Cyprus has 5 coastal areas where you can spend your holidays. You can choose between perfect beaches, nice views and a cosmopolitan city. A little bit of everything for everyone.
Famagusta
My favorite area is Ayia Napa – Protaras, in the Famagusta region. Here you can fell the holidays vibe, with all the clubs, pubs and hotels. Less than 60 km from Larnaca Airport, the area is very easily accessible by taxi – 50-60 euros a ride for 2 people, with shuttle transport booked online or even directly from the airport or by private transfer.
For the brave ones, there are even public busses that can take you at your destination.
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Perfect beaches
In Ayia Napa and Protaras you will find the best beaches on the island. The sand is fine, the shore is not rocky and the water is very clean. Most hotels are 4 star, but before booking a room it is good to check on a map exactly where they are located. From experience, I tell you that some people booked a hotel that they thought was in Protaras and is actually about 3 km from the center.
Here you can see what the famous Fig Tree Bay Protaras Cyprus looks like
Villas for rent that are close to the sea are not cheap, so on a more humane budget you will find something to rent some distance from the shore.
For this so you may need a taxi or to rented car to move around. Usually, a panoramic view of the sea will mean that you are somewhere on a hill and therefore at some distance from the water.
Do not think that you will walk a lot because it is very hot in the summer months.
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Cultural objectives
There are NOT many – the Thalassa Museum in Ayia Napa and the monastery in the center of the resort, the Sculpture Parc and the church of St. Apostle Elijah in Protaras.
Not to be missed
However, you can explore the coastal area, which offers spectacular views. Cavo Greco area, the Sea Caves in Ayia Napa area and the two natural stone bridges should not be missed here.
Water sports
The coast of Famagusta is also the paradise of water sports. Almost every beach has at least one place that can take you on a parachute ride.
If you are a snorkeling enthusiast, you should not miss a visit to Green Bay where you can do scuba diving with licensed instructors. Here you have every chance to see the turtles.
For enthusiasts we now have an underwater museum in Ayia Napa, near Pernera beach- MUSAN.
If you arrive in the region in winter, you can also see flamingos, which have been gathering on Lake Paralimni for several years. With the help of a GPS it is impossible to miss the destination.
Car rental
If you want to rent a car, you can ask for help at the hotel reception or you can simply check the prices yourself at the rental offices in each resort. Prices are comparable, but some companies may request a refundable deposit at the end of the rental period.
Destinations in the area
From the Famagusta region you can easily reach Larnaca, about 60 km away, and even Nicosia, 80 km away. If you are not tempted to drive on the left, there are buses of the state company (www.osea.com.cy) but also a private company (www.intercity-buses.com) that operates on these routes.
In normal times, that is, when we do not have a pandemic that can turn our lives upside down, from Ayia Napa and Protaras we can go on excursions and in the region occupied by the Turks, which the Cypriots call Katehomena. The most sought after are the double-decker bus, which will take you to Famagusta and the ghost town of Varosha. You only need a passport. Excursions can be purchased from the hotel or from the car rental offices.
Larnaca
Larnaca is the most convenient destination if you do not want to travel to far from the airport.
You will not have the best eaters herr but you will enjoy the benefits of a city with over 140,000 inhabitants.
The long promenade from Finikoudes (finik = palm tree) with palm trees along the road is busy all year around. On one side you have the beach and the sea and on the other side of the road is the long line of restaurants and cafes.
On the narrow streets leading from the sea are shops, homes and hotels, sometimes hidden by hard-to-find alleys. The apartments rented online on airbnb or booking are also in great demand and the prices are good.
Beaches in Larnaca
Mackenzie beach is the place where you can watch the planes land at Larnaca Airport.
Here you have just the sand, the sea and the restaurants. If you come to Cyprus with a day flight you will see this beach on landing.
If you are curious about how to see the landing on the beach, look at landing and take off in Larnaca
Another area where you can have your holiday in Larnaca is in Oroklini (a village that makes the Larnaca metropolitan area).
The beach and access to the water is generally good, but the area is not very developed and you will most likely end up migrating in the evening to Larnaca with buses running in the area or by taxi.
What you can visit
Larnaca is a bit more attractive in terms of places to visit than Famagusta.
First of all, in the city, in the Finikoudes area, is the Church of St. Lazarus, where you will also find St. Lazarus. It is a popular place and there are daily excursions from all over the island.
Also in Larnaca you have the medieval castle on the beach which can be visited for a fee.
Next to the fort is the Djami Kebir Mosque.
Old Town – The streets leading from the high street are worth a visit. You will see traces of past life there, when the area was full of life thanks to the little craftsmen who worked in the halls on the ground floor of the houses. Some workshops still stand today.
On the narrow streets leading from the sea are shops, homes and hotels, sometimes hidden by hard-to-find corners. The apartments rented online on airbnb or booking are also in great demand and the prices are good.
Landing at Mackenzie Beach
Not a mile away from the beach at Finikoudes is Mackenzie beach or the beach where you go to watch the planes land at Larnaca Airport. There you will have more of a holiday feeling because there are only restaurants and cafes around. Accommodation you will find in the area at several hotels but especially at apartments. If you come to Cyprus by day flight you will see this beach at landing.
Another area where you can take accommodation in Larnaca is the Oroklini area (a village that makes the Larnaca metropolitan area). But you only go here if your’re on a budget or you want something more rustic. The beach and access to the water is generally good, but the area is not very developed and you will most likely end up migrating to Larnaca in the evening by buses running in the area or by taxi.
Limassol
Limassol is the city that has seen the biggest transformation in the last ten years. The first major investment, which practically started the change, was Marina.
In the area of the Old Port, a new harbour was made, as well as a new shopping area and houses on the waterfront with direct access to the boat provided.
Everything, only for those with very generous accounts.
At the same time, the old part of the city has been renovated, actually across the street, where there are many shops and restaurants. You also have there the Medieval Castle used by the Templars towards the end of the order’s existence.
You will need at least half a day to explore the area. The esplanade has also been rebuilt and is the most beautiful on the island.
Accommodation in the area is available at local hotels and apartments. Limassol is now famous for the large number of skyscrapers that are being built.
Turist area
The tourist area of Limassol, where most of the hotels have direct access to the sea, starts 5 kilometers from the Marina and stretches for another 10 kilometers along the sea. All this distance of about 15 km can be walked, on the seafront, on the paved sidewalk. If you keep your feet up, it’s interesting to do the route by the sea.
Transportation from hotels in the tourist area to the old town is easy with municipality buses. It covers the route from the first hotel – Le Meridian – to the Mall in the Zakaki area, which is about 20 kilometers by the sea.
What are you visiting?
The areas around the city that are interesting to visit are Governor’s Beach, which is before you reach Limassol coming from Larnaca. It is famous for its white rocks on the shore.
Then in Kolossi village you will find another medieval castle that was also used by the Templars.
From the castle you can go to Lady Mile’s Beach, famous in the area, but which has nothing spectacular outside the large area. To get there you pass the Akrotiri military base, which is British territory.
From Kolossi you can quickly reach Kourion, where you will find the ancient amphitheater.
If the Roman mosaics will not impress you too much because you have seen much better in Italy, you will certainly not be sorry that you got there because of the view. However, the visiting program for the tourist objectives ends at 18.00 at the latest in summer and at 17.00 in winter.
The wine road
With a rented car it is easy to go from Limassol on the wine route. The road will take you to the mountain villages and the center of attraction is the village of Omodos. The summer is full of tourists brought by bus, but do not miss walking on the narrow streets of the village. Search the wineries on the map and taste the Cypriot wines.
From Limassol to Paphos is the village of Pissouri, built on a rocky peak. It is easy to get there and visit. If you stop in the area, look for signs to Pissouri Bay. The place is beautiful and you will see a resort there as there are not many on the island.
Limassol is also the easiest way to get to Troodos, the waterfalls and the picturesque mountain villages.
Paphos
Paphos District is the best place to go if you like to discover beautif and interesting places.
Paphos is the birthplace of Aphrodite, so you can see the place where the legend says that she rose from the foam of the sea and you can also see where she bathed – Petra tou Romiou.
In the city you will find Tombs of the Kings, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No king has been buried there, but the tombs are so spectacular that it has been given this name.
In Kato Paphos is also the Pillar of St. Paul, of which he is supposed to have been bound and whipped. The church of Panayia Chrysopolitissa was built near the pillar.
In the port area you can also visit an archeological complex with medieval ruins.
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Lively all year round
In the port area of Paphos is all the action, all year round. Here are the restaurants and the promenade, the castle built in the Byzantine period and rebuilt during the Ottoman occupation of 400 years.
Above the port is the Mall, for those who want to stay a while in the air conditioning while shopping.
Do not miss
The main road, which passes in front of the Mall, will take you to Coral Bay, the most famous beach in the district.
The road from Coral Bay continues to Sea Caves, where you will find the M / V EDRO III wreck. It is very close to the shore and is spectacular. To get there you go through a banana orchard. In fact, this is the area where Cypriot bananas are grown They are smaller than the ones we are used to at the supermarket, but very tasty.
After Sea Caves, head on to the Akamas Peninsula and finally enter M / V EDRO III wreck. It is a dirt road that leads to the Cypriot canyons. It doesn’t compare to the ones in the US, but that doesn’t make them any less spectacular.
The area is still pristine, and the beaches along the route are famous for the turtles laying their eggs.
The Akamas Peninsula can only be crossed by off-road vehicles. The phone signal wasn’t very good in the area a few years ago when I was there.
Then, if you still want to walk on safer roads and discover beautiful places you can choose to go up to Polis. From Paphos, the road passes through the mountains and takes you to the northern part of the island.
Polis and the beach road
From Polis you can go to Aphrodite’s Baths. Even if it seems like a long journey, it’s not. After a few steps and three pictures you reach your destination. From the same area is the possibility to go by Jeep Safari to the Blue Lagoon. It’s only a few km, but it’s a dirt road and quite rugged so I don’t recommend a small car ride there.
Check a video made at the Blue Lagoon in Paphos – Blue Lagoon Cyprus – a boat trip to Paradise
Opposite Polis, towards the villages of Argaka and Pomos. The road runs parallel to the seafront and leads to the town where the fertility statue was discovered. It dates from the 30th century BC.
You will find replicas of the statuette in all the souvenir shops on the island. Don’t stop in Pomos, because the road goes to Pachyammos, a village on the border with the Turkish enclave of Kokkina. There, on the beach and in the shade of the picket, is the village cemetery.
The road bypasses the enclave and you can go to Kato Pyrgos, which is on the border with the occupied territories.
What else can you explore?
When choosing accommodation in Paphos take care to check how far you are from the sea and how close or far you are to civilization. The distances are great and even if the buses run well, I don’t think you want to spend your holiday on the bus, even if they are relatively new and look good. That’s if you don’t rent a car.
Also from Paphos you can reach the Andonis waterfall, but I recommend an off-road vehicle or a car that you don’t really care about and a good driver.
If you’re not claustrophobic, go to the Kritou Terra waterfall. The GPS will take you to the village, and from there follow your instincts on very narrow roads.
To get to see the waterfall you have to walk a bit and at the end you have to slip on all fours through a hole in the rock. But the brave will be rewarded.
Unlike other Mediterranean cities, Paphos is the only one very close to the mountain, which is why the shore is often rocky instead of sandy. And the sea water is a little colder than in the East.
Nicosia and Troodos
Nicosia and Troodos are two destinations that are not sought after by tourists to spend all their vacation. They are only visited, but you will find accommodation in both destinations if you want to stay overnight.
Nicosia, the last divided capital in Europe, is a one-day destination. The old town area is the center of attraction for tourists – old houses, shops and especially the wall that divides the island’s capital. The border can be crossed on foot at the border crossing point on Ledra Street.
You only go with your passport and even with your EU citizens’ ID card. Don’t go shopping too much because Cypriot customs officers might take your goods. You are allowed a limited amount of alcohol and cigarettes only.
If you’re hungry, don’t miss the Greek tavern just before the border crossing. The food is delicious there.
Troodos is only accessible if you rent a car or if you book a trip. The trips will take you to certain objectives and are ok for those who do not want to worry about driving. But with the car and a pre-established route, the area is worth discovering.
The villages are beautiful and the people welcoming. Pano Lefkara is famous for its embroidery. Omodos for wine, Agros for bottled spring water and for the Rose Festival.
Tris Elies for the secluded area, Pano Platres is a former mountain resort with abandoned hotels and imposing holiday homes. Kakopetria is the “Switzerland” of the Cypriots from where you can get some exceptional sweets while Fikardou is the village with only six inhabitants. To this we add the Kykkos and Machairas monasteries, and there seem to be too many places to see in one holiday.