Guides · 56 places

Places worth visiting

Across southern Cyprus. Start with a district, or with a place.

Aphrodite's Rock (Petra tou Romiou)Paphos · ViewpointAphrodite's Rock (Petra tou Romiou)The sea stack where, in legend, Aphrodite rose from the foam. A pebble cove framed by white cliffs on the old Paphos–Limassol coast road, and one of the island's great sunset stops.
Paphos Archaeological ParkPaphos · HistoryPaphos Archaeological ParkThe UNESCO-listed heart of ancient Nea Paphos, famous for the Roman floor mosaics of the Houses of Dionysus, Theseus and Aion, right beside Paphos harbour.
KourionLimassol · HistoryKourionA clifftop ancient city-kingdom above Episkopi Bay, with a restored Greco-Roman theatre, fine mosaics and one of the most dramatic sea views in Cyprus.
Cape Greco National Forest ParkAyia Napa · NatureCape Greco National Forest ParkThe rugged headland between Ayia Napa and Protaras, with sea caves, a natural rock bridge, clifftop trails and some of the clearest water in Cyprus.
Fig Tree BayAyia Napa · BeachFig Tree BayProtaras's signature beach, a sheltered sandy bay with shallow, glassy water and a small islet you can swim out to.
Cyprus MuseumNicosia · HistoryCyprus MuseumThe island's oldest and largest archaeological museum, tracing 11,000 years of Cypriot history from Neolithic idols to Roman marble.
Kykkos MonasteryTroodos · HistoryKykkos MonasteryCyprus's richest and most famous monastery, high in the forested western Troodos, home to a revered icon of the Virgin and a remarkable museum.
A village tableTroodos · FoodA village tableNot a named restaurant. A kind of room: wood, a lamp, people who already live there. Order what the kitchen is cooking.
Church of Saint LazarusLarnaca · HistoryChurch of Saint LazarusLarnaca's landmark 9th-century stone church, built over the tomb of Saint Lazarus, with a richly carved iconostasis and a crypt you can visit.
Hala Sultan TekkeLarnaca · HistoryHala Sultan TekkeA serene Ottoman mosque and shrine among palm trees on the shore of Larnaca Salt Lake, one of the most important Muslim holy sites in the region.
Tombs of the KingsPaphos · HistoryTombs of the KingsA vast Hellenistic and Roman necropolis cut into the seaside rock north of Kato Paphos, with atrium tombs that feel like underground houses.
Avakas GorgePaphos · NatureAvakas GorgeA narrow limestone gorge on the edge of the Akamas, where cliffs close in to just a few metres apart. One of Cyprus's most rewarding short hikes.
Blue Lagoon (Akamas)Paphos · NatureBlue Lagoon (Akamas)A sheltered turquoise cove off the Akamas Peninsula, with crystal-clear water over white sand. Best reached by boat from Latchi.
Baths of AphroditePaphos · NatureBaths of AphroditeA shaded grotto pool fed by a spring, where legend says Aphrodite bathed. It is also the starting point for the Aphrodite and Adonis nature trails.
Coral BayPaphos · BeachCoral BayA crescent of golden sand between two headlands near Peyia, with calm, shallow water. A favourite family beach on the Paphos coast.
Lara BeachPaphos · BeachLara BeachA wild, unspoilt bay on the west coast of the Akamas and one of the Mediterranean's key nesting beaches for green and loggerhead turtles.
Paphos CastlePaphos · HistoryPaphos CastleA compact stone fort guarding the end of Paphos harbour, rebuilt by the Ottomans in the 16th century on the site of a Byzantine fortress.
Peyia Sea Caves & Edro III ShipwreckPaphos · ViewpointPeyia Sea Caves & Edro III ShipwreckWave-cut limestone ledges and caves north of Coral Bay, where the rusting cargo ship Edro III has sat on the rocks since 2011.
Kolossi CastleLimassol · HistoryKolossi CastleA solid 15th-century keep built by the Knights Hospitaller amid vineyards and sugar-cane fields. It gave its name to the sweet Commandaria wine.
Limassol Castle (Cyprus Medieval Museum)Limassol · HistoryLimassol Castle (Cyprus Medieval Museum)A stout medieval castle in Limassol's old town that now houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum, steps from the old port.
Sanctuary of Apollo HylatesLimassol · HistorySanctuary of Apollo HylatesThe ancient sanctuary of Apollo, god of the woodlands, near Kourion, with a partly re-erected Roman temple among pines and carob trees.
Lady's Mile BeachLimassol · BeachLady's Mile BeachA long, open stretch of sand on the Akrotiri peninsula south of Limassol, with shallow water and plenty of space even in summer.
Governor's BeachLimassol · BeachGovernor's BeachSmall coves of dark sand beneath bright white chalk cliffs east of Limassol, with clear water and a striking contrast of colours.
Akrotiri Salt LakeLimassol · NatureAkrotiri Salt LakeThe largest inland body of water in Cyprus, a protected wetland where thousands of greater flamingos gather in winter.
Caledonia WaterfallTroodos · NatureCaledonia WaterfallOne of the highest waterfalls in Cyprus, tumbling through a shaded Troodos valley above Platres along a much-loved nature trail.
Molos PromenadeLimassol · NatureMolos PromenadeLimassol's palm-lined seafront park and promenade, stretching from the old port along the sea with lawns, sculptures and a cycle path.
AmathusLimassol · HistoryAmathusThe ruins of one of Cyprus's ancient city-kingdoms on the coast east of Limassol, with a Roman-era agora and an acropolis once crowned by a sanctuary of Aphrodite.
Konnos BayAyia Napa · BeachKonnos BayA small, sheltered cove tucked under the pines on the edge of Cape Greco, with soft sand and brilliantly clear water.
Nissi BeachAyia Napa · BeachNissi BeachAyia Napa's famous white-sand beach, where a sandbar wades out to a small islet through shallow turquoise water.
Ayia Napa MonasteryAyia Napa · HistoryAyia Napa MonasteryA Venetian-era monastery at the heart of Ayia Napa, with a cave church, a cloistered courtyard and a centuries-old sycamore tree.
Prophet Elias ChurchAyia Napa · ViewpointProphet Elias ChurchA small stone church perched on a rocky hilltop above Protaras, reached by a flight of steps and rewarded with sweeping views over the coast.
Ayia Napa Sea CavesAyia Napa · ViewpointAyia Napa Sea CavesA stretch of wave-carved limestone cliffs and caves on the Ayia Napa side of Cape Greco, famous for clear water and dramatic rock shapes.
Thalassa Municipal MuseumAyia Napa · HistoryThalassa Municipal MuseumAyia Napa's museum of the sea, telling Cyprus's maritime story from prehistory onwards. Its centrepiece is a full-size replica of the ancient Kyrenia ship.
Makronissos TombsAyia Napa · HistoryMakronissos TombsA small Hellenistic and Roman necropolis of rock-cut tombs on the coast west of Ayia Napa, free to wander and rarely crowded.
Ayia Napa Sculpture ParkAyia Napa · ActivityAyia Napa Sculpture ParkAn open-air park of modern sculptures by artists from around the world, set on the coast between Ayia Napa and Cape Greco. Free to enter.
Famagusta Gate & Venetian WallsNicosia · HistoryFamagusta Gate & Venetian WallsThe grandest of the three gates in Nicosia's 16th-century Venetian walls, now a cultural centre at the edge of the old town.
Shacolas Tower ObservatoryNicosia · ViewpointShacolas Tower ObservatoryA museum and observation deck high above Ledra Street, with a 360-degree view across the divided capital and the Kyrenia mountains.
Byzantine Museum (Archbishop Makarios III Foundation)Nicosia · HistoryByzantine Museum (Archbishop Makarios III Foundation)One of the finest collections of Byzantine icons in the world, housed beside the Archbishop's Palace in old Nicosia.
Leventis Municipal MuseumNicosia · HistoryLeventis Municipal MuseumNicosia's own history museum, telling the story of the capital from prehistory to today in a beautifully restored old-town mansion. Free entry.
Agios Nikolaos tis StegisTroodos · HistoryAgios Nikolaos tis StegisA UNESCO-listed Byzantine church near Kakopetria, named for its steep protective timber roof and filled with frescoes from the 11th to the 17th century.
Machairas MonasteryTroodos · HistoryMachairas MonasteryA 12th-century monastery on the pine-clad slopes of the Machairas forest, about 40 km from Nicosia, with mountain views and deep historical roots.
Athalassa National Forest ParkNicosia · NatureAthalassa National Forest ParkNicosia's big green lung, a pine-forested park with a lake, walking and cycling trails and picnic spots on the edge of the city.
Panagia Asinou ChurchTroodos · HistoryPanagia Asinou ChurchA remote UNESCO-listed Painted Church in the northern Troodos foothills, with some of the finest early 12th-century frescoes in Cyprus.
Larnaca Salt LakeLarnaca · NatureLarnaca Salt LakeA network of four salt lakes beside Larnaca, a protected wetland where flocks of greater flamingos spend the winter.
Finikoudes Beach & PromenadeLarnaca · BeachFinikoudes Beach & PromenadeLarnaca's palm-lined seafront promenade and town beach, with calm, shallow water in the heart of the city.
Mackenzie BeachLarnaca · BeachMackenzie BeachA lively sandy beach south of Larnaca centre, known for its clear water, beachfront promenade and planes gliding in low to land.
Kamares AqueductLarnaca · HistoryKamares AqueductAn 18th-century Ottoman aqueduct whose stone arches march across the western edge of Larnaca. It is beautifully lit at night.
Choirokoitia Neolithic SettlementLarnaca · HistoryChoirokoitia Neolithic SettlementA UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved Neolithic villages in the eastern Mediterranean, inhabited from the 7th millennium BC, with reconstructed round houses.
Lefkara VillageLarnaca · VillageLefkara VillageA handsome hill village of honey-coloured stone houses, famous for its handmade Lefkaritiko lace and silverwork.
Stavrovouni MonasteryLarnaca · HistoryStavrovouni MonasteryA hilltop monastery founded, by tradition, by Saint Helena in the 4th century, perched almost 700 m up with vast views over the Larnaca plain.
Panagia Angeloktisti ChurchLarnaca · HistoryPanagia Angeloktisti ChurchA Byzantine church in Kiti village that preserves a rare 6th-century apse mosaic of the Virgin and Child between two archangels.
Limassol MarinaLimassol · TownLimassol MarinaYachts, a promenade, and the modern face of the city. Walk it once. Eat somewhere that is not on the pontoon.
Paphos lighthouse and the archaeological parkPaphos · HistoryPaphos lighthouse and the archaeological parkThe castle and the light at the end of the harbour. Late afternoon is the hour the stone goes warm.
Nicosia inside the wallsNicosia · TownNicosia inside the wallsThe capital from the walls. It is a city for walking and for dinner, not for a beach bag.
Büyük HanNicosia · HistoryBüyük HanThe old caravanserai inside the walls: a stone courtyard with shade, coffee, and workshops. Go in the morning, before the groups.
Troodos villagesTroodos · VillageTroodos villagesStone, pines, and in winter a dusting of snow. This is the Cyprus that does not appear on a beach postcard.