Just 180 km of highway along the coast seems to invite you to go on day trips to the island. It will seem that you have seen everything but will always find something new to discover!
The information here will help you make a travel plan to the island of Aphrodite to discover the most beautiful area of Cyprus for you!
Wandering up and down
Most of our walks are in summer and all the routes are one day. Some were more “in a hurry”, others more “slow”, depending on the fun we had and how much we liked an area and whether we walked more on foot or not. In any case, the island is small enough to reach many places without staying overnight.
And if your “base” is not in Famagusta or Paphos – on the “ends” – then it is even easier to get to many of the places worth seeing.
The list also included visits to the occupied part of the island – Katehomena. My favourit place there is Turtle Beach or Golden Beach. I still dream of staying there for at least two days in the summer to enjoy the best sand and the most beautiful water I found on this island. So if you can get there, you will not regret it!
One thing you should keep in mind is that the day is shorter in Cyprus, so the visit schedule too many of ttoo paid tourist attractions is also shorter. It is best to check in advance the visiting hours, not to hit the road for nothing.
Whatever it is and wherever you are, know that it is quite difficult to get lost on the island because one of the things that is not missing here are the road signs. And finally, all roads lead to the sea.
That being said, here is the list, somehow by region. The routes I went through here are loaded to the maximum with what could be done in a day, so it’s best to take a look at the map and see what suits you best and eliminate any “extra” in the list.
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Ideas for day trips
1. Famagusta – Ayia Napa (harbor, monastery, Nissi Beach) – Cavo Greco (Sea Caves, Cavo Greco Plateau, Ayio Anargirou Chapel, Konnos Bay) – Protaras (Fig Tree Bay, Ayios Elias Church) – Pernera (harbor, promenade Pernera-Protaras) – Kapparis (Ayia Triada) – Paralimni (center) – Derineia (viewpoint for a view over Ghost Town in Katehomena).
2. Larnaca – Mazotos camel park – Sultan Tekke Hall Mosque – Mackenzie beach – Finikoudes area and the old town of Larnaca and St. Lazarus Church – Stavrovouni monastery –
3. Larnaca – Limassol mountains – Pano Lefkara – Agros – Pelendri – descent to Limassol
4. Limassol – Governor’s Beach – drive by the sea – Marina Limassol – Old town with medieval castle – Kolossi Castle – Medieval ensemble from Kourion.
5. Limassol mountains – wine route – Arsos – Venetian Bridge – Omodos
6. Troodos – Pano Platres – Kelodonia waterfall – Trodoos plateau – Kykkos monastery
7. Lefkara – Machairas – Fikardou – Farmakas – Limassol
8. Nicosia – The old town
9. Kakopetria – “Switzerland” of Cyprus
10. Paphos I– Aphrodite’s Stone – Paphos port – Coral Bay
11. Paphos II – Paphos – Polis – Baths of Aphrodite and on the way back – Pomos – Pachyammos (border with the Kokina enclave)
12. Katehomena I – Varosha – Salamis
13. Ketehomena II – Turtle Beach – St. Andrew’s Monastery – the tail of the island
14. Larnaca – Limassol – Paphos – visit to Finikoudes – Governo’s Beach – Limassol center Marina area – Stone of Aphrodite – Paphos port area.
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1. Famagusta – Ayia Napa (harbor, monastery, Nissi Beach) – Cavo Greco (Sea Caves, Cavo Greco Plateau, Ayio Anargirou Chapel, Konnos Bay) – Protaras (Fig Tree Bay, Ayios Elias Church) – Pernera (harbor, promenade Pernera-Protaras) – Kapparis (Ayia Triada) – Paralimni (center) – Derineia (viewpoint fora view over Goast Town in Katehomena).
The list I wrote above includes places that I would not miss to “check” in the area. There are many, but the place is small and if you don’t want to bathe in all the bays you will visit, you have time to see a lot.
👉I would start by crossing Paralimni, which is now a kind of regional residence, and I would go to see the border area first and see the ghost town from afar. There is a viewpoint, but just as simple if you drive to the right of the border crossing point, you will find areas where you can see very well the area occupied by the Turks and which has remained frozen in time since 1974.
👉Then I would go down nicely to Kapparis and take a look at the beaches there. The main street doesn’t say much, but it’s the fiefdom of the British who live in the area and the Cypriots who have a lot of holiday homes here. Probably the most spectacular area would be at Ayia Triada, where there is a beach, a small port, and an area where water sports are practiced.
👉If you feel like eating fish, you can stop at Yialos, in Pernera, which is a fish-specific tavern by the sea. Not far from there, you have another very popular tavern of Cypriots for fish and seafood – Kalamies – next to Pernera harbor beautiful. And you have already arrived in a more lively tourist area. From here you can’t miss the church of Saint Elijah – Ayios Elias – perched on a rock in Protaras, and from there you have two just a few minutes (by car) from the famous Fig Tree Bay beach.
👉From here the road will take you to the Cape Greco area – do not miss the Green Bay (turtle house), then Konnos Bay (which I think has the most beautiful view in the area), then go to the Ayios Anargirou chapel where there is also a cave, then and the Cape Greco plateau.
That’s a good place to watch the sunset!
Just after the plateau, you will find a sign that will take you to Sea Caves (I would not miss them if I were you), and from there the road will take you to Ayia Napa. Right at the entrance you have Love Bridge, from where you can see the whole big beach of the resort and the port and you have a place to park. On the right, on the hill, you will see the park of sculptures and cactus.
👉Once in Ayia Napa, in the center you can take a look at the 15th-century Monastery, then you can go down to the harbor.
The whole area is full of restaurants and taverns where you can test local food, but be aware that the prices in the area seem to be somewhat higher than those in Larnaca, for example, in the tourist area.
👉From the port, you can go to Nissi Beach. If you can’t find parking right there or you don’t want to pay for parking, not even 200 meters away you have a free parking :). From Nissi, there are two more steps (also by car) to Landa Beach and Makronissos. In the end, don’t miss the seaside graves, on the right side of the beach.
👉The next stop you can make is at Ayia Thekla beach, where you can’t miss the small stone chapel. Below the chape,l you will find a small cave of prayer. It will be impossible not to see the work being done now for Marina Ayia Napa or the Sun City complex.
👉If he’s not tired, you can stop at Liopetri River. Here is a pristine beach, an old church and two taverns.
2. Larnaca – Mazotos camel park – Sultan Tekke Hall Mosque – Mckenzie beach – Finikoudes area and the old town of Larnaca and St. Lazarus Church – Stavrovouni monastery –
👉For a day walk in Larnaca, I would not miss the Sultan Tekke Hall Mosque, on the shores of Salt Lake and near the airport. The last time I was there, the entrance was free and you have to be careful to follow the rules that are imposed on you – that is, the women have to wear robes in the mosque and you can’t go with shoes on in the place of worship. You will end up seeing Mohamed’s stepmother, who is “resting” there.
In winter you also have flamingos on the salt lake, and in summer you will find only the land covered in white salt.
👉If you come from the Mosque in Larnaca city you can first stop at Mackenzy beach to watch the planes landing at the airport. I admit it’s my passion, and unfortunately, I don’t get there as often as I’d like. At the end of the beach is the fishing port, where there are some very popular taverns for the fish menu. At Zephyros I stopped and tried a very good fish meze and the price seemed normal.
👉 You can then follow the promenade on the seafront to the castle and the Finikoudes area – with the beach, restaurants, shops, and the harbor. If you want a typical Cypriot menu, don’t miss the Militzis tavern – it’s on the promenade, before reaching the castle – there we went for kleftiko (Cypriot-style baked sheep). Prices are absolutely normal.
If not, there is also the Alexander restaurant, where the menu is more varied and the prices again seem ok and the portions are very large.
Then, another of my favorites is Souvlaki tavern.gr, on the street that will take you to the church. It’s impossible not to be satisfied if you like meat.
👉Now, in the old town of Larnaca is the Church of the Holy Apostle Lazarus, where there are still relics of the saint with this name. I also like walking the narrow streets full of shops and some crafts workshops that have stood the test of time.
👉From Larnaca, you can drive to Stravrovouni Monastery, which you can see from the highway on top of a smaller mountain – Mavrovouni (Black Mountain). It has a visiting schedule that is good to check and because it is a monastery of monks, women have access only in the courtyard of the settlement and not inside.
It was founded by Helen, the mother of Constantine I (ie Saints Constantine and Helen,) and is said to have originally housed a piece of the Holy Cross.
👉Nearby the airport you can find Mazotos Camel park. You have to pay to go in, but the amount is small. Worth a visit even if they are only adults in the group. There are camels and other animals that you can feed, take pictures with or ride. There is also a Village museum there and a bar where you can hide from the sun.
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3. Larnaca – Limassol mountains – Pano Lefkara – Agros – Pelendri – descent to Limassol
👉I would not miss a visit to the villages of Kato and Pano Lefkara (38 kilometers from Larnaca). The area is famous for its embroidery, but it is well worth a walk on the beautiful streets there.
👉From there you can go through mountain villages to the village of Agros – it is famous for the spring water that you will find in all shops and restaurants and for the rose festival. The area is beautiful and the entrance to the village seemed spectacular to me.
👉Then you can continue the route to Pelendri, which remained in my mind as the village of the pomegranates trees. Plus they have wineries there – at Tsiakkas they have very good wines. They also have an old stone church. From Pelendri you can then descend to Limassol and then back to the accommodation.
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4. A day through Limassol – Governor’s Beach – drive by the sea – Marina Limassol – The old town with the medieval castle – Kolossi Castle – Medieval ensemble from Kourion.
👉If you go to Limassol from Larnaca, don’t miss the exit to Governor’s Beach (exit the highway, turn right at the intersection, and then keep left until you reach the large parking lot full of nozzles). The white rocks are spectacular.
👉Back on the highway to Limassol, I would take the first exit – Parekklisia – to go through practically the entire coastal area which seems spectacular to me. Enjoy watching the skyscrapers! And no, we are not that rich here. Others come from outside with the finances…
There are, or at least there were, places where you could stop to admire the sea and the seafront promenade. You can walk from one end to the other of the Limassol coastline – it’s only about 10 km :).
👉In the end, I would just park the car at the Limassol Marina – covered parking, for a fee. From there you can take a walk at the Marina, which I think is spectacular and… don’t miss the old town and the medieval castle, which is opposite the park by the sea. If you also want a bit of shopping, look for Anexartisias street, in the old town, because that’s where most of the shops are.
👉Don’t miss also the old Castle in Limassol, the one where Richard Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre in 1191.
👉From Limassol, the next place I really like in the area is the castle of Kolossi, just a few kilometers from the city. It is small and simple, but its walls tell beautiful stories and the large rooms make you wonder what it was like back then and what steps echoed on the stone floors, and who climbed the narrow steps with candles in hand… Be careful, it has a schedule ofvisitst and an entrance fee. Check here for more info
👉Then from there, you get to Episkopi, where the ancient Kourion complex is, relatively quickly. The place and the view of the sea from the top of the hill are great. You will find there very well-preserved Roman mosaics, an amphitheater that has been restored and a superb view of the sea.
However, be careful with the visiting schedule that you can check here
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5. Limassol mountains – wine route – Arsos – Venetian Bridge – Omodos
👉On another day to Limassol, one can take a route through the mountains on the wine road. It is beautiful and the villages are extraordinary.
You get off the highway at the Episkopi exit and go towards the mountain, not the sea… in fact, there is also a Wine Road signpost. I would spend a day like this…
I would go first to Arsos – a small mountain village that now lives only from viticulture. I’d park the car where I could – only found a good spot after going around the village and onto the last street into the village as shown by Maps. me. Don’t be put off by the narrow streets if you do enter the village. The locals are used to tourists and are patient. My advice is to leave the car at the entrance and walk… the village is nice and you get to the center of the church rather quickly.
👉From Arsos we continued the road through Agios Nicolaos, past the Arminou dam, towards the Venetian Kelefos bridge. The road is ok, even if at some point you enter the forest and it is narrower. It runs smoothly. It’s the only Venetian bridge I’ve seen so far in Cyprus, but I thought it was gorgeous. There is a large parking lot and very little walking to get there. It’s shady and next to the water, so perfect for a hot day.
👉From here, I would return to Omodos. That is the detour via Arsos.
Omodos is famous and highly sought after by tourists for its wineries. The village is worth exploring on foot don’t miss visiting the monastery in the center. You will have some pleasant surprises there :). If you want to try wines that you can’t find in the supermarket or even in taverns, then you have to check the wineries. We went to Zenon winery – they have a super good Marafaftiko Mavro. And at Linos Winery – they have blue Xinistery wine.
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6. Troodos – Pano Platres – Kelodonia waterfall – Trodoos plateau – Kykkos monastery
To get to the mountains, you usually go through Limassol. That is if you don’t stay in Nicosia, of course, because the route from there to Troodos is a bit shorter.
👉Therefore, we go on the highway to Limassol and follow the exit to Troodos. I would visit Pano Platres – which was once an important resort in the mountains and even if it is no longer what it was, it still has a special charm. We really liked the holiday homes of those in Nicosia and we tried to imagine what it was like when the hotels, now in ruins, were functional.
👉After that, if I’m not in a hurry, I’d go up to the Kaledonian waterfall – there’s a parking lot in a short bend, next to a restaurant where fresh trout is served (good on the grill, I tried it!). The climb is smooth, takes more than half an hour and it’s pleasant. The waterfall is not very big, but that’s how they all are in Cyprus.
👉Then I would continue the road to the Troodos plateau. I would stop for a bit, but I wouldn’t rush to buy from the shops there because everything is very expensive compared to what you find at the seashore. Just some peanuts dipped in caramel maybe 🙂 Those are worth the money…
👉Then you can visit Kykkos monastery.
There are more than 30 kilometers to go there, but be careful on the serpentines because the Cypriots are famous for cutting corners. The road is good, I thought it was a bit spectacular because at one point it gave me the feeling that I jumped from one mountain to another. Plus the monastery is also worth visiting.
From the parking lot at the monastery you can see that the road continues a few kilometers higher, where is the tomb of Makariou III who was the patriarch of the Orthodox church here and the head of the state.
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7. Lefkara – Machairas – Fikardou – Farmakas – Limassol
👉We did the Fikardou-Machairas route a few years ago and I don’t know where we perched until there. An alternative would be to go through Lefkara – which you should visit because it’s worth it, then continue to the monastery. There is also a visiting program there, but it is easier individually than in a group.
From there you can continue, through Lazania, which is a small village on the side of a mountain, towards Fikardou, the village with 6 inhabitants. There were so many when we were there, I haven’t checked them since. But the village was very well maintained and at the entrance there is also a tavern to drink something cold or eat.
From Fikardou you can go down to Limassol via Farmacas, and you’re ready for another full day through the mountains of Cyprus. The route is not an easy one because, in some places, the road seemed to me to have only one and a half lanes, but because the villages there are small, there is not much traffic, especially if you go during the week and not in the weekend when the locals also go out for a ride.
The name Machairas comes from the word maheri which means knife. A knife was used in 12 to cut the thicket blocking the entrance to the cave where it is said that an icon painted by the Apostle Paul was hidden. The Machairas place of worship also appeared in that place. And how green it is around, I think the story is true.
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8. Nicosia – Orașul vechi
👉Nicosia is 80 km away by highway from Ayia Napa. The last divided capital. It looks beautiful now, they have redone the square at the entrance to the old town and it is worth a walk through the old streets. The busy side crossing is open for everybody with a passport or an ID Card.
Although I have seen them many times, I still cringe when I see the demarcation walls between the two parts of the city and the barbed wire and the houses “cut” in two by the demarcation line.
There we eat every time at a Greek tavern – Kathodon – right before the border crossing point. They have some lamb chops – a dream, nothing else!
The good thing about Nicosia is that you can also go by bus from any city on the island, and the end of the line for all of them is at the entrance to the old city, that is, the area of interest. I would recommend it, if possible because the traffic in the city is a nightmare and finding a parking place in the central area… the safest thing is to put it as an endpoint on the GPS.
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9. Kakopetria – “Switzerland” of Cyprus
You can get here from two directions – if you leave from Ayia Napa – Larnaca, I recommend the route via Nicosia (136 km), and if you leave from Pafos (110 km) or Limassol (50 km), then the shortest route is via Troodos.
We made the “circle” – we left the area of Ayia Napa – Limassol – Troodos – Kakopetria and went down through Nicosia – Larnaca to Ayia Napa. However, do as you wish.
Because it’s a long drive and because I liked the village a lot, I wouldn’t associate the visit there with other long stops on the route.
👉As I said, Kakopetria is the most important place for Cypriots who want a mountain resort. I was there on a day off, October 1st – big mistake – because I had the impression that the whole island was there in those narrow streets and in all the taverns and restaurants throughout the village.
I know for sure that on normal days, especially during the week, it is a pleasure to walk there. Narrow and cobbled streets, old houses, most of them well maintained, small shops with traditional products at somehow acceptable prices (if you think that a jar of homemade jam is expensive, know that you won’t find it in any other place!
What is nice for me there is that there is a lot of green. That is, there are big, green, beautiful trees, fresh air, a river that runs through the town, and a restaurant at a height where you can take the elevator and have an overview of the town. That’s just how it is, in short. I leave the rest to you to discover. Oh, don’t miss the big stone at the entrance to the old village because it has a nice history.
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10. Paphos I– Aphrodite’s Stone – Paphos port – Coral Bay
Somehow the most difficult to visit if you stay in Famagusta, but it is worth a tiring day to see the house of Aphrodite.
We did the following route many times on a day off:
Departure in the morning, as early as possible, because there is 180 km on the highway to get there.
👉We always make the first stop at Petra tou Romiou – that is, the place where Aphrodite is said to have been born from the waters of the Mediterranean. There are signs on the freeway to get out in time, but I’d study Maps. me and take the last one available before reaching Aphrodite’s Stone.
From there we usually go to Mandria and eat at Klimataria taverna in the center, but they have a schedule with a break in the kitchen between lunch and dinner… the food is great there and the prices are good. I like sheftalia there the most!
👉You can also take a look at the beach in Mandria – it is virgin and has a lot of beautiful pebbles if you are somehow passionate about such things. Bonus, you can also see the planes landing at Paphos airport.
👉From there to Paphos towards the port, where there is a large and spacious parking lot.
The port area is beautiful, there is also the medieval castle and other archaeological sites that can be visited, you can walk from the port up towards the Mall because the area is beautiful.
👉From the port w,e usually make a short run to Coral Bay, which is practically the resort area of Pafos. It’s famous for the color of the water and if you want you can go up into the village, in Peyia, I remember there were a few places where you could park like that, and the view from the top is gorgeous.
👉From Coral Bay you can go to the Sea Caves area and to the wreck (the road passes through banana orchards) and then continue the road to the virgin area of Akamas, towards Lara Road. There you will also find the canyons of the island – Avakas Gorge – which I haven’t seen yet, but are on the list :).
To tick all these would mean that you have accommodation somewhere close to Pafos, because otherwise, if you are to leave from the area of Ayia Napa and even Larnaca, it seems to me too much to reach the canyons in one day. Unfortunately, daylight is not enough on the island for what would be worth seeing here.
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11. Paphos II – Paphos – Polis – Baths of Aphrodite and on the way back – Pomos –
Pachyammos (border with the Kokina enclave)
This is the longest possible route if you are going from Ayia Napa.
Go to the entrance to Pafos and then go up towards Polis, on a normal road, not a highway. It is in good condition.
👉I haven’t visited Polis until now but went directly to the Baths of Aphrodite. The area is the least developed in all of Cyprus, but it is interesting to go there. At the end of the road, you will practically reach the Baths of Aphrodite. It is not a long walk from the parking lot to the destination and the area is worth exploring on foot and in peace.
👉From the large parking lot at the place where the Goddess is said to bathe, you can go to the Blue Lagoon. The road is bumpy so we didn’t drive there. One for rent, as if it still works, because your soul doesn’t hurt as much. So does an SUV. It would be about 5 km of a bumpy road, so be very careful driving there. In the end, you reach the Blue Lagoon, a famous place sought after by yachtsmen and pleasure boats for tourists in the summer.
👉We did go there by boat in the end, and it was worth it.
👉From Aphrodite’s Baths, I would also take the route to Pomos. I thought it was super beautiful there, with the road that goes along the beach and the houses that have backyards on the beach. Then comes the rocky area, with superb views of the sea.
At Pachyammos, the last stop, we also found the seaside cemetery. It’s one of the routes I like a lot, but because it’s far, we don’t get there often.
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12. Katehomena – Varosha – Salamis – Kerynia – Nicosia
You can legally enter with the car the occupied territory based on the insurance that you pay when crossing the border. If you experience anything there, you should contact the embassy in Nicosia, the Greek side. Then, be very careful that there is rooming in the non-EU area, that is, it costs you a bit.
👉The most sought-after area is the old town of Famagusta. There you have the old cathedral now transformed into a mosque, you have the secular fig tree in front of it, you have the defensive walls built by the Venetians, and you have history at every step. Don’t miss walking around the streets on the edge of the fortress, where it’s quieter, because it’s beautiful there too.
👉In 2021 they also opened the large beach in Varosha, which until now was closed. Before the Turkish invasion in 1974 it was one of the most sought-after beaches in Europe and the Mediterranean.
👉From here you can go to Salamis. You enter the new city, watch out for traffic and follow the signpost to the ancient city. There you have a parking lot and a restaurant, and behind the restaurant, you will also find traces of the settlement founded after the Trojan War.
👉From here the road can take you, if you want, to Kyrenia, port city and resort. Nearby is also the Bella Pais monastery, where you can go up to visit it, but be patient and careful on the roads there. From Kyrenia, there is a highway that takes you quickly to Nicosia, the occupied side, and then to the border crossing by car, on the Greek side.
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13. Ketehomena II – Turtle Beach – St. Andrew’s Monastery – the tail of the island
👉A somewhat easier and relaxing route through the occupied part is towards the tail of the island. Likewise, you can visit the fortress of Famagusta, the beach of Varosha, and even Salamis, and then you can go to the tail of the island. The road is a good one and with GPS or Maps.Me it’s really easy to get to your destination.
You will also find small ports and old villages on the route, you will see areas left a little forgotten in time and undeveloped, but they have their charm. Especially the road that takes you from one bank to the other, towards your destination.
👉Before reaching the Monastery of the Apostle Andrei, you will pass Golden Beach. You have signs that lead you to the most beautiful virgin beach on the island. And I assume what I say here. You will not find more beautiful sand and cleaner water.
After you fall in love with this place irreparably and for life, you can continue to the monastery. It doesn’t hurt to have some carrots with you though. For the wild donkeys who will meet you there and who will wait well… or not so much, feed them 🙂
When we arrived there in 2017, they were still working on restoring the monastery and I don’t know if they have completed it or not. If you get there before me, let me know.
Because we don’t have an SUV, we didn’t take the car, again, on the dirt road that takes you to the end of the tail end of the island. But I know you can get there on four wheels.
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14. Larnaca – Limassol – Paphos – visit to Finikoudes – Governo’s Beach –
Limassol center Marina area -Stone of Aphrodite – Paphos port area.
If you only want to spend one day driving and you want to check off the entire coast of Cyprus, you can. I have done it several times. It’s tiring, but you’ll get to see the most important areas of the tourist spots.
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EXTRA – Borderline with occupied side – Larnaca – Paralimni
👉Those who want to see the borderline with abandoned villages on the occupied side and the control pickets of the Turks, can exit the highway at the exit for Xylotympou, do not enter the village but keep the road ahead. You will reach the border and walk parallel to it. You will see Turkish pickets, almost collapsed houses, deserted villages, and abandoned areas.
The road is in very good condition. At the end, you will reach the village of Vrysoulles – where there is a border crossing point – and from there you can choose whether you go to Deryneia, Paralimni, or look to exit from the highway to Sotira, and Ayia Napa.
I think that this road of several kilometers should be covered to better understand the feelings of the Greek Cypriots towards the Turks.
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