Cyprus Travel Guide

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We recently explored Cyprus and stayed at the peaceful Malama Beach Holiday Village as well as a few other villas around the island. It was a great base for combining quiet beaches and nature with lively resorts, historic towns, mountain roads, and day trips.

Cyprus is also much more diverse than it may seem at first. You can spend one day swimming in crystal-clear water and the next driving through mountain villages, exploring ancient ruins, or visiting a completely different side of the island around Famagusta.

Here’s a practical guide with everything worth knowing before your trip — from flights and accommodation to rental cars, mobile internet, activities, and some of the best places to visit.

Flights to Cyprus

For most travellers flying into the Republic of Cyprus, the two main international airports are:

• Larnaca International Airport (LCA) – the most convenient airport for Larnaca, Ayia Napa, Protaras, Cape Greco, and the eastern part of the island.
• Paphos International Airport (PFO) – a better choice for Paphos, Coral Bay, Polis, and the Akamas Peninsula.

It’s worth comparing both airports if your travel dates are flexible, as prices can vary significantly. You can search for flights on Trip.com or Aviasales.

If your flight is heavily delayed or cancelled, you can also check whether you’re eligible for compensation through AirHelp or Compensair.

Getting from the Airport

If you’re staying in one of the main resorts, getting from the airport is fairly straightforward. Taxis and buses are available, but if you’re planning to explore the island rather than stay around one hotel, renting a car is much more convenient.

You can compare rental prices in advance on DiscoverCars, Localrent, or AutoEurope.

If you don’t want to drive immediately after landing, another option is to pre-book an airport transfer through Kiwitaxi or GetTransfer.

Getting Around the Island

In my opinion, Cyprus is best explored by car. Public transport works reasonably well between some of the larger towns and resorts, but many beaches, viewpoints, mountain villages, monasteries, and natural attractions are much easier to reach independently.

Roads between the main towns are generally easy to drive, but things can get much narrower once you enter old villages or mountain areas. Parking can also be limited around popular beaches and historic centres, especially during the summer.

If you’re planning a road trip, compare prices from DiscoverCars, Localrent, and AutoEurope before booking.

Driving in Cyprus

One thing worth knowing before renting a car is that Cyprus drives on the left-hand side of the road. Rental cars usually have the steering wheel on the right, and roundabouts work in the opposite direction compared with most of continental Europe.

It feels strange at first, but you get used to it surprisingly quickly. The moments when you need to pay the most attention are usually roundabouts, leaving parking areas, and turning onto an empty road where instinct can make you drift toward the wrong side.

If you’re thinking about taking a rental car to the northern part of the island, check the rental company’s conditions and insurance rules before doing so.

Where to Stay

Cyprus offers everything from large beachfront resorts to small apartments and private villas. The best area depends mainly on what kind of trip you’re planning.

• Protaras – relaxed atmosphere, beautiful beaches, and a great location for exploring Cape Greco.
• Ayia Napa – ideal if you want beaches, restaurants, nightlife, and plenty of activities nearby.
• Larnaca – convenient for the airport and a good mix of city life and beach.
• Limassol – a larger modern city with restaurants, nightlife, a marina, and good connections around the island.
• Paphos – a good base for archaeological sites, western Cyprus, and the Akamas Peninsula.
• Polis and Latchi – quieter options if you prefer nature and a slower pace.

We stayed at Malama Beach Holiday Village near Protaras and really liked the location — quiet enough to relax, but still close to beaches, restaurants, and some of the most interesting places on the eastern coast.

You can compare hotels, apartments, and villas on Booking.com, Trip.com, or Agoda. If you’re looking specifically for a villa or holiday home, Vrbo is also worth checking.

Best Time to Visit Cyprus

Cyprus has a long travel season, and the best time really depends on whether you’re coming mainly for beaches or want to explore the island.

• April–May – comfortable temperatures for sightseeing, hiking, and road trips.
• June–September – the hottest period and the main beach season.
• October–November – still warm, but generally quieter than summer.
• Winter – much calmer and better suited to sightseeing and road trips than a traditional beach holiday.

If you want to combine swimming with sightseeing, late spring and early autumn are probably the most comfortable times to visit.

SIM Cards & Internet

Mobile coverage is generally good in the main towns and tourist areas. If you don’t want to look for a physical SIM card after landing, an eSIM is the easiest option and can usually be activated before your trip.

You can compare current Cyprus data plans from Yesim, Airalo, or Drimsim.

One thing to be careful with is mobile roaming near the northern part of Cyprus. Your phone can sometimes connect to a different mobile network automatically, so it’s worth checking the network name and roaming settings if you’re travelling close to or across the dividing line.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is worth considering, particularly if you’re renting a car, hiking, taking boat trips, or spending time around more remote beaches and natural areas.

You can check available policies through VisitorsCoverage or EKTA.

Must-See Places

One of the things I liked most about Cyprus is how different the island feels once you leave the resort areas. Beaches are only one part of the trip — there are mountains, traditional villages, ancient ruins, cliffs, caves, and some genuinely unusual historical places.

• Cape Greco – one of the most scenic areas on the eastern coast, with sea caves, cliffs, viewpoints, and hiking trails.
• Ayia Napa – famous for nightlife, but also home to some excellent beaches and beautiful coastal scenery.
• Protaras – relaxed resort atmosphere and some of the clearest water on this part of the island.
• Troodos Mountains – mountain roads, pine forests, monasteries, traditional villages, and a completely different side of Cyprus.
• Nicosia – the capital and an interesting contrast to the beach resorts.
• Paphos – archaeological sites, harbour walks, coastline, and good sunsets.
• Akamas Peninsula – rugged scenery, beaches, hiking, viewpoints, and boat trips.
• Famagusta and Varosha – one of the most unusual historical places to visit during a trip to Cyprus.

Tours, Boat Trips & Activities

A lot of Cyprus can be explored independently, but organised trips are useful for boat cruises, diving, wine villages, mountain excursions, and places where you’d rather not drive yourself.

You can browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide or Viator. For individual attraction tickets, Tiqets can also be useful.

Bonus Tips

• Car rental: check whether your accommodation has parking before booking, especially in larger towns and busy resorts.
• Mountain roads: distances can look short on the map, but winding roads through the Troodos Mountains can make journeys much slower than expected.
• Summer heat: start hikes and longer sightseeing trips early and always keep water in the car.
• Navigation: downloading offline maps is useful before heading into mountain or more remote areas.
• Groceries: Lidl and Alphamega are convenient for larger shopping trips, while local bakeries are great for breakfast and quick snacks.
• Northern Cyprus: check car rental conditions, insurance, mobile roaming, and current crossing requirements before travelling.

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