What to do in Cyprus? What should I do? Where to go in Cyprus? — These are the right questions. They are asked by those who know how to organize their holidays and profitably convert their time into pleasure and cool experiences. In a nutshell: in Cyprus, you either use what the local leisure industry usually offers, or you take the management of your vacation into your own hands and have much more fun. For the second strategy, for example, this list is well suited:
1. Swim on the beaches of Ayia Napa and visit Cavo Greco
It is no secret that tourists choose Cyprus primarily for the Mediterranean Sea and some of the best beaches in Europe. But the sea and coastline are not the same everywhere: in Limassol you will not find cozy coves and interesting coastal terrain, in Paphos there are no endless sandy beaches, and the beaches of Larnaca, ideal for holidays with young children, are quite small and may seem boring to the demanding public.
But the best of the best beaches in the southern part of the island are located in the area of Ayia Napa and Protaras, and the most beautiful coves are in the Cavo Greco National Park and its surroundings. There are beaches for every taste: for lovers of noisy parties — the famous Nissi Beach, for connoisseurs of a calm and comfortable stay — the incomparable Macronissos, two underwater parks are equipped for snorkelers and divers. And those who prefer privacy will easily find a small cove in Protaras to their liking. All the beaches of Ayia Napa and Protaras are marked with a Blue flag for cleanliness and well-being.
The charms of local beaches are added by the unusual relief of the bottom and coastline — it is precisely because of the complex relief that the sea in these places is of such a rich color – from pale blue and azure to deep blue and emerald. And a walk along the rocky coast of Cavo Greco will amaze the most demanding tourist: “pirate” surf caves, natural grottoes, stone arches, rocks of bizarre shape. It is these places that are decorated with tourist brochures and guidebooks.
It is also worth seeing the coast from the sea. Pleasure boats sail here from Ayia Napa, Protaras and Larnaca. So you can swim from a ship or yacht even in coves inaccessible from the shore, as well as in the famous bays of Konnos and Blue Lagoon. 
Cavo Greco and some of the surroundings of Ayia Napa (Cyprus) – Video from the DJI Mavic Air drone / Ayia Napa If you are staying in Larnaca, Ayia Napa or Protaras, you can get acquainted with the Cavo Greco National Park and swim on one of the best beaches of the island on a guided tour of the 7 wonders of Ayia Napa. From Limassol, we offer sightseeing routes from Limassol to Kavo Greco (by car and on foot) and the Cyprus Odyssey (by ship, by car and on foot).
2. Conquer Olympus
When vacationing in Cyprus, it is necessary to find time and go to the Troodos mountains — a mountain range in the southern part of the island. And, of course, it is worth conquering the highest peak of Troodos — Mount Olymbos, whose height is 1952 meters above sea level.
A trip to the mountains is good at any time of the year, there is always something to be surprised about. In winter, you get into a real snowy winter from the green coast. In the mountainous part of Troodos there is a ski run with ski lifts. And even if there is not always enough snow for skiing, but vivid impressions from such a trip are guaranteed! In spring, it’s worth going to the mountains to see almond blossoms and orchards. And in summer, escape from the coastal heat in the enchanting coolness of the Cypriot waterfalls.
There are many hiking trails of different lengths and difficulty levels in the Troodos Mountains. One of the most popular hiking trails is the 7—kilometer Artemis Trail, encircling Olympus Peak. Magnificent panoramic views, the aromas of the Cyprus cedars, fantastic photos and a slight pleasant fatigue will be the reward for this trip!
The Troodos Mountains have become a real treasure trove for pilgrims — the main Orthodox monasteries and ancient churches listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List are located here. In the 7th century, people went to the mountains to save Orthodox relics from Arab invaders. In the VIII-IX centuries, during the period of iconoclasm, miraculous icons were brought from Byzantium to Cyprus, saving them from destruction. So gradually, over the centuries, Troodos has become the most important pilgrimage route for Christians from all over the world.
When going to the Troodos mountains, you just have to plan a walk through one of the picturesque mountain villages spread out on the slopes. Ancient architecture, courtyards surrounded by greenery, cobbled streets. Having worked up an appetite, you should visit one of the traditional village taverns. Local taverns are designed mainly for local residents — Cypriots really like to go to the mountains on weekends and have a good meal. The food here is quite simple, but very high quality and delicious!
It turns out that a trip to the mountains can be combined with any topic of interest to you, whether it is a pilgrimage trip or a naturalistic walk, acquaintance with the culture and way of life of the Cypriots and gastronomic discoveries.
Kalopanayiotis village in the Troodos Mountains (Cyprus) – Video from DJI Mavic Air drone / Kalopanayiotis 
Tours of Cyprus 2022: Mountain monasteries of Cyprus We offer a variety of excursions to the Troodos mountains:
Naturalistic, for nature lovers: A day in the mountains of Cyprus; as well as a real hit of recent years — a naturalistic excursion with a 7-kilometer walking trial around Olympus — A real Troodos.
Pilgrimage trips to the temples of Troodos: the most important monasteries, starting with the famous Kykkos, can be visited as part of the Mountain Monasteries of Cyprus program; the ancient churches of Troodos are covered by the Byzantine Heritage (UNESCO) route. Cultural tours: how and how ordinary Cypriots live, as well as the history and traditions of Cyprus, can be found within the framework of the History of Mountain Villages program. Overview (a little bit about everything): The heart of Cyprus.
3. Walk around the ancient city
You can make a real trip to the past by going for a walk to one of the Cypriot archaeological parks — real antique open-air museums.
The first evidence of the existence of the city-states of Cyprus is considered to be the records of the Assyrian king Asarhaddon, dating back to 673 BC, and they originated, according to archaeologists, around the XII century BC. Some of them have survived to this day in such a way that it is possible to understand the urban architecture and the structure of some buildings and communications. After the devastating earthquake of 365, some cities were completely destroyed, and Amathus (the modern territory of Limassol) partially went under water. Finally, the cities fell into decline as a result of the Arab raids of the VI-VII centuries: people began to move to safe places in the neighborhood or inland; columns, stone slabs of destroyed cities began to be used to build new settlements.
By the way, Larnaca is considered one of the 10 oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In particular, this is why the archaeological park of Larnaca Kition is the least studied, because in order to continue its excavations, the modern city would have to be demolished. So when walking around Larnaca, remember that you are walking through the ruins of the largest and most ancient ancient city.
What remains interesting in ancient cities? Quite a lot, actually. For example, the Paf floor mosaics, accidentally discovered by a simple farmer while cultivating his plot, are a unique example of art from the early Christian period and are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Mosaics have also been preserved in the archaeological park of Kourion (Limassol) and Salamis (Northern Cyprus).
The ancient theaters, partially restored, are still striking in scale today! It is very easy to imagine gladiator fighting scenes here (it is worth mentioning that gladiators have never fought here, theaters were used for their intended purpose). It is interesting to consider the structure of Roman baths with a floor heating system and water supply. Excellent camera angles can be “caught” among the marble columns of the forum in Kourion and the Gymnasium in Salamis.
The archaeological museums of Cyprus keep artifacts found during the excavations of ancient cities, but the most valuable finds, as we understand, are exhibited in museums in Great Britain, France and the USA.
The largest (and most interesting) archaeological parks in Cyprus:
Nea Pathos (Pathos)
Kourion (Limassol District)
Salamis (Northern Cyprus)
Amathus (modern Limassol)
Kition (Larnaca)
You can walk around the ancient cities as part of the following excursions: Discovering Paphos, Aphrodite, Kourion and Komandaria, Grand Tour of southern Cyprus, Famagusta and Salamis.
4. To find eternal youth in the Bay of Aphrodite
Between Limassol and Paphos there is one of the most famous bays of Cyprus — the Bay of Aphrodite (Petra tou romiou), the very place where the goddess Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty, fertility, eternal spring and life) came ashore from the waves of the sea.
Thanks to ancient Greek myths and personally to Hesiod, who described the appearance of Aphrodite from the foam of the sea, this rather ordinary at first glance bay attracts tourists from all over the island. Well, there’s nothing you can do about it — being in Cyprus and not visiting the birthplace of the goddess of love!
It is believed that in order to gain eternal beauty and youth, it is necessary to swim around the stone, which Aphrodite appeared on. Let’s not get boring and refer to Hesiod, who tells in The Theogony that Aphrodite was born near the island of Kifera (Greece), but did not go ashore there, going straight to us, to Cyprus. And on the pebble beach of the bay, it is customary to look for a pebble in the shape of a heart — it is believed that this talisman brings good luck in love.
You’ve probably heard the slogan “Cyprus is the island of Aphrodite” or “Cyprus is the island of love”. The cult of Aphrodite in Cyprus is not an invention of modern travel agents. This cult was established on the island around the XII century BC. Several majestic temples were erected in Cyprus in honor of the goddess, the patroness of the island (the ruins of one of them are located near the place of her appearance — in the village of Kuklia). A lot of memorable places are associated with her name and the name of her beloved Adonis (baths of Aphrodite in Akamas, baths of Adonis). It was only with the arrival of Christianity on the island that paganism began to fade away. But even now Aphrodite is patronizing Cyprus.
Did you know that in Cyprus there are two authentic cat breeds registered with FIFe (International Cat Federation), and one of them is called “Giant Aphrodite”?
You can visit Aphrodite Bay on the following excursions: Aphrodite, Kourion and Komandaria, Cyprus in 10 hours, Grand Tour of southern Cyprus.
5. Try the real Cypriot meze
A very important element of exploring a new country is getting to know the local cuisine and national culinary traditions. Every responsible tourist strives to taste local dishes, find an authentic restaurant where locals come. In our excursions, we stop for lunch at such proven taverns, which are popular among Cypriots.
Cypriot dishes belong to the Mediterranean cuisine — easy to prepare, lots of fresh vegetables, meat, legumes. If in coastal fishing villages fish cuisine is predominant, then in the mountains it is meat cuisine, except that trout are bred in some restaurants.
The Cypriot meze is not just a meal, it is a ceremony. And also a wonderful opportunity to try almost all the main dishes of the local cuisine at once. Meze can include up to 30 dishes (including snacks), the composition depends on the specific restaurant — usually this is almost everything that is cooked in it. According to the specialization of the tavern or restaurant, you can take fish or meat meze.
Appetizers are served first: olives, capers, rustic salad, hummus and tahini sauce, cheeses, etc., then it’s time for the main dishes. The main thing here is patience and endurance, you have to try everything, and the most delicious, as a rule, will be at the very end) Do not forget the main Cypriot principle of “whitefish-whitefish” — we are not in a hurry and enjoy the meal!
Meat meze, for example, in the famous Maria’s tavern includes pork and chicken skewers, fried haloumi, famous Cypriot kleftiko (stewed lamb), tavas (bulgur with lamb), chicken giblets, aphelia (pork stewed in wine), sheftaglia (pork cutlets), keftedes (fried meatballs), various grilled meat, salads. Local dry red wine, such as Shiraz from Ayia Mavri, is very suitable for this.
Fish meze, in addition to traditional snacks, usually consists of squid, octopus, fried lamb (any small fish), grilled larger fish (dorada or grouper), shrimp and mussels. Ideally accompanied by dry white wine.
You can taste real Cypriot meze in a traditional village tavern on any of our full-day excursions, and you can get to know the local cuisine better as part of an excursion About delicious and healthy food. You can visit real wineries, get acquainted with wine production and, of course, taste local wines on an Exquisite wine tour.
6. Visit one of the ancient temples
Christianity has penetrated deeply into the culture and daily life of the Cypriots. Fasts and all sorts of prohibitions are not particularly observed here, but they are very fond of religious holidays (the most important holidays in Cyprus are undoubtedly Easter and Christmas) and they are happy to go to temples. The Cypriot Orthodox Church is an autocephalous (independent) church of apostolic origin. It is believed that Christianity was brought to Cyprus in 45 by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas.
There are usually several churches in each Cypriot village — and in Lefkara and its surroundings, for example, with a population of just over a thousand people, there are 24 temples! Among them there are small ancient churches and modern large temples designed for a large number of parishioners.
There are several truly wonderful ancient churches in the Troodos mountains, which have gained worldwide fame thanks to unique frescoes dating from the XI-XII centuries (10 churches of Troodos are included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List).
It is impossible not to mention the great monasteries of Cyprus — monasteries began to be founded in Cyprus starting from the IV century. The most famous Cypriot monasteries — Kikkos, Maheras, Stavrovouni, the monastery of Neophyte the Recluse, the monastery of Trooditissa — attract pilgrims from all over the world. The most famous icon of Cyprus, the Mother of God of Kikkos, is kept in Kikkos — lists of this icon can be found in many temples around the world.
You can visit interesting temples both on sightseeing tours, for example, the Ideal excursion and the Heart of Cyprus, and on thematic pilgrimage tours: the Mountain monasteries of Troodos, the Way of Healing, the Byzantine Heritage (UNESCO).
7. Feed the Cypriot donkeys
Donkeys are the main living symbol of Cyprus, souvenirs with their image can be found in any souvenir shop. More recently, they were faithful companions of the Cypriots, helped in agriculture and even in industry, as a means of transport. In every house, in every household in Cyprus, there was at least one donkey. Donkeys got such a spread due to their endurance and unpretentiousness (unlike the same horses). Donkey milk was used both for food and for the manufacture of cosmetics — now creams based on donkey milk can be found in souvenir shops. With the growth of technological progress, the need for donkeys among rural residents gradually disappeared, but the love for these cute animals did not go away. Cypriot donkeys are slightly different from the donkeys we know — they are larger.
After the tragic events of 1974, when the island was divided into two parts, Greek Cypriots fled the northern territories, often abandoning farming. That’s when a colony of wild (or rather feral) donkeys appeared on the Karpas Peninsula. The donkeys have adapted to the new conditions, have chosen the territory of the national park, and have become another, absolutely wonderful, attraction of our island! Donkeys are not afraid of people, they go out on the road, braking passing cars and begging for a “fare”). When going on a trip to the Karpas Peninsula, be sure to take apples and carrots with you, the donkeys will be very grateful to you!)
Well, if you don’t want to go so far, you can go to one of the tourist donkey farms located in the central part of the island. At the entrance, you can buy treats for donkeys and chat with these wonderful animals. For an additional fee, you can ride a donkey — entertainment is more for children.
Wild donkeys in Cyprus are protected by the state — for killing a donkey, you can face imprisonment for up to 7 years.
You can feed wild donkeys as part of a full—day tour of Karpasia – the lost paradise.
You can go to the donkey farm as part of the Young Farmer tour.
8. View Cyprus from one of the ancient watchtowers
Unique monuments of the medieval period — watch castles – have been preserved in Northern Cyprus. Located on the inaccessible peaks of the Cyrenian Ridge, they provided reliable control over the northern coast of the island.
The history of the castles is similar in many ways — hermits once lived here, then monasteries were founded. In the X-XII centuries, the former monasteries were fortified and began to be used for military purposes — military garrisons were based here. A system of warning lights was installed between the locks to warn of danger.
St. Hilarion Castle is the most famous and popular among tourists due to its convenient location — it is located between the cities of Nicosia and Kyrenia. The convenient location was also to the taste of the kings of Cyprus — the royal chambers were located in the upper rooms of the castle. The castle offers an amazing view of Kyrenia and the Gulf of Kyrenia!
Kantara Castle is the smallest of the lookout castles, but it offers perhaps the most fantastic view — in clear weather, the entire Karpas Peninsula is at a glance, from the northern coast to Famagusta Bay.
Buffavento Castle is the most impregnable castle, that in ancient times, that now — to climb to the upper levels you have to walk about 1.2 km along a difficult ascent. But the views are definitely worth it!
You can conquer one of the watch castles and see Cyprus from a bird’s eye view on the following excursions: Northern Cyprus. Part 1, Northern Cyprus. Part 2, Grand Tour of Northern Cyprus.
9. Walk around the “ghost town”
More recently, the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have opened access to the closed area of Famagusta Varosha (another monument to the tragic events of 1974). This caused dissatisfaction with the authorities of southern Cyprus, and another unusual object appeared for tourists to visit.
In the late 60s and early 70s, it was the most popular and prosperous resort in Cyprus, and indeed the entire Mediterranean, Hollywood stars and European elites were frequent guests at Varosha hotels. In 1974, after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the partition of the island, Varosha fell into a closed zone and its inhabitants were evacuated. Residents left Varosha taking only the most necessary things (but at the same time leaving their homes, farms, hotels) confident that they would leave their homes only for a few days “until everything settles down.” More than 40 years have passed since then. By the way, Varosha’s last hotel was opened just a couple of weeks before the invasion.
Abandoned hotels with broken windows, trees sprouting through the roofs, deserted beaches, once crowded with vacationers, looked very sad. Today, the area looks quite strange — the paths have been updated, two Varoshi beaches have been landscaped, and the territories are gradually being cleared. Of course, you will not be able to climb abandoned hotels here — many buildings are in danger of collapse, but you can already wander around the city, swim on the beaches!
You can wander around the ghost town and feel like a real stalker as part of the tour of Famagusta and Salamis, Northern Cyprus. Part 2, Grand Tour of Northern Cyprus.
10. Immerse yourself in village life
The ancient traditional villages of Cyprus have a completely unique charm and charm. Each of them is like a casket with precious things — you can go through them for hours, admiring and marveling at the bizarre interweaving of nature, history and cultural traditions.
The first cities in Cyprus were based mainly on the coast — they were quite rich port cities with thriving trade, due to their convenient location between west and east, Europe, Asia and Africa. Since the 7th century, Cyprus began to be subjected to brutal Arab raids, and the population gradually moved inland. It was during these times that most of the villages in the foothills and mountains of Troodos were founded.
Winding cobbled streets, ancient stone houses, courtyards covered with greenery — how different it is from the tourist coastal resort towns and villages! There are more than a dozen temples in each village: these are small ancient chapels and churches that have long been unable to accommodate everyone, and legendary churches of the Middle Ages that store priceless relics, places of pilgrimage, and relatively new large temples with unusual architecture. Walking through such a village, it is interesting to guess the history of the entire island in the architecture of temples and residential buildings: here is an old church in the classical Byzantine style, here are obvious borrowings from Venetian architecture, but the balconies of neighboring houses practically closed over the street — this is a clear influence of the Ottoman period.
It is interesting, walking around the village, to find out what the locals live and do. So in Lefkara, the most famous and one of the most beautiful villages of our island, there are plenty of shops with intricate lace and unusual silver jewelry, you can still see craftswomen sitting on the street for lace embroidery. The village of Omodos is the capital of Cypriot winemaking, in the vicinity of which there are some of the best wineries on the island. And walking through the high-altitude villages of Pedoulas, Kakopetria, Kalopanaiotis, you are amazed at the abundance of orchards!
It would not be superfluous to note in what stunningly beautiful places the Cypriots built villages! How organically the houses fit into the mountain landscapes, beating and emphasizing the majestic splendor of Troodos.
You can walk through the mountain villages on the following routes:
Decorations of Cyprus: Lefkara, Kato Dris and Vavla — a half-day trip through the ancient villages of the foothills of Troodos. Breathtaking mountain landscapes and ancient architecture, history and cultural traditions.
The ideal excursion is a complete immersion in the culture and life of the locals: the most beautiful villages, family farms with indispensable tastings, ancient temples and, of course, the majestic Troodos mountains.
The stories of mountain villages are an inspiration tour. Several unusual magnificent mountain villages, many stories and an endless number of impressions!
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