IS CYPRUS WORTH VISITING? 17 REASONS TO CONSIDER VISITING THIS UNDERRATED ISLAND.
We have mulled over visiting Cyprus for a number of years now and for a variety of reasons, it hadn’t made it to the top of our list. Until now. Quite honestly, we aren’t quite sure why we waited so long. Our month long trip in Cyprus ending up being one of the most relaxing travel adventures we have had for some time.
In this blog post, we will detail 17 reasons why you may want to consider visiting Cyprus. As well as 5 reasons why it may not suit you.
Is Cyprus worth visiting?
Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean, close to Turkey to the North, Israel and Lebanon to the South.
It has a complex history that goes way back to ancient times. The Mycenaean Greeks first settled here around 1400 BC, and since then, the island has seen a mix of different cultures, including the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, and Romans.
In more modern times, Cyprus is known for food and wine – in particular Meze and Commanderia wine (an ancient wine made by drying grapes in the sun). It is also known for the impenetrable 300 days per year of sunshine, as well as the beautiful beaches.
For us, Cyprus started to draw us in when we found out about the various hiking trails and the Troodos Mountains which are dotted with vineyards. Nothing gets us more excited than nature and vineyards! When you throw in gorgeous beaches and halloumi cheese, we knew we had to visit.
Below you can find our 17 reasons why we think Cyprus is worth visiting.
17 reasons why Cyprus is worth visiting
Here are 17 reasons why we think Cyprus is worth visiting.
Historical sightseeing
One of the most pleasant surprises for us when we arrived in Cyprus was finding all the amazing historic places of interest. On our first day in Larnaca, we explored the regional archeological museum, and were astounded that we could visit for free.
After this, the historical gifts of Cyprus just kept on coming. We loved Kourion Ruins, an important historical site near to Limassol and the Tomb of the Kings found on the outskirts of Paphos. A highlight was the Cyprus Museum in Nicosia which houses a 1st Century BC statute of Aphrodite of Soloi.
There are many more historical attractions in Cyprus, but what unites them all are the very reasonable ticket prices. Museums are often free, whilst archeological sites tend to be between 2.50 Euros and 4.50 Euros.
Crystal clear seawater
The waters around Cyprus are some of the cleanest you’ll find in the Mediterranean. The island’s beaches frequently receive the Blue Flag status, an award given to the cleanest and safest beaches in the world. The water tends to be shallow and calm, making the beaches ideal for families.
The beaches of Coral Bay, Kourion and Pantachou Beach were highlights for us – all offering sparkling seawater and perfectly soft sand.
Quiet beaches
Cyprus is perhaps not that well known for the quiet beaches, where you can escape the crowds. But if you look hard enough, you can find them.
If you’re after some peace and tranquility, the beaches of the Akamas Peninsula or the secluded coves of Cape Greco are perfect. During the week, the likes of Kouiron Bay are also charmingly peaceful.
Simple life
One of the most charming aspects of Cyprus is its simple, laid-back lifestyle. Here, you can enjoy the slower pace of life, savoring the little things that make a big difference.
We noticed this pace change as soon as we stepped out in Larnaca for a leisurely coffee and breakfast. Alongside us sat the typical groups of Cypriot men of a certain age, languidly drinking Cypriot coffee and chattering with their friends. Everything in Cyprus just seems to slow down, to be quite honest the heat of the day forces it.
In the mountain villages of troodos, take time to enjoy a mezze lunch or savour a wine tasting. Or, spend an afternoon on a laid back beach, nibbling on an ice cream or reading a good book.
Old fashioned tourism
One of the first impressions of Cyprus we had, is that it was like going back in time to holidays we remember taking as children. There’s a beauty in the simplicity of a good old fashioned beach resort.
We loved visiting beaches like Coral Bay and Kourion Bay, where locals and tourists enjoyed the water. Families huddled together over picnics on the beach and music played from beach bars. Effortless joy.
Variety
The island offers a diverse range of experiences, ensuring there’s something for everyone. From the cosmopolitan cities of Limassol and Nicosia to the tranquil villages in the Troodos Mountains, to the party town of Ayia Napa and the quiet resort of Larnaca – Cyprus is a land of contrasts.
More than one great area
Cyprus isn’t just about one standout destination; it’s an island full of amazing places to explore. This is great if you’re keen to visit an island where you can explore a variety of different resorts and towns. It also means that tourists are more spread out around the island, avoiding the risk of over-tourism.
City beach combo
One of the great advantages of Cyprus is its ability to combine city experiences with beach relaxation seamlessly. For us, Limassol city perfectly encapsulated this ethos. City beaches can sometimes be a little lackluster, but the beach in the city of Limassol really is quite charming.
We loved spending the afternoons on the beach, then having our pick of trendy wine bars and fantastic restaurants in the city at night.
Wine tourism
Cyprus has a long history of producing wine – but don’t let that mislead you into expecting a few dusty wineries. Instead, you can find contemporary vineyards, geared up for visitors.
The island’s wineries produce some exceptional wines, and wine tourism is becoming increasingly popular. Tour the vineyards, participate in tastings, and learn about the wine-making process.
After our vineyard visits, we couldn’t resist taking a bottle back with us to our apartment in Paphos to enjoy on the terrace.
Mountains
The Troodos Mountains offer a cool retreat from the coastal heat and are home to charming villages, ancient monasteries, and beautiful nature trails.
I can’t emphasize enough how much the Troodos Mountains were a highlight of our trip. In fact, the next time we visit Cyprus we have decided to spend a couple of weeks exploring all the different villages.
Rural tourism in Cyprus is amazing chance to see a totally different side of the island, away from the crowds of the coastal regions. Find out more here.
Hiking and nature
There are many hiking paths around Cyprus. For long distance enthusiasts, the E4 path travels from Larnaca to the Paphos side of the island, treading through Troodos too. There is also the Aphrodite Trail in the Akamas region and interesting trails in the Capo Greco national park near to Ayia Napa.
We explored a few trails in the Troodos Mountains – opting for the cooler temperatures than were available on the coast. A highlight was visiting Caledonia Waterfall on a trail from Platres village.
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may not the first adjective that comes to mind when you think of Cyprus. It certainly wasn’t before I visited. Away from the tourist resorts, are thriving cities – Limassol and Nicosia in particular. Both offer a mix of old and new, traditional and dare I say, hipster.
Nicosia is the ideal day trip destination, an easy bus ride from either Larnaca or Limassol. Visit the fantastic Cyprus museum before enjoying lunch in the old town.
Year round sun
Cyprus’ most famous tag line is that it has 300 days of sunshine each year. This really does make it an ideal destination for sun-seekers. There are three months of winter – December, January and February. Aside from these months, you can pretty much guarantee to have sunshine.
We visited for one month over May and June and didn’t have even one hour with clouds in the sky.
Skiing
Not many people know that it is actually possible to ski in Cyprus in the winter. Snow is not always guaranteed, but if it does snow, the Mount Olympos ski resort is open for business!
Two airports
Cyprus is easy to access, thanks to its two international airports in Larnaca and Paphos. The airports at either side of the island, serve regular flights to the UK, Europe and the Middle East. If you can’t get a good flight deal to one airport, consider flying into the other.
Depending on your travel itinerary, it may be useful to fly into Paphos and out of Larnaca, or vice versa.
Public Transport is Excellent
The island has a reliable network of buses that connect major cities and towns, making it easy to explore without needing a car. We absolutely hate hiring a car if we can avoid it and we loved that in Cyprus, we really didn’t need to.
Buses are air conditioned, normally have plenty of seats and run on time. They are also very good value for money.
Affordable Prices
Compared to many other Mediterranean destinations, Cyprus is affordable. Some of the things that stood out to us in particular are the price of public transport (local buses cost around 2.00 Euros and intercity journeys around 4-5 Euros), sunbeds and umbrellas (7.50 Euros for two people), beer and local wine.
Budget accommodation is also available in Cyprus. We paid an between 40 and 60 Euros per night on average for apartments and hotel rooms around the island. Food prices vary, with less expensive restaurants catering to budget travellers (10 to 15 Euros per person) and fancier places offering more upmarket foods, but still for reasonable prices (perhaps 30 Euros per head).
And 5 reasons that Cyprus may not be the best destination for you
We always like to present an honest picture of everywhere we visit and write about. In the interest of balance, here are a few reasons that Cyprus may not be the best destination for you.
Parts of Cyprus are “touristy” and a bit tacky
If your heart yearns for completely and unspoiled off-the beaten track destinations – Cyprus may not leave you with the best initial impression. When we first arrived into Larnaca, the sight of chain restaurants left us a bit cold.
That said, after a month of exploring, we believe that we found some hidden gems. There were parts of Limassol that we adored and the Old Town Paphos and mountain villages of Troodos showed us an authentic side to Cyprus that we craved.
If you are likely to be turned off by tacky restaurants and purpose built hotel strips and you can’t overlook it, then Cyprus may not be the best place for you to visit.
Certain areas can be crowded
The vast majority of travellers to Cyprus pick either Paphos, Ayia Napa or Protaras as the base for their vacation. In school holidays and peak season, these areas can become very crowded.
If you like quiet, laid-back holiday spots it’s best to avoid these particular resorts. Alternatively, consider travelling in low season. October/ November are ideal as resorts are quieter and the weather is still good.
It can get seriously hot
Cyprus is very close to the Middle East and North Africa and has a climate to match. There are only three months of winter in Cyprus – December to February – the locals joke that the rest of the year is Summer.
Milder temperatures can be found in April and towards the end of the year in October and November. However, the summer months can be extremely hot. In July and August you are pretty much guaranteed to see days of 35°C and higher. The nights don’t get much cooler either.
If you don’t like the heat, either avoid Cyprus or visit in the very early spring or late autumn.
You just want a beach resort
Cyprus has some very popular beach resorts – like Paphos, Ayia Napa and Protaras. These beach resorts are great for families, groups of friends or couples looking for a pure resort holiday. But, in my view flying into Cyprus just to stay in one beach resort is a total waste.
There’s so much to see across the island, mountains, cute villages, vineyards, gorgeous craggy peninsulas – that staying in one beach resort just seems a shame to me. If you want a “fly and flop” there are better locations to choose than Cyprus.
Cyprus doesn’t look like a typical Greek island
If you are visualizing the island in Mamma Mia – the idyllic Greek island – you are likely to be a bit disappointed with Cyprus.
Yes, Cyprus is Greek, but it is a large island – it is not quaint like Hydra or Paros. And, the Cypriot way of life and tradition is different. The island has a totally unique history and culture.
I have read many bloggers criticizing Cyprus, because the island didn’t look how they expected to. Cyprus has more grit, it is a lived in island. Yes, there are resorts that have been built for the purpose of tourism, but there are bits of the island that offer a glimpse into real life and tradition. These are the best bits in my opinion. But if you want a picture perfect Greek island – Cyprus is not it.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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