Best Things to Do in Cyprus

Paphos Archaeological Park

HistoryPaphos

A UNESCO-listed complex where Roman-era villas keep large floor mosaics in place, close to the harbour in Kato Paphos. The mosaics are the reason to come; the surrounding ruins are less legible without context.

Worth it?The strongest single choice if you only pay for one archaeological site: the mosaics are the main attraction and are still in place. It is an open-air site, so go early in summer.

Skip ifYou are travelling with very young children and low heat tolerance: pick the harbour instead.

Open in MapsOfficial opening hours (Dept. of Antiquities)

Tombs of the Kings

HistoryPaphos

Rock-cut underground tombs on the coast just outside Paphos, some with columned courtyards. The name is grander than the history: the tombs are generally associated with high officials rather than kings.

Worth it?Worth adding as a second Paphos site, because the underground tombs and the coastal setting are a different experience from the mosaics.

Skip ifYou already feel archaeology-fatigued after a morning at the park.

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Kourion

HistoryLimassol district

A clifftop Roman-era city above the sea with a restored theatre, mosaics and a ruined basilica. It combines archaeology with a setting above the sea.

Worth it?Worth a detour from Limassol, or a stop on the way to Paphos: the clifftop setting is part of the visit, and there is a beach below the site if you want a swim.

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Choirokoitia Neolithic settlement

HistoryBetween Limassol and Larnaca

A UNESCO-listed prehistoric village far older than the Greek and Roman sites elsewhere, with reconstructed round houses on a hillside. It makes more sense with a guide or the site notes than as a wander.

Worth it?Best for travellers interested in prehistory: the reconstructed houses explain more than the remains do. It fits into a day with Lefkara or Larnaca.

Skip ifYou want dramatic ruins: the stones themselves are modest.

Open in MapsOfficial opening hours (Dept. of Antiquities)

Palaepaphos (Kouklia)

HistoryEast of Paphos

The site of one of the ancient world's most important sanctuaries of Aphrodite, with a small museum. It tells the story of Paphos before Kato Paphos existed.

Worth it?A short stop that adds the older story of Paphos, most useful if you are driving between Paphos and Petra tou Romiou anyway.

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Kolossi Castle

HistoryNear Limassol

A compact medieval keep associated with the Knights Hospitaller. The Commandaria wine tradition takes its name from the order's local commandery.

Worth it?A short visit that combines easily with Kourion, which is also near Limassol.

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Amathus

HistoryEast Limassol

Ruins of an ancient city-kingdom beside the sea at the edge of Limassol. Less polished than Kourion and often quieter.

Worth it?Optional: it makes sense if you are already in east Limassol and want a site that is often quieter than Kourion.

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Troodos painted churches

HistoryTroodos mountains

A group of small Byzantine-era churches, inscribed by UNESCO, whose interiors are covered in frescoes. Asinou, Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis and Panagia tou Araka are among the best known, and Agios Ioannis Lampadistis sits above Kalopanayiotis.

Worth it?Worth planning around if Byzantine art interests you, but visit two or three rather than all ten: they are small and spread out, and opening arrangements vary, so confirm before you drive up.

Skip ifYou dislike mountain driving or are short on time.

Open in MapsUNESCO World Heritage: Cyprus

Kykkos Monastery

HistoryTroodos mountains

One of Cyprus's best-known monasteries, richly decorated, in forest high in the mountains. Archbishop Makarios III, the first president, is buried at a nearby hilltop.

Worth it?Worth the detour if you are already in the western Troodos and want one major monastery. Dress modestly.

Skip ifYou have only one day in the mountains: villages and a trail will give more variety.

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Ayia Napa Monastery

HistoryAyia Napa

A Venetian-era monastery complex in the middle of a resort town, a calm break from the beach strip.

Worth it?An easy stop if you are staying in Ayia Napa, since it is in the town centre.

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Larnaca: Saint Lazarus Church and Hala Sultan Tekke

HistoryLarnaca

Two very different religious sites: an Orthodox church built over a tomb traditionally associated with Lazarus, and an important Muslim shrine beside the salt lake.

Worth it?A natural first- or last-day outing if you are based in Larnaca, since both sites are in or beside the town.

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Nicosia old city and the Venetian walls

CityNicosia

The capital's historic core sits inside circular Venetian walls and is split by the buffer zone. Walk the old streets, see the Ledra Street crossing and visit a museum.

Worth it?A good city day if you like history and museums. It is not a place to base a beach holiday.

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Cyprus Museum

MuseumNicosia

The island's main archaeological museum, useful for understanding the objects behind the sites you visit.

Worth it?Worth it on a Nicosia day if you want the objects behind the sites you have seen elsewhere on the island.

Open in MapsOfficial information

Cape Greco

CoastBetween Ayia Napa and Protaras

A headland national forest park with cliffs, sea caves, coastal paths and rocky coves for swimming. Quieter at sunrise and in the shoulder seasons.

Worth it?Choose it if you want walking and swimming in one outing: it has both coastal paths and rocky coves. Go at sunrise or outside midsummer for quieter conditions.

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Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock)

CoastSouth coast between Limassol and Paphos

A sea stack and pebble beach linked in legend to the birth of Aphrodite. It is a roadside highlight, not a destination for a full day.

Worth it?A short roadside stop on the Limassol to Paphos route. The legend and the view are the point, so do not plan a beach day here.

Skip ifYou expect a long sandy beach.

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Blue Lagoon boat trip from Latchi

BoatLatchi, northwest

Boat trips from Latchi run along the Akamas coast to the turquoise bays often called the Blue Lagoon. Operators and schedules vary by season.

Worth it?A reasonable way to see the Akamas coast and swim in its bays when the sea is calm and the season is right. Operators and schedules vary, so check before you plan around it.

Skip ifYou are prone to seasickness or visiting outside the main season.

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Diving the Zenobia wreck

DivingOff Larnaca

A cargo ferry that sank off Larnaca in 1980 and is a well-known wreck dive. Dive centres in Larnaca organise trips for certified divers.

Worth it?Relevant only if you are a certified diver; dive centres in Larnaca run trips.

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Sea turtles at Lara Bay

WildlifeAkamas coast, near Paphos

Green and loggerhead turtles nest on beaches along the west coast, and a conservation project operates around Lara. Nesting happens in summer and areas may be protected.

Worth it?Worth planning around only in the nesting season, and only if you will follow the site guidance, because nesting areas may be protected.

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Paphos Harbour and Castle

TownKato Paphos

A small fort at the harbour mouth and a promenade lined with restaurants. It is the natural evening walk after a day at the archaeological sites.

Worth it?An easy evening walk after the archaeological sites. Expect a promenade lined with restaurants, not a quiet fishing village.

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Limassol old town and seafront

TownLimassol

A mix of the old port, a medieval castle and a long modern seafront promenade with cafés and restaurants.

Worth it?A good evening out if restaurants matter to you; of the coastal cities, it has the most urban feel.

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Akamas Peninsula and the Baths of Aphrodite

NatureNorthwest

A largely undeveloped peninsula with walking trails, wild beaches and rugged coastline. The Baths of Aphrodite is a small pool in a shady grotto that serves as a trailhead.

Worth it?The right choice if you want walking and wild coast. The Baths of Aphrodite are only a trailhead, so plan a trail, not just the pool.

Skip ifYou only want an easy stroll: the pool itself is brief and modest.

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Avakas Gorge

HikingNorth of Paphos

A narrow limestone gorge that can be walked through, with towering walls and rocky ground underfoot.

Worth it?For confident walkers on rough ground. Avoid it after heavy rain and in the hottest part of the day.

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Caledonia Trail and waterfall

HikingPlatres, Troodos

A forest trail to a waterfall near Platres, cool and shaded even when the coast is hot.

Worth it?A suitable half-day if you want a shaded walk in the mountains, where it is cooler than on the coast in summer.

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Artemis Trail around Mount Olympus

HikingTroodos

A circular trail around the island's highest peak, Chionistra, through pine forest. The summit area itself is not open to visitors.

Worth it?For a longer walk in the warm months: it circles the island's highest peak through pine forest, and the summit itself is closed to visitors.

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Cedar Valley

NaturePaphos Forest

The home of the endemic Cyprus cedar, in the Paphos Forest. It is a long drive for a modest walk.

Worth it?Optional: it is a long drive for a modest walk, so it makes sense only as part of a Kykkos or western Troodos day.

Skip ifYou have already done a Troodos trail.

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Larnaca Salt Lake

WildlifeLarnaca

A seasonal salt lake beside the airport and Hala Sultan Tekke. BirdLife Cyprus says flamingos usually arrive in November and leave by the end of February, though some may stay longer if water levels allow.

Worth it?Worth a short visit between November and February, when the flamingos are usually there. Water levels vary, so the lake can look very different in summer.

Skip ifYou are visiting in July or August.

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Skiing in the Troodos

WinterMount Olympus

Limassol Tourism says the Troodos offers skiing conditions from January to March, and that the Cyprus Ski Club operates four lifts at the Troodos Ski Centre on Mount Olympus. Conditions depend on snow.

Worth it?A novelty rather than a ski holiday: it depends on enough snow, so check conditions with the operator before you drive up.

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Omodos

VillageTroodos foothills

A cobbled wine village around a monastery and a central square. It is popular, so go early or late to see it quiet.

Worth it?A good stop on a wine-villages day, or an overnight base. Go early or late to see it quiet.

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Lefkara

VillageBetween Larnaca and the Troodos

A hillside village known for its lace and silverwork, with narrow streets and viewpoints. Ask where an item was made if authenticity matters to you.

Worth it?Good for a half-day, especially combined with Choirokoitia. Ask where an item was made if authenticity matters to you.

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Fikardou

VillageEastern Troodos

A carefully preserved mountain village with traditional stone houses.

Worth it?Suits travellers who like traditional architecture and quiet villages.

Skip ifYou are short on time in the mountains.

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Kakopetria

VillageTroodos

A mountain village with an old quarter of stone and timber houses beside a stream, and a good base for the painted churches.

Worth it?A sensible overnight base in the mountains, with the painted churches within reach.

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Kalopanayiotis

VillageWestern Troodos

A mountain village known for its springs, set beneath the Agios Ioannis Lampadistis monastery, one of the UNESCO-listed painted churches.

Worth it?Combines a village, a UNESCO-listed church and a valley setting in one stop.

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A village meze lunch

FoodAnywhere inland

Meze is a long sequence of small dishes shared by the table, and the most efficient way to taste Cypriot cooking. See our Cypriot food guide for what to order.

Worth it?Do it once, with a group, and plan nothing heavy afterwards: it is the quickest way to taste a range of Cypriot dishes.

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Commandaria

WineSouthern Troodos villages

A sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes in a defined area of villages on the southern slopes of the Troodos, with a very long history and protected status.

Worth it?A tasting for anyone curious about wine: it is a long-established local product with protected status. See Cyprus wine.

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A day among the wine villages

WineLimassol and Paphos hills

Many wineries cluster in the hills behind Limassol and Paphos. Combine a visit with a village lunch.

Worth it?Works as a day if you book ahead and arrange a driver: see wineries in Cyprus.

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