OUR LEISURELY CYPRUS ITINERARY WITHOUT A HIRE CAR: 5 DAY, 7 DAY, 10 DAY AND 14 DAY ITINERARIES.
Cyprus is a large island in the Mediterranean. It is known for the history, food and beautiful beaches. It may sound trite, but after spending one month in Cyprus we found that it was way more than that.
We were greeted with warm hospitality, incredible wine and vineyards, nature trails and so much that we wanted to explore. And yes, the beaches did live up to expectation too!
There’s so much more to Cyprus than just Paphos, or just Ayia Napa. And, we hope that anyone reading this will get to experience the highlights of the island in the way that we did.
Our Cyprus itinerary is designed to give you a taste of Cyprus over 10 days. But, we also include options for 5, 7 and 14 days on the island. The itinerary is created to be unhurried, relaxed and easy, but without compromising on exploration.
Cyprus Top Picks
Cyprus top picks 😍
Short on time? Some of our top recommendations for Cyprus are:
Accommodation 🏨
- New Famagusta Hotel – Ayia Napa
- Grecian Bay Hotel – Ayia Napa
- Alinea Primo Hotel – Limassol
- Alexander the Great – Paphos
Tours 🎫
Tips 💡
We have two travel tips. Don’t leave Cyprus without visiting a vineyard. And, remember that Cyprus uses the same plugs as the UK (type G) – not Europe.
Transport 🚌
Buses are excellent in Cyprus and you rarely need to book in advance. The exception may be airport shuttles.
Do you need a hire car to travel around Cyprus?
We don’t think you do need a hire car to travel around Cyprus. In fact, we spent one month travelling around the island without a hire car. Traveling without a car is always our preferred option – hire cars are expensive and can be stressful.
In Cyprus, we found that getting around without a car was a piece of cake. And, whilst there may be some restrictions – particularly travelling to remote areas, often it is possible to find a way. You can find out more below.
How to get around Cyprus without a hire car
Of all the countries that we have visited over the last few years, Cyprus has been one of the easiest to travel around without a hire car. We had a fairly ambitious itinerary for our one month in Cyprus and yet still managed to travel around without any (major) hitches.
Public transport in hot countries can sometimes be a bit of a nightmare. Let’s just say that over the years, as a couple travelling together, we have had a few moments of bickering caused by haphazard transport during heatwaves. Thankfully, this was avoided in Cyprus owing the excellent public transport.
Local Buses
In Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos there are local bus networks that are excellent. One of the amazing things about local buses in Cyprus is that the fares are capped at either 1.50 or 2.00 Euros.
In Paphos, bus timetables are posted online and easy to access in English. We found bus timetables a lot more confusing in Limassol and ended up asking our Airbnb host to help us – she told us that the best way to get timetables is just show up at the bus station to find out. This worked for us for the rest of our trip.
Airport shuttles
Both Larnaca and Paphos have airports that are very well connected to other parts of the island. In fact, from Larnaca, you can take an airport shuttle to Paphos should you wish to.
If you’re staying in any of the big cities or towns on the coast, such as Limassol, Paphos or Ayia Napa it is likely that you can get there using airport shuttles.
Kapnos Shuttle service has the most up to date timetables and routes.
Intercity Buses
Intercity buses were our savior when travelling around Cyprus without a hire car. This network of buses connects Larnaca, Ayia Napa, Paphos, Nicossia and Limassol.
The service is reliable, cost effective (4.00 Euros one way) and comfortable. Buses are always well air conditioned too. Timetables can be accessed online via the Inter City website.
Tours
We took a few tours during our one month trip around Cyprus. We found that tours in Cyprus were wide ranging, from visits to the mountains, food tours, to boat tours (inclusive of bus transport). And, whilst it may not sound like a budget option – there are often cost effective tours available in Cyprus. We’ve highlighted the ones that we recommend throughout this blog post.
Taxis
We try not to use taxis when we travel too often. After all, it has the same environmental impact as using a hire car! And it’s not normally cost effective. That said, taxis are available in Cyprus if you wish to use them.
Our Cyprus itinerary without a hire car
When we visited Cyprus, we chose four places to base ourselves – Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. From these bases, we explored a lot of the island.
We should say that with the exception of a quick border crossing in Nicosia, we didn’t visit the Northern side of Cyprus. Instead, we decided to focus our travels on the South.
You can find our top places to visit in the map below.
💡Wondering what the difference is between North and South Cyprus? We certainly can’t claim to be experts on this – but the short answer is that Northern Cyprus is under Turkish Government administration. Whereas Southern Cyprus (The Republic of Cyprus) is under Greek Cypriot jurisdiction. The Greek Cypriot’s that we met referred to the “free side” and the “occupied side.”
10 days in Cyprus: An overview
Here’s our suggestion for 10 days in Cyprus to allow you to see some of the best bits of the island.
With this itinerary you would fly into Larnaca and out of Paphos, but it is possible to reverse the itinerary. Or to fly into one airport and out of the other, but use buses to transfer to the airport.
Day 1/ Fly to Larnaca and take the bus to Ayia Napa
Day 2/ Ayia Napa – take a quad bike or bus to explore Capo Greco and Protaras
Day 3/ Ayia Napa – stay local on the beaches
Day 4/ Visit Nicosia for the day – overnight in Limassol
Day 5/ Limassol – visit Kourion Ruins and Beach
Day 6/ Limassol – head to Troodos Mountains
Day 7/ Travel Limassol to Paphos – overnight in Paphos
Day 8/ Paphos – visit Tomb of the Kings & Coral Bay
Day 9/ Paphos – explore the archeological park and stay local or visit Pano Pagnia.
Day 10/ Fly back home from Paphos
You can find the detailed itinerary below.
10 Days in Cyprus: Detailed Itinerary
Here is a detailed breakdown of our suggested 10 day itinerary for Cyprus.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day One fly to Larnaca and take the bus to Ayia Napa
We recommend kicking off 10 days in Cyprus in Ayia Napa. Although this resort is most well known for partying, the main nightlife is restricted to one or two streets – thus it is possible to avoid the carnage and stick to classier cocktail bars and restaurants (should you wish to).
Ayia Napa has some of the most beautiful beaches on the island and it is for this reason that we recommend visiting. It would also be possible to stay in Larnaca itself, but we are hesitant to recommend that as the beaches were not particularly impressive and we found the town a little flat.
How to get there
There are regular flights into and out of Larnaca airport, from the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
From Larnaca Airport, you can take a bus directly to Ayia Napa with Kapnos Shuttles. The journey time is around 45 minutes.
What to do
On the first day, we recommend settling in and getting your bearings around Ayia Napa. Take time to visit the harbour, perhaps lounge by the pool and head out for the evening. You can find our recommendations on where to eat below.
Where to eat
Ayia Napa is full of restaurants – you can find just about anything, from Asian Food to authentic Greek. We even saw a Polynesian restaurant.
We would highly recommend checking out some of the more authentic tavernas, slightly away from the beachfront and main streets. Stamna Tavern was our favourite – the oldest taverna in Ayia Napa, with fantastic service and atmosphere.
Where to stay
We would recommend picking a central location to get easy access to bars, restaurants and beaches. But perhaps avoid being too close to the noise!
Here are some suggestions.
MID RANGE: New Famagusta Hotel offers a giant swimming pool, central location and spacious rooms. It is also 400m from the beach.
LUXURY: Grecian Bay Hotel is an upscale accommodation, with three swimming pools and lovely grounds. Plus a central location and beach access.
💡If you’re not sure that Ayia Napa is for you, you could consider the quieter resort of Protaras, located around 5km away from Ayia Napa. For families, this may be a more suitable option.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Two Capo Greco National Park & Protaras
One of the other reasons that we love the Ayia Napa area is the beautiful Capo Greco National Park found on the peninsula of the same name.
On your second day in Ayia Napa, we recommend starting early in the morning and exploring the peninsula, as well as visiting Protaras.
How to get there
Without a hire car, there are two main ways to get to Capo Greco and Protaras from Ayia Napa.
The first option is by public bus – the 101 and 102 buses run frequently from Ayia Napa Sqaure to Capo Greco and then onwards to Protaras. You can take one bus to Capo Greco, spend some time exploring and then continue to Protaras for the afternoon.
We opted to use the bus and whilst it was cheap and easy, we think it somewhat limits your ability to explore the peninsula as you’ll have to cover distances on foot.
The second, and most popular, option is to hire either a quad bike or buggy for the day. We wouldn’t recommend a scooter as the roads are a little rough around the peninsula. But quad bikes and buggies are ideal. You can rent them pretty much anywhere in Ayia Napa! Or, make an enquiry with your hotel if you’d like to organise rental in advance.
What to do
The Capo Greco National Park is a sprawling area on a peninsula close to Ayia Napa. It is a collection of a few hiking trails and beauty spots. It is one of those areas that makes you feel like an intrepid explorer, as you navigate around.
The Sea Caves are popular for cliff jumping, the Blue Lagoon is an immaculate beauty spot where you can (carefully) dip into the water. There’s also a path that leads to a traditional Greek Church that gives all the Mamma Mia vibes.
After a few hours in Capo Greco, continue around the coast to the resort town of Protaras. Pick your beach spot for the day and get settled in. If you have a snorkel, head to this beach for the best fish spotting opportunities.
💡An alternative is to take the bus to Protaras and from there take a boat to explore the Blue Lagoon and coves around Capo Greco – find out more here. This is probably the best choice if the weather is particularly hot, or if you want to ease yourself into your holiday nicely. Check out boat tours here.
Where to eat
If you fancy a change, we would suggest staying in Protaras for supper. The main strip is a bit of a hodge podge of some nicer places, and some less appealing restaurants. As always with Cyprus, if you stick with the traditional tavernas you can’t go far wrong. Vangelis Tavern and Pseidonio Tavern are both highly recommended.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Three Stay Local in Ayia Napa
What to do
For your final day in Ayia Napa, we recommend keeping things super chilled. Perhaps consider a long brunch at The Bakery Co or Cafe Central in town.
Then head to the beach for a full sun lounger day.We think the ideal spot on the beach is as close as possible on a sunbed to Marcello’s Beach Bar – the place to be for cold Keo beers and reggae music throughout the day.
In the evening – if you’re brave enough, head to Bar Street. If you’re not, then the live music venue The Square Bar is a good happy medium – great vibes but not too many stag groups.
You can find a more detailed guide to visiting Ayia Napa, including our take on “Bar Street” here.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Four Nicosia Day Trip and travel to Limassol
Before heading West to Limassol, we recommend taking a detour for a day-trip in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. It is possible to spend a night here, but as Nicosia is a small city, we think you can get a feel for it in one day. If you do have longer than 10 day, you may wish to consider tacking on a night or two in Nicosia.
How to get there
Buses run once an hour from Ayia Napa to Nicosia and take around 2 hours with Intercity Buses. We would recommend getting an early bus to make the most of your day out. You can always have a snooze on board! Check the bus schedule here.
From Nicosia, continue on the bus to Limassol. Buses take 1 hour 45 minutes and run regularly between the two cities. Check the bus schedule here.
💡If this all seems much too hard or you are travelling with children, then you can take a more direct route to Limassol. First, grab a bus from Ayia Napa square to Larnaca, and from there take the Intercity Bus to Limassol. The total journey probably takes around 2 hours. If you do choose this option and want to spend a little time in Larnaca, you can find our guide to Larnaca here.
What to do & where to eat
Nicosia is the capital of Cyprus and the only capital city in the world to be divided – part Republic of Cyprus and the Northern part. Visiting Nicosia offers an interesting insight into the history of, and indeed current, division of Cyprus. It is possible to cross the border on foot to visit both sides of Nicosia. We crossed at this border.
Just keep in mind that if you buy anything in the Northern side of the city, you may not be able to bring it back into the Republic of Cyprus. And, you’ll be expected to pay in Turkish Lira once you cross the border. Passports are required to cross the border in both directions.
Aside from this, Nicosia is also a cosmopolitan city – with great bars and restaurants and a lively vibe around Ledra Street.
We particularly loved the Cyprus Museum, a free museum with a number of amazing artifacts. We merrily spent around 2-3 hours here, the excellent audio tour made the whole thing very interesting.
Where to stay
Limassol has quite distinct areas and as such, choosing the right one will have a bearing on how you enjoy the city.
The Old Town is the best for nightlife and anyone who wants ease of access to the city, but can be a little noisy. The Marina is a more upscale area of the city, with hotels to match. Finally, you can choose accommodation on the seafront, perhaps to the outskirts of the city for a quieter vacation.
Hotels & Airbnbs in Limassol
Here are some choices for the best accommodation in Limassol.
BUDGET: For budget travellers, there are a few hostels in Limassol. Retro Hostel is one of the better located, close to the old town.
OLD TOWN:
The Old Town has a number of Airbnbs as well as hotels. Consider Alinea Primo Hotel with a roof top pool and central location. Alternatively, this boutique hotel offers location in a converted old mansion.
We stayed in a studio in the heart of the Old Town. We loved the design touches here and the price was very reasonable. It would not suit anyone with children, as the street is quite noisy.
BEACHFRONT:
There are a number of hotels along the beachfront to choose from. Consider somewhere like NYX Hotel, which has an epic swimming pool with sea views. Breakfast is also included in the room rate.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Five Limassol – visit Kourion Ruins and Beach
On day five, we recommend taking a fantastic day trip to visit Kourion Ruins and Kourion Beach. Offering a stark contrast to the busy streets of Limassol City, Kourion is a place to fully relax and unwind.
How to get there
The Kourion Archeological Site, also known as Kourion Ruins are located here, 19km west of Limassol city. We took public transport to Kourion and it was simple. Bus number 16 from the Old Hospital located behind the main police station is a main transport hub. Buses run fairly regularly and take around 30 – 40 minutes but we can’t confirm times as they change often.
What to do
Kourion Ruins is an Archeological site perched high on a hill side overlooking a bay of the same name. It is believed that the structures were built in neolithic times and became a settlement, or city, in the 13th Century. We suggest getting there early in the morning to escape the heat, as you’ll spend around 2 hours exploring the site.
The beach is located around a 15-20 minute walk down the hill from the ruins. Once you’re sufficiently up to speed with the history of Kourion, take a gentle stroll down to the sandy shores of the beach. Sunbeds are easy to get hold off (unless it’s Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the summer) and cost the standard 7.50 Euros for two beds and an umbrella.
Where to eat
There are two very large restaurants located on Kourion beach. The second Chris Blue Beach has a more upmarket vibe serving great lunches, fancy coffees and cocktails, while the first Kourion Beach is a more laid back affair, and was perfect for an ice cold Keo Beer. They were both excellent so try both if you get the chance!
You can find a detailed guide to visiting Kourion Ruins and Beach here.
In the evening, head out into Limassol Old Town. You can find our full recommendations on where to eat and drink in Limassol here.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Six Limassol – head to Troodos Mountains
From Limassol, we suggest taking a day trip to the charming Troodos Mountains. This will especially tickle your pickle if you enjoy a slower pace of life and visiting vineyards.
How to get there & what to do
From Limassol by public transport, you can get to the town of Troodos by bus. Or alternatively, to the lower village of Pano Platres. If you’re on a budget or don’t want to take a tour, we would recommend visiting Platres for a day out – find out more here.
If you can, we would very much recommend taking a tour from Limassol to the Troodos Mountains. The villages are not well connected, therefore a tour can help you to visit a few villages and one or two vineyards in one day. You can find our full guide to the best tours in the Troodos Mountains here.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Seven Travel Limassol to Paphos – overnight in Paphos
Take the morning to enjoy a leisurely brunch and perhaps some time on the promenade in Limassol, before heading to Paphos for the next few days.
How to get there
The bus connection between Limassol and Paphos is operated by Intercity Buses and takes between 1 hour and 1 hour 15 minutes. You can find the bus schedule here.
Keep in mind that the bus will drop you of in Old Town Paphos (at the top of the hill), rather than in Kato Paphos (by the sea). Depending on the location of your accommodation, you may wish to walk, take a cab or a local bus.
What to do & Where to eat
Paphos is divided into two centres of action – Kato Paphos, which is the area around the harbour. And the Old Town, which has a less touristy, and somewhat more stylish, ambience.
On your first evening, we recommend heading to the pleasant Paphos harbour. If we are totally honest, it is not our favourite area in Cyprus, but it seems almost essential to have at least one happy hour tipple by the water. Follow this with supper at Hondros, a traditional taverna.
One of our favourite activities in Paphos was to take a sunset swim in the municipal swimming areas. We noticed a few people doing this in our first evening and couldn’t wait to try it. If you want to avoid spending too much money, follow your swim with a beer and a souvlaki takeaway by the water.
Where to stay
We would recommend staying near to Kato Paphos to be close to the harbour and the bulk of the restaurants.
BUDGET: Cystrallo Apartments is a typical budget apartment block close to Kato Paphos available for around 50 Euros per night. There are many similar apartments with pools available on Airbnb too.
MID-RANGE: For mid-range accommodation, Paphos has plenty of choice. The Regency Boutique Hotel is a new building with smart features, close to the harbour. Alternatively, this apartment is a more relaxed option.
LUXURY: Alexander the Great is a large hotel with many swimming pools and what we think is one of the best locations. It is close to the water and only 10 minutes away from the harbour – but far enough to feel relaxed.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Eight Paphos – visit Tomb of the Kings & Coral Bay
For your first full day in Paphos, we would recommend taking a day trip to Tomb of the Kings in the morning and Coral Bay in the afternoon. We suggest combining the two as the transport from Coral Bay leaves from Tomb of the Kings. But also, visiting something educational before the beach always makes us feel a bit virtuous.
How to get there
From Paphos Harbour bus station, take the 611 bus to Tomb of the Kings then once you’ve visited there, return to the bus stop and board the 615 bus to Coral Bay. You can also walk to the Tomb of the Kings (around 20 minutes from the harbour.)
Buses run every 10 minutes or so and the total journey takes around 25 minutes. You can purchase a day ticket for the bus for 6.50 Euros, saving a few euros compared to paying for single bus journeys.
What to do
Tomb of the Kings is an impressive and unique archeological site close to Paphos centre. As a UNESCO world heritage site, a visit is well worth while. Be sure to take advantage of the audio guides accessed via QR codes found next to each tomb, these will give you a bit more information on the history. Tickets cost 2.50 Euros to enter.
Coral Bay, around 11km from Paphos centre, is a stunning horseshoe bay. It offers calm, clear and beautiful water to swim in. There are a few beach bars and sun loungers to hire (7.50 Euros for two loungers and an umbrella.) There are one or two beach bars too.
Where to eat
In the evening, we would suggest taking the bus or walking if you have the energy to visit Paphos Old Town.
It would be remiss of me not to recommend Souvlaki Mixalos too. A kebab place with a cute terrace and incidentally the best souvlaki we have eaten in Cyprus. Service is a little scatter gun, but the food is fantastic.
For something a little more relaxed, there are plenty of tavernas around the old streets of Paphos.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Nine Paphos – three options
For your ninth day, we have three suggestions.
Option One
If you’re keen to relax, then we suggest staying in Paphos or taking a stroll along the coast to a nearby beach, like St George Bay. You can also rent sun loungers in town near to the water- although keep in mind that Paphos doesn’t have a beach as such.
Option Two
The second option, if you’re keen to continue exploring is to head to the village of Pano Pagnia in the hills above Paphos. It is our biggest regret that we weren’t able to visit the village as very sadly there were wild fires in the region. But we wanted to include this recommendation as we don’t want you to miss out too. Our research suggests that it would be a great visit from Paphos.
Pano Pagnia is found 900m above sea level and around 40 minutes away from Paphos. Take bus 637 from Paphos to Pagnia.
In Pagnia, you will find cute cafes, a church, hiking trails and Nikodemos Winery. Finally Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery, which incidentally also offers wine tasting, is around a 20 minute walk from the centre of the village.
Option Three
Our final suggestion is to visit the Blue Lagoon on the Akamas Peninsula. t is called the Blue Lagoon (quite obviously) because it has extremely azure blue waters. As it is so remote, most people visit by boat tour, which includes a bus transfer from Paphos.
You can find our full guide to the best boat tours to the Blue Lagoon from Paphos here.
Cyprus Itinerary: Day Ten Fly Home
Sadly, it’s time to head home by day ten. If you are flying back from Paphos airport, take bus 612 from Kato Paphos to the airport. Find schedule here.
You can also take a bus to Larnaca airport from Paphos fairly easily. Book in advance with Kapnos Shuttle.
Cyprus Itineraries for 5, 7 and 14 days
You can adapt our 10 day itinerary to suit holidays of 5, 7 and 14 days in Cyprus. We provided some suggestions for each of these below.
14 days in Cyprus
If you have additional time in Cyprus, we would recommend spending a few days somewhere rural – for example in one of the pretty mountain villages of Troodos. Or, extending your stay in either Limassol or Paphos to allow you to visit more of the surroundings.
Here’s a suggested 14 day itinerary for Cyprus.
Day 1/ Fly to Larnaca and take the bus to Ayia Napa
Day 2/ Ayia Napa
Day 3/ Ayia Napa
Day 4/ Visit Nicosia for the day – overnight in Limassol (or stay over in Nicosia).
Day 5/ Limassol
Day 6/ Limassol
Day 7/ Limassol
Day 8/ Omodos (Troodos Mountains)
Day 9/ Omodos (Troodos Mountains)
Day 10/ Paphos
Day 11/ Paphos
Day 12/ Paphos
Day 13/ Paphos
Day 14/ Fly back from Paphos
Find our recommendations on where to stay and visit in the Troodos Mountains here.
7 days in Cyprus
With 7 days in Cyprus, you could select one or two areas to base yourself. Our top picks would be either Limassol and Ayia Napa for couples, or Paphos and Protaras for families.
As an alternative, Limassol would be a great choice to stay for 7 days, especially if you enjoy a city vibe and would like to take day trips. The central location in the island offers the chance to visit both the East, (Ayia Napa and Larnaca), the West (Paphos and Akamas) and head North to Troodos and Nicosia.
Find our detailed guide to Limassol, including the best day trips here.
5 days in Cyprus
With five days in Cyprus, I would not recommend trying to see the whole island. Instead, a good choice would be to pick the West or the East – as set out below.
5 days in Cyprus: West itinerary
For this itinerary, we would recommend flying into Paphos and using Paphos as a base by which to explore other areas of the island.
Consider a day trip to the Blue Lagoon, a day trip into the Troodos Mountains, visit the Tomb of the Kings and Coral Bay and explore Paphos Old Town.
5 days in Cyprus: East itinerary
If you have five days and want to see the East of the Island, we would suggest flying into Larnaca. You could choose whether to base yourself in Ayia Napa, Larnaca or Protaras.
We would recommend following the itinerary for Ayia Napa suggested above in our 10 day itinerary, plus considering a day trip to Troodos and perhaps exploring Nicosia.
Our Cyprus Itinerary: FAQs and tips
What is the best month to go to Cyprus?
May and June are delightful in Cyprus, the days are hot and the evenings balmy but not overwhelming. September and October are also popular for the same reasons. Do keep in mind that July and August are extremely hot, 35 centigrade and upwards is the norm.
Which airport to fly into in Cyprus?
There are two international airports – Paphos to the West and Larnaca to the East. We recommend choosing according to your itinerary. But, it is quite easy to get between the two airports, so to an extent it’s not a massive debacle if you have to pick whichever airport is cheapest or has the most convenient flight times.
Is Cyprus expensive?
We would say that Cyprus has lower costs than many Greek islands. It is well established as a tourist island, and prices reflect this. However, cost of living has gone up a little in Cyprus, which has raised prices for accommodation a tad (due to rising electricity costs in particular.)
Here’s an overview of the average costs that we encountered on our trip.
| Item | Cost in Euros |
| Budget Accommodation | 40 – 50 Euros |
| Mid-Range Accommodation | 100 Euros |
| Luxury Accommodation | 150 Euros + |
| Large bottle of water | 0.50 to 1 Euro |
| Large Beer | 3 to 4 Euros |
| Cypriot Coffee or Frappe | 1.50 Euros to 3 Euros |
| Glass of Wine/ Small Carafe | 4 or 5 Euros/ 8 to 10 Euros |
| Souvlaki/ Gyros Pitta | Between 4.50 and 8 Euros |
| Main Course in restaurant | 12 to 17 Euros |
| Mezze (per person) | 25 Euros |
Is it easy to get cash in Cyprus? And do I need cash?
We rarely encountered anywhere that was cash only in Cyprus. In fact, I can only recall using cash to buy something from a stall in a remote village. The buses also require cash too.
If you want to take cash out in Cyprus, you can find ATMs easily in most big towns and cities. We also found that the ATMs didn’t charge – even the ones at the airport, which was a pleasant surprise.
Should I visit the North of Cyprus?
We opted to stick to the South of Cyprus (the Republic of Cyprus) when we visited. Our decision to do so was based on two things – firstly, we felt that there was plenty to see in the time frame and we wanted to do it justice. Secondly, we were craving a Greek experience.
Tourists do visit the North and we understand it is generally thought to be safe. If you want a taste of the North, you can cross the border in Nicosia. A popular resort just 30 minutes North of Nicosia is Kyrenia.
What plugs are used in Cyprus?
Now, this caught me out a bit! Cyprus doesn’t use the standard European Type C plug (the one with two prongs.) Instead, it uses the three pronged Type G – the same as the UK. So, if you’re travelling from the UK you won’t need an adapter. From elsewhere in Europe, you will.
What about SIM cards and WiFi in Cyprus?
We generally found great WiFi in our apartments and hotels in Cyprus. Often cafes and restaurants will have WiFi for customers too. We chose to purchase Airalo eSIMS – as we always do when travelling and found these worked well.
Where can I get a sim card?
Need a sim card on landing or about to fly off? Rather than the hassle of finding/getting a physical sim card, an easier method these days is to get an e-sim. Simply select the country or region you are in and get data and calls on your phone. More info can be found here.
Prices are reasonable, usually only $25 for 20GB of data. We now always use this method when travelling as it just saves so much time and bother!
Can you drink the tap water in Cyprus?
Yes, you can drink the tap water in Cyprus. We did for one month and were absolutely fine. You can also buy bottled water readily.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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3 responses to “Our leisurely Cyprus itinerary without a hire car”
[…] a heads up, we’ve also written a detailed guide to exploring the island of Cyprus here – in this guide you can find itineraries for 5, 7, 10 and 14 […]
[…] If you want to visit both – you can find our 7, 10 or 14 day itineraries for Cyprus here. […]
[…] Air’s network also includes some classic European destinations – various places in Italy, Cyprus and The Canary Islands. As well as the usual low-cost city breaks, such as Budapest and […]