4 Places to Visit in Cyprus (With Photos and Map)

Cyprus wasn’t part of our original itinerary, but a search for cheap flights ended up taking us there twice in 2018. Over 6 days split across two stopovers, we explored Ayia Napa’s turquoise beaches, Paphos’s rocky coastline, historic Larnaca and the Roman-era ruins near Limassol. Here’s where to go, what to eat, and what it cost our family of four.

Cyprus was never a destination we specifically planned to visit — the way our trip unfolded took us there twice. To make the most of low-cost flights, we first stopped in Cyprus on our way to Lebanon from Turkey. Since crossing the Lebanon-Israel land border wasn’t possible, we then flew to Greece before heading to Israel, with a second stop in Cyprus along the way. It saved us several hundred dollars and gave us two chances to enjoy this island.

Best Places to Visit in Cyprus

Ayia Napa

Ayia Napa sits at the eastern tip of Cyprus, home to the island’s most striking coastline, especially inside Cape Greco National Forest Park. The most popular beach on the island is Nissi Beach, known for its turquoise, transparent water.

Paphos

Paphos, on the west coast, is just as scenic, with striking rocky landscapes and beautiful beaches like Coral Beach. Its port is charming, and we visited the Tombs of the Kings, an underground necropolis carved into the rock.

Larnaca

In Larnaca, we made the most of the beaches and our hotel pool. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, it’s nicknamed “the town of Saint Lazarus” — the same Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead. He died a second time, for good, and was buried here; you can visit his tomb and a few relics at the Church of Saint Lazarus.

Limassol

Limassol is a sizeable city with a medieval castle, an old port and a scenic clifftop path along the sea. The nearby Kourion archaeological site has traces of occupation dating back to the Neolithic era. It’s also where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria after conquering the island, making her Queen of England.

How to Plan a Trip to Cyprus

Itinerary

Cyprus is divided in two. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, in the north, is recognized only by Turkey. The Republic of Cyprus, in the south, is an EU member: Greek is spoken, the currency is the euro, and Orthodox churches are everywhere. Between the two lies the Green Line, a demilitarized zone patrolled by UN peacekeepers. Both states share the same capital, Nicosia, which the Green Line also splits in two.

That’s not all: two British territories, home to sovereign military bases, sit inside the Greek-Cypriot region. Expect to hear British accents everywhere — it felt like the English countryside, with a lot more sunshine.

On our first visit, we landed in Nicosia, on the Turkish side, and tried to leave again from Larnaca, on the Greek side, which turned out to be a bit of a hassle. In Larnaca, we mostly rested at the beach and the hotel pool.

Our second stay was more active, letting us discover Paphos, Limassol and Ayia Napa, all on the Greek-Cypriot side.

1. Church of Saint Lazarus, Larnaca
2. McKenzie Beach, Larnaca
3. Lara Beach, Paphos
4. White River Beach, Paphos
5. Sea Caves, Paphos
6. Wild Beach, Paphos
7. Coral Beach, Paphos
8. Limassol
9. Kourion Archeological Site, Cyprus
10. Aphrodite's Rock
11. Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa
12. Love Bridge, Ayia Napa
13. Sea Caves, Ayia Napa
14. Kamara Tou Koraka Stone Arch, Ayia Napa
15. Tombs of the kings, Paphos
16. Paphos Medieval Castle

Accommodation

During our two nights in Larnaca, we stayed at a seaside hotel with a pool. On our second visit, we based ourselves in an apartment in Paphos and drove out to the other regions.

Transportation

We drove a Toyota Prius C Hybrid (bright orange, which somehow blended into nothing), which proved efficient over the roughly 700 km of paved and gravel roads we covered. Driving on the left came back quickly, since I’d already done it in the United Kingdom.

Food

If there’s one local specialty to try, it’s sheftalia — a seasoned minced-meat sausage cooked over charcoal. It’s delicious!

Along the coast, don’t skip the fresh seafood.

How Much Does a Trip to Cyprus Cost?

The cost of our 6-day trip to Cyprus for our family of 4 amounted to:

• 1.002,48 EUR (1,161.30 USD)
• 167,08 EUR (193.55 USD) per day
• 41,77 EUR (48.39 USD) per person per day.

Amounts were paid in euros. US-dollar equivalents use the exchange rate during our first stay in Cyprus (September 3-5, 2018): 1 EUR = 1.16 USD.

In detail:

Expense Category	Amount Spent
Flights	234,05 EUR / 271.13 USD
Accomodation	294,92 EUR / 341.64 USD
Transport (including gas and parking)	250,04 EUR / 289.65 USD
Eating out	141,15 EUR / 163.51 USD
Groceries	68,42 EUR / 79.26 USD
Activities	14,00 EUR / 16.22 USD
Total	1.002,58 EUR / 1,161.42 USD

Conclusion

We’ll always have fond memories of Cyprus, especially the moment we looked like we were leaving the country illegally via Larnaca, having entered through Nicosia, an EU entry point not recognized by the international community. Next stop: Israel and Palestine!