Accessible Cyprus
Visit Cyprus says Larnaca and Paphos airports are fully accessible, hotels have been inspected for facilities for people with special access needs, the European Blue Badge is valid island-wide, and there are wheelchair-accessible beaches listed in an official PDF. It advises contacting hotels directly and being accompanied if unsure of an area's accessibility.
- Best for
- Travellers with reduced mobility or special access needs, and the people travelling with them.
- How much time
- Read it early in your planning, and contact hotels and transport companies in advance.
Cyprus has a growing set of facilities for visitors with special access needs, and Visit Cyprus publishes an overview and a downloadable guide. This page summarises that overview and points you to the official resources. Accessibility changes, so use the official pages and contact each provider directly before you book.
Airports
Visit Cyprus says both Larnaca and Paphos international airports are fully accessible for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility. Facilities it lists include accessible washrooms, charging stations for electric wheelchairs at departure gates, ramps for wheelchair users to enter or exit buses, and additional assistive services. The Visit Cyprus page links to Hermes Airports' accessibility information for each airport.
Hotels
Visit Cyprus says many hotels provide facilities for special needs and publishes a list of establishments that were inspected and found to provide a satisfactory level of facilities and services. Because facilities can change, it strongly recommends contacting the hotel directly to check it suits your particular need before any binding reservation. For where to stay by area, see where to stay in Cyprus.
Parking
The European Blue Badge was introduced in Cyprus in 2007 and is valid for designated disabled parking all over the island, on public roads and in car parks. Visit Cyprus names the Service for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled, part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, as the issuing authority.
Getting around
| Topic | What Visit Cyprus says |
|---|---|
| Towns | Most towns are fairly accessible with a wheelchair, but work to improve the infrastructure is ongoing, so wheelchair users should be accompanied by an assistant if unsure of an area's accessibility. |
| Public transport | Transport around the island can be arranged if you give the transport companies prior notice. Special buses with low-gradient ramps, safety belts and air-conditioning are available, as are special taxis that can carry a person seated in a wheelchair. |
| Places of interest | Accessibility details for attractions appear in the facts listed for each attraction on Visit Cyprus. |
For general transport, see driving in Cyprus and Cyprus without a car.
Beaches
Visit Cyprus says many beaches are wheelchair accessible, marked with a wheelchair access symbol in each beach's listing, and publishes a PDF of fully or partly accessible beaches across the island. For beach choices in general, see best beaches in Cyprus, then check the official accessibility list before you go.
Who to contact
- Visit Cyprus guide: the official 'Accessible Cyprus' guide, available as a download from the Visit Cyprus accessibility page.
- Cyprus Paraplegic Organisation: Visit Cyprus gives (+357) 22 496 494 and the website opak.org.cy.
- Pancyprian Organisation for Disabled Persons: (+357) 22426301.
- Blue Badge: the Service for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled, on (+357) 22 815015.
For wider planning, see the Cyprus travel guide and Cyprus health and safety.
Check before you go
Hours, prices and schedules change. Confirm them at the source:
- Visit Cyprus (Deputy Ministry of Tourism)
- Visit Cyprus: accessible Cyprus: airports, hotels, Blue Badge, transport, beaches, contacts