Swim
Blue Lagoon
A sheltered cove of electric-turquoise water at the tip of the Akamas. Reach it by boat from Latchi, a rugged 4×4 track, or a two-hour coastal hike — then swim straight off the rocks.
Jun–Sep · midday lightDirections
Discover the best of Cyprus.
The only place you need to find the island’s best spots — curated for tourists, locals and expats. Beaches, gorges, waterfalls, tavernas and hidden gems, with local tips and a trip planner.
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Free attractions
50
Places to eat & drink
47
Events & festivals
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Regions covered
Where we’d go this week.
Places that show off the whole island
Beach
Lara Bay
A wide crescent of untouched golden sand and a protected loggerhead & green-turtle nesting site. No facilities, no umbrellas — just dunes, sea and the conservation hatchery.
May–Aug · early morningDirections
Landmark
Petra tou Romiou — Aphrodite’s Rock
The mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, where sea stacks rise from a pebble beach. Swim a loop around the rock at dusk, when the whole bay turns molten gold.
SunsetDirections
Nature
Cape Greco National Forest Park
Wind-carved sea caves, blue holes and a network of clifftop and coastal trails on the island’s south-east horn, with a tiny white chapel above the water.
SunriseDirections
Hike
Avakas Gorge
A dramatic slot canyon where 30-metre limestone walls close to arm’s width overhead. Follow the stream bed past a famous wedged boulder; mouflon and griffon vultures live above.
Apr–Jun · avoid rainDirections
Nature
Baths of Aphrodite
A fern-shaded natural grotto and pool where myth says the goddess bathed. The trailhead opens onto the Aphrodite & Adonis coastal nature trails with sweeping bay views.
Year-roundDirections
Best of Cyprus
Every ranked list, in one place
Best restaurants and tavernas town by town, bars, fine dining, boat trips and car hire — ranked by Google rating.
See the best-of lists Travel essentialsHospitals, pharmacies & car hire
Emergency numbers, 24-hour hospitals and clinics in every town, tonight’s pharmacies, airport transfers, buses and taxis.
Open travel essentialsWhat’s on
Coming up in Cyprus.
Festivals, concerts, races and village feasts with confirmed dates
Limassol Wine Festival — 65th edition
The biggest wine festival in Cyprus, running nine days in the Municipal Gardens on the seafront. Entry is €5 for adults (€3 for 13–17s, under-12s free) and the wineries’ tastings inside are free; a wine glass costs €1.50–2.50 extra. Food, music and dance every evening.
From €5Details
Cyprus Comic Con
The island's home-grown pop culture convention, running annually since the mid-2010s with cosplay contests, artist alley, gaming zones and comic vendors. It is smaller and friendlier than the giant international cons, which makes it easy to actually see everything in a day. Tickets are modestly priced and the cosplay standard is impressively high for a small island.
From €5Details
Commandaria & Ppalouzes Day, Agios Mamas
A Sunday in Agios Mamas, one of the Commandaria wine villages in the hills north of Limassol, where you can watch — and help with — the making of ppalouzes and soutzoukos, the grape-must sweets of the harvest. Live folk music and dancing, a village market, donkey rides and storytelling for children; free entry.
Free entryDetails
Potamiou Wine & Gastronomy Festival
The fourth edition of a harvest afternoon in Potamiou, a small village in the Limassol wine country: local wine and zivania, palouzes, soutzoukos, trahanas and tremithopita, workshops in traditional cooking, a cycling wine route and folk music and dancing into the evening. Free entry.
Free entryDetails
Aida Garifullina & the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra at Kourion
Two evenings of opera arias and songs with the soprano Aida Garifullina, tenor Kirill Sikora and baritone Semyon Antakov, accompanied by the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra under Myron Michailidis, in the Greco-Roman theatre on the cliff at Kourion. Concerts start at 8pm; tickets from €80.
From €80Details
MESTINPOLI Music Festival — Vol. 4
The autumn edition of Nicosia’s open-air music weekend, with DJs across both days and the Sunday given over to Greek hits. The organiser posts the venue and tickets on its social pages.
TicketedDetails
Read before you go
Cyprus guides.
Itineraries, the best free beaches, where to eat and when to come
The Ultimate 7-Day Cyprus Itinerary
A practical day-by-day Cyprus itinerary for 7 days: a road trip mixing free beaches and mountain trails with honest places to eat.
Free to readRead
The Best Free Beaches in Cyprus
A region-by-region round-up of Cyprus's best genuinely-free beaches — what makes each special, who they suit, and when to go.
Free to readRead
Ayia Napa vs Protaras: Which Should You Choose?
An honest head-to-head on beaches, vibe and food — and which resort actually suits families, couples, night owls or anyone craving quiet.
Free to readRead
Cyprus on a Budget: Free & Low-Cost Things to Do
How to enjoy Cyprus on a budget: free beaches and trails, scenic villages, picnic spots and honest, affordable taverna sense.
Free to readRead
Troodos Mountains: Waterfalls, Wine Villages & Trails
A cooler-escape guide to the Troodos: waterfalls, Krasochoria wine villages, Mt Olympus trails and where to eat in the hills.
Free to readRead
Where to Eat in Cyprus: Tavernas & Meze, Region by Region
A local-style guide to Cypriot food: what a meze really is, what to order, and the standout tavernas in every region.
Free to readRead
Hungry?
Where we’d eat & drink.
The island’s best-rated tavernas, restaurants and bars — ranked by public ratings, never bought
Greek-Cypriot
Piatsa Gourounaki
A lively, always-packed taverna built around the souvla and grill with a social buzz.
Known for Souvla & grilled meats
Stasikratous areaDirections
Italian & Med
Quadro Restaurant
Refined Italian-Mediterranean plates and wood-fired pizza in a calm setting off the party strip.
Known for Handmade pasta
Limnara areaDirections
Cypriot meze
To Kazani
A village-style meze taverna locals send visitors to for endless small plates and real hospitality.
Known for Village meze
OrokliniDirections
Rooftop dining
Nubila Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
A rooftop restaurant and bar above Protaras, rated 4.8 on Google from nearly 1,000 reviews - the resort's best-rated place to eat with a view.
Protara AvenueDirections
Bistro café
Art Café 1900
A characterful café-bistro in a restored colonial house full of antiques and stories.
Known for Daily specials & wine
Stasinou StDirections
Farm-to-table Cypriot
7 St. Georges Tavern
A famed organic, farm-to-table taverna serving a daily-changing meze of foraged greens and garden veg.
Known for Daily organic meze
GeroskipouDirections
Five regionsOne small island,
One small island,
five different worlds.
From the wild Akamas to the pine-clad Troodos peaks — every coast and valley has its own character.
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Free Spots
Beaches, trails, waterfalls and viewpoints — every one free to visit, with directions and the best time to go.
Browse free spotsEat & Drink
The island’s best-rated tavernas, restaurants, bars, beach clubs and cafés — every one checked on Google Maps.
Find places to eatTrip Planner
Shortlist the spots and places you love and build them into your own Cyprus trip.
Start planningPlan your trip
Cyprus travel questions, answered.
Ayia Napa or Protaras — which should I choose?
Both sit on the east coast 15 minutes apart. Ayia Napa is livelier, with big nightlife, water parks and buzzing beaches — ideal for younger crowds and groups. Protaras is calmer and more family-friendly, with gorgeous Fig Tree Bay. Many visitors base in Protaras and pop into Ayia Napa for nights out.
Do you need to hire a car in Cyprus?
Not if you're staying in one resort — buses and taxis cover the main towns. But Cyprus's best free spots, mountain villages and remote beaches have little public transport, so a hire car massively expands what you can see. Most visitors wanting to explore beyond the beach rent for a few days.
What side of the road do they drive on in Cyprus?
Cyprus drives on the left, a legacy of British rule, with the wheel on the right. Distances and speed limits are in kilometres. If you are used to right-hand driving, take extra care at roundabouts for the first day. Roads are generally good and signposted in English and Greek.
What is the best time of year to visit Cyprus?
May–June and September–October offer warm seas, sunshine and fewer crowds — ideal all-rounders. July–August are hottest (often 35°C+) and busiest, best for committed beach and party trips. Spring brings wildflowers and great Troodos hiking; winter is mild on the coast with a short mountain ski season.
How many days do you need in Cyprus?
A week lets you settle in one base and take day trips; 10–14 days lets you combine the east coast (Ayia Napa/Protaras) with the west (Paphos) plus Troodos. For a first beach-focused trip, 7 nights is plenty. To properly see culture, mountains and multiple coasts, aim for two weeks.
How much does a Blue Lagoon boat trip cost in Cyprus?
Group boat trips from Ayia Napa, Protaras or Paphos typically cost around €25–35 per adult, with children roughly half price. Full-day cruises with food can be about €80–85. Private charters start near €250 for around two hours, cheaper per hour the longer you book.
What festivals and events happen in Cyprus through the year?
Highlights include the Limassol Carnival (February), the Kataklysmos water festival across coastal towns 50 days after Easter (late May/June), the Limassol Wine Festival (late summer), plus village harvest and religious fairs year-round. Ayia Napa and Larnaca also host summer beach and music events.
Is Cyprus expensive to visit?
It is moderately priced for the Mediterranean. Accommodation and flights spike in July–August; spring and autumn are cheaper. Beaches are free, sunbeds about €2.50, taverna mains €10–16 and beers €3–5. Hire cars and boat trips are the main extras. Eating inland and visiting free spots keeps a trip affordable.
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