Cyprus is small, and from a base in Paphos or Limassol most of the island’s highlights are a day’s outing away. Some trips suit a rental car; others are easier on a guided tour with hotel pickup, especially where the roads are narrow, wine is involved or a border crossing is part of the day. Here are the best, in rough order of how much we would recommend them.
The Akamas and the Blue Lagoon
The wild north-west corner of the island is a protected peninsula of cliffs, gorges, scrub and empty beaches, and it is the best nature day out near Paphos. The boat trip to the Blue Lagoon is the easy way to swim in strikingly clear water and see the coast from the sea, and the jeep safari takes you through the Avakas Gorge and rough tracks that ordinary cars cannot manage. Both usually include the Baths of Aphrodite, a small spring-fed pool. The trips are about forty minutes from Paphos and longer from Limassol. Boats run most in the warm months and are weather-dependent in winter, so ask about the schedule when you book.
The Troodos mountains
The mountains are an hour or more inland and are the most rewarding single day for variety: pine forest, stone villages, wineries and monasteries. Omodos is the wine village most people visit, and the Troodos wine and food tours from Limassol and Paphos add tastings and a village lunch. Kykkos Monastery, high in the mountains, is one of the richest and most visited religious sites on the island, with a museum of icons and gifts. The region is also home to a group of ten painted Byzantine churches that are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Allow a full day, drive carefully on the bends, and take a layer, since the mountains are cooler than the coast even in summer.
Kourion, Petra tou Romiou and the coast
Halfway between Paphos and Limassol, this is the most convenient day out because it fits between the two towns. See Aphrodite’s Rock, the sea stacks at Petra tou Romiou, then the Greco-Roman theatre and mosaics at Kourion, then Kolossi Castle. A guided day trip makes the history clearer, while a self-drive version is easy and lets you linger. It also works as a stop-off when you change base from one town to the other.
Larnaca
Larnaca is on the other side of Limassol, about an hour from it and a good deal further from Paphos, and is worth a day if you are flying out of its airport. The Larnaca Salt Lake is a winter home for flamingos and other wading birds, the Church of Saint Lazarus is a handsome Byzantine church above a tomb of the saint, and the palm-lined seafront has cafés. Combine it with the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, a UNESCO site, and the village of Lefkara, famous for its lace and silverwork, on a longer cultural tour from Limassol.
Nicosia and the Green Line
The capital is about an hour from Limassol and two from Paphos, and it is the last divided capital in Europe. A guided walk along the buffer zone is the clearest way to understand how the island was split in 1974, and the walled old town, with its museums and cafés, is easy to explore on foot. It is a day of history and conversation rather than beaches, and it suits older children and adults.
Famagusta, Varosha and the north
Day trips cross into the north of the island, where the ancient city of Salamis and the sealed-off resort of Varosha can be seen on a guided trip. You need your passport, and guides handle the crossing. If you rent a car, check what your agreement and insurance say about driving in the north before you go, because many rental policies do not cover it. Use only crossing points that are open to visitors, and expect a short wait.
Ayia Napa and the east
Ayia Napa is further east, roughly an hour and a half from Limassol, so it is best reserved for a long day or an overnight stay. Its attractions are underwater statues for scuba divers, pirate-themed boat cruises and the sea caves and pine forest of Cape Gkreko.
Planning tips
Choose guided tours for the Akamas, the Troodos wine routes and the northern crossing; choose a car for Kourion and the coast. Start early, because Cyprus’s sights are quiet in the morning and warm by noon, and state sites close in the late afternoon in winter. Carry your passport for any trip near the buffer zone, and keep a full tank, since petrol stations are scarce in the mountains. Sunday and public holiday opening hours are shorter in the villages, so check ahead if a particular church or winery is the point of the day.
