

As an inspiration for your next trip, scroll through our top list of places to see and travel experiences in Cyprus. Also, check out our video guide to Northern Cyprus

1 - Turtle-watching

Beaches in both the south and the north represent some of the last Mediterranean nesting places of green and loggerhead turtles.

© Andreas Michael/Shutterstock

2 - Explore the Akamas Peninsula

With no main roads, few people and a spectacular coastline, the Akamas Peninsula is a pleasant contrast to the more developed and crowded parts of the island.

Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus © f8grapher/Shutterstock

3 - Girne (Kyrenia)

Girne is Undoubtedly the most picturesque port on the island, with a perfect harbour backed by the majestic Kyrenia Mountains.

Beautiful view of the new port of Kyrenia (Girne), North Cyprus © MarinaDa/Shutterstock

4 - Go Hiking

Cyprus has some top-quality hiking trails, particularly in the Troodos Massif – even in high summer, the altitude makes for a pleasant walking climate.

© MoLarjung/Shutterstock

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5 - Eat at Lemesos Restaurants

The south’s great multicultural port Lemesos is developing a reputation as the gourmet capital of the island.

Marina in Limassol city in Cyprus @ f8grapher/Shutterstock

6 - Relax at Buyuk Han

This beautifully renovated Buyuk Han “Great Inn” at the heart of Lefkosa’s old town is a great place to shop or simply unwind.

© Andriy Markov/Shutterstock

7 - Painted Churches of the Troodos Mountains

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These beautifully painted wooden churches in the Troodos Mountains have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

© Shutterstock

8 - St Hilarion Castle

A fantastical castle with crumbling walls, meandering steps and ruined buildings that blend into the craggy heights upon which it is built, St Hilarion offers spectacular views of the coast and mountains.

© Steve Allen/Shutterstock

9 - Kykkos Monastery

Of the dozens of monasteries in Cyprus, Kykkos is the most captivating.

© ruzanna/Shutterstock

10 - Ancient Salamis

In an idyllic setting lapped by the sea, ruined Salamis is at once one of the most impressive and most significant archeological sites anywhere on the island.

Romans ruins of the city of Salamis, near Famagusta, Northern Cyprus @ xabi_kls/Shutterstock

11 - Encounter the local Mouflon

The handsomely horned and increasingly rare mouflon, a subspecies of a wild sheep found across the Middle East, can be seen at Stavros tis Psokas in the Tilirian forest.

Mouflon © RudiErnst/Shutterstock

12 - Top notch Diving

The wreck of the Zenobia, a modern car ferry which sank in mysterious circumstances off Larnaka, is one of the Mediterranean’s premier dive sites.

© Rostislav Ageev/Shutterstock

13 - Learn local history at the Cyprus Museum

The best museum in Cyprus, just outside the walls of Lefkosia, containing treasures from across the island and the ages.

@ Shutterstock

14 - Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque

A perfectly proportioned mosque, Hala Sultan Tekke sits among elegant palm trees on the edge of Larnaka’s blinding-white salt lake.

© Shutterstock

15 - Enjoy the local Café Culture

From small village kafenions occupied by old men sipping strong coffee to smart Nicosia establishments packed with the young and stylish, café culture flourishes across the island.

© Magicmood/Shutterstock

16 - View the Roman Pafos Mosaics

These stunningly vivid mosaics at Pafos give an insight into the life of the Roman elite on the island.

© NORTH DEVON PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock

17 - Gazimagusa (Famagusta)

One of Cyprus’s great cities, in Gazimagusa modern life takes place among ruins generated by the Ottoman siege of the city over four centuries ago.

© Sopotnicki/Shutterstock

18 - Enjoy the North Coast Beaches

Cyprus has hundreds of beaches, though arguably the finest – such as Golden Sands – are strung along the north coast and Karpaz Peninsula.

© Dmitry Pichugin/Shutterstock

19 - Wine tasting

Follow one of six wine-tasting routes, drop into the Cyprus Wine Museum or throw yourself into the bacchanal of the Lemesos Wine Festival.

© ElenYrebyata/Shutterstock

20 - Bellapais

Made famous by Lawrence Durrell, who once lived here, Bellapais is beautifully set around its medieval monastery.

© travelview/Shutterstock

21 - Orthodox Easter Celebrations

Easter is the most important festival in the Greek Orthodox calendar, and it is celebrated across the republic, often with lavish processions.

Easter moments in a small church in Paphos @ Franginos Theodorou/Shutterstock

22 - Omodos

A wonderful hill village boasting not only a winery but also a pretty, cobbled central square, a venerable monastery, and a range of restaurants and shops.

© leoks/Shutterstock

Travel advice for Cyprus

Find even more inspiration for Cyprus here