Cyprus Experiences by Interest
This page is a map of the site, not a ranking. For the ranked list of experiences, go straight to the main guide.
Looking for the ranked list? Read Best Things to Do in Cyprus.
Cyprus Travel Guide
Cyprus works best with a hire car, one or two bases rather than five, and at least a day in the Troodos mountains.
Best Things to Do in Cyprus
Cyprus rewards variety: pair one big archaeological site (Paphos Archaeological Park or Kourion), one proper walk (the Akamas or the Troodos), a village lunch and a day on the water.
Best Places to Visit in Cyprus
For culture with a quiet coast, choose Paphos. For restaurants and a central position, Limassol.
Best Beaches in Cyprus
For sandy, family-friendly beaches, head east to Nissi, Fig Tree Bay and Makronissos. For wild coastline and turtles, go west to Lara Bay and the Akamas.
Cyprus 7-Day Itinerary
With one week in Cyprus, do not try to see the entire island. A west-to-south route gives you the best balance of archaeological sites, beaches, villages and mountain scenery: Paphos and the Akamas, the Troodos foothills, then Limassol, Lefkara and Larnaca.
Cyprus Road Trip
A Cyprus road trip works best as a loop from Larnaca: east coast first, then up into the Troodos, across to the Akamas and Paphos, and back along the south coast through Limassol.
Cyprus With Kids
Cyprus is an easy family destination if you choose the right base. For small children, pick a sandy, shallow-water base such as Protaras, Ayia Napa or Coral Bay near Paphos, keep sightseeing to one short stop a day, and avoid midday heat in summer.
Cyprus in Winter
Winter is a good time for sightseeing, walking and villages, not for beach holidays. Expect mild days, some rain, a green countryside and snow in the Troodos at times.
Ancient and Archaeological Sites in Cyprus
If you have time for only two sites, choose the Paphos Archaeological Park for Roman mosaics and Kourion for a clifftop theatre and sea views.
Best Hikes in Cyprus
For coastal scenery, walk the Akamas (the Aphrodite and Adonis trails are each a three-to-four-hour circuit); for forest at altitude, the Artemis Trail on Mount Olympus; for a short walk with a swim, the Cape Greco trails.
Cypriot Food: What to Eat and How to Order
Order meze if you are two or more: a long run of small dishes is the best single introduction to Cypriot cooking.
Cyprus Wine: A Traveller's Guide
Cyprus wine is concentrated in the foothills and slopes of the Troodos, behind Limassol and Paphos.
Wineries in Cyprus
Choose one area, not the whole island: the Limassol hills and the Paphos hills each hold enough wineries for a day.
Where to Stay in Cyprus
Decide by priority, not by hotel. Stay in Paphos for history and a quieter coast, Limassol for restaurants and the easiest day trips, Ayia Napa or Protaras for sandy beaches, Larnaca for convenience, and the Troodos for a night or two of cool air.
Cyprus Without a Car
You can enjoy Cyprus without a car if you choose a walkable base (Kato Paphos, central Limassol, Larnaca or Ayia Napa), accept that the Akamas, the Troodos and most villages need a tour or a hire car for the day, and use buses only for the main intercity links.
Cyprus in Spring
Spring is the best season for walking, villages and sightseeing in Cyprus: the countryside is green, the heat has not arrived, and the main sites are comfortable.
Cyprus in Summer
Summer in Cyprus is long, dry and hot, and it is the best season for swimming: Visit Cyprus gives open-sea temperatures above 22°C from June to November, reaching 27°C in August.
Cyprus in Autumn
Autumn is a strong season for Cyprus: Visit Cyprus says September and October still suit swimming, sunbathing and watersports, with warm days and cool October evenings, and that November has pleasantly warm days with cool evenings.
Driving in Cyprus
Traffic in Cyprus drives on the left. Visit Cyprus gives the general speed limit as 80 km/h outside towns, 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h on motorways, and says seat belts are compulsory and a mobile phone must not be used while driving.
Best Time to Visit Cyprus
For swimming, summer and early autumn are best: Visit Cyprus says the open sea is above 22°C from June to November.
Cyprus Public Holidays and Opening Hours
Cyprus has fixed public holidays on 1 January, 6 January, 25 March, 1 April, 1 May, 15 August, 1 October, 28 October and 24 to 26 December, plus variable holidays tied to Greek Orthodox Easter and Pentecost.
Is Cyprus Safe? Health and Safety for Visitors
Visit Cyprus describes crime as comparatively very low and gives 112 as the number for ambulance, fire and police.
Money in Cyprus
Cyprus uses the euro. Visit Cyprus says major credit cards are widely accepted, with Visa and MasterCard the most accepted and contactless available at nearly all terminals.
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.
Language, Phones, Wi-Fi and Post in Cyprus
The official languages of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish, and Visit Cyprus says English is widely spoken, with French, German and Russian spoken in the tourism industry.
Cyprus Nature Trails
Visit Cyprus summarises 31 nature trails and rates each from 1 (easy, suitable for all ages and fitness levels) to 3 (high difficulty, for adults with very good to excellent fitness and unsuitable for young children).
Villages in Cyprus
For wine, base yourself around Omodos, Vasa and Koilani in the Limassol hills. For heritage and painted churches, try Kakopetria, Pedoulas and Kalopanagiotis in the Troodos.
Cyprus Festivals and Events
Cyprus's recurring calendar runs from Epiphany on 6 January and Limassol Carnival in February or March, through Orthodox Easter and Kataklysmos, to August fairs at Kykkos, Panagia and Lefkara and a three-day fair at Omodos on 14 September.
Divided Cyprus and Old Nicosia
Visit Cyprus, the Republic of Cyprus's official tourism portal, says the island has been divided since 1974, with a United Nations-controlled buffer zone between the government-controlled areas and the rest, and that crossing is possible at designated crossing points subject to the regulations in force at the time.