Most of us imagine holidays in Cyprus exclusively as a sea vacation — soaking up the sun on the beach, enjoying Cyprus food at the taverns, strolling along the seafront. This compact Mediterranean island though is jam-packed with beautiful sites — from tranquillity of the mountains and mesmerising seascapes, to ancient ruins, quaint Cyprus villages and mysterious Byzantine monasteries.
But how to see them all in a span of only a few days of our Cyprus vacation? That's where organised excursions come in. They provide a planned itinerary, plus lots of interesting facts about the island that we otherwise wouldn't have discovered. In Cyprus there’re many excursions to choose from: boat cruises, scenic mountain rides, wine and culinary experiences as well as religious and historical excursions.
So, if you’re ready for a little adventure, in our article we’ll tell you everything about how to choose excursions in Cyprus and make the most out of your trip.
Sample tours by area
Larnaca
Larnaca city tour + Lefkara or Nicosia will take you to the stunning ancient church of St Lazarus. You will see Salt Lake & Hala Sultan Tekke mosque. After, you’ll discover Lefkara — a quaint white and blue mountain village, famous for lace and silver crafts, or Nicosia — Cyprus culture capital.
Zenobia shipwreck excursion to one of the top recreational diving spots in Cyprus, offering glass-bottom boat rides with snorkeling and semi-submarine viewing. Village& wine tours give us the chance to discover the Cypriot wine and cheesemaking villages, including Omodos and Skarinou. It includes food and wine tasting and cooking demonstrations.
Ayia Napa & Protaras
Blue Lagoon & Turtle Cove boat trip offers swim stops at scenic spots and a chance to visit sea caves and turtles, also snorkeling activities, and, sometimes glass bottom options. Surf & turf Cape Greco Adventure combines jeep safari to Cape Greco nature Park and caves and boat cruise around Ayia Napa with swimming and snorkeling.
There’re Famagusta Salamis and Kyrenia full-day tours, departing from Larnaca and Nicosia, where you’ll discover the ghost-town of Famagusta — Varosha, ancient ruins of Salamis and beautiful seaside Kyrenia.
Limassol
Ancient Kourion & Kolossi Castle includes visiting ruins of Kourion, and Omodos village, popular for wines and special dried bread. Troodos Food & Wine getaways offer us a chance to discover mountain villages and ancient monasteries and to sample best local produce, including zivania and comandaria wine. A Private Guided Heritage Walk around the historical part of the city will let you explore art, architecture and urban life.
Wine tours - а famous wine region, Limassol offers a variety of wine trips around wine-producing villages — «krasochoria» in Cypriot slang. The area is home to lesser known boutique wineries where you can try unique Cyprus wines.
Paphos
Akamas Safari — a guided off-road jeep adventure with scenic views of Avakas Gorge, Lara turtle beach, Adonis Baths waterfall for an authentic experience. Those who prefer comfort over adventure, may want to opt for a Mini Bus & Boat trip that offers a scenic ride around the peninsula and Avakas Gorge with a boat ride to Blue Lagoon.
Interesting fact: There’re two Blue Lagoons in Cyprus — near Ayia Napa, whilst the other is in a pristine location near Akamas in Paphos. Coach to Petra tou Romiou & Paphos villages combines visiting Aphrodite's Rock with the other villages in Paphos: Yeroskipou, Tala, Polis, and, sometimes Latchi and Baths of Aphrodite. If you like a thrill, then try a Buggy/ Quad Ride to Aphrodite's Rock, offering a 2-hour off-road experience along the coastal dirt-roads.
Nicosia
Cultural Guided Walks take you through the historical part of the capital with charming buildings surrounded by medieval Venetian Walls. Also, you’ll get a chance to cross the «green line» on central Ledra Street and walk through North Nicosia with its mosques, narrow bazaars and gothic style architecture.
For a personal experience, you can book a personal Nicosia Walk With a Local, offering a unique insight. It is moderately priced and may be booked online, and you get an option to select your own guide. A Small-group Trip — «Fikardou—Macheras—Lefkara» will take you to a very charismatic Cyprus village with traditional stone architecture — Fikardou, then you’ll proceed to Macheras monastery and stop by Lefkara village.
Troodos
A full-day Jeep Safari will take you through Platres, Mount Olympus, Omodos, natural waterfall and Kykkos Monastery. Includes nature walks and traditional Cyprus lunch. If you want to learn about Cyprus food and traditions, you should go on a Halloumi-making Tour. There you'll learn to make the famous Cyprus cheese varieties — Halloumi and anari, sample the Cypriot products and discover mountainous villages.
There are many monastery tours that will immerse you in the rich Byzantine heritage. You can visit many Cyprus monasteries, such as Kykkos, Trooditissa, Trikoukiotissa, Kalo Panagiotis and more.
What to consider
Before booking your excursion, just take your time to think — which experiences you’re into. Are you ready for an action-packed day of swimming, snorkelling or hiking?
Maybe you want to relax sampling Cypriot wines and foods, or immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of the island?
Certain excursions here are better in summer, such as boat cruises with swimming and snorkeling. Whereas, mountain getaways are perfect in any season. Important to keep in mind though — sometimes the Troodos roads might get closed during cold winter snaps.
Normally coaches are comfortable for all age groups, whilst jeep safaris can encounter rough bumpy dirt-roads which are not for the fainthearted. Smaller groups often offer us a personalised and authentic experience, but are slightly more costly than larger groups.
The costs may vary, depending on the length and type of the excursion. Typically half-day would cost from €35—€40 per person, whilst full-day excursions, especially with wine and food tasting, start from €70 to €150 per person.
Choosing the operator
In our day and age, the best way to find a good operator is online research — checking reviews on Google, TripAdvisor, and browsing travel forums for information. Our advice is to consider your preferences and your budget. Do you prefer booking a fully arranged excursion or need customising? Generally, smaller operators/ guides offer some flexibility. Keep in mind the theme for your excursion — certain operators might specialise in adventure experiences, whilst others are better at culture and history.
Booking
Booking excursions in Cyprus is pretty straightforward and there’re many options:
- Booking via direct contact or operator's website
- Using online tour aggregator websites
- Through hotels/accommodation
- In person, at nearby tour shops
Our tips
We advise you to take plenty of sunscreen and a hat, even on a simple bus tour. For monastery visits, our advice would be to use modest clothing: longer skirts and trousers, and longer sleeves. If you suffer from any medical conditions please notify your tour operator before you book. Check the operator’s refund and cancellation policy.
Make sure to take your passport/ID when going for excursions involving «green line» crossing. We recommend learning a few simple Greek phrases to engage with the locals for a truly authentic interaction, although English is often enough.
Excursions are a great way to see more of Cyprus in a short span of time. We’re sure that even if it's not your first visit to Cyprus, the excursions will help you discover its new and unusual side, keeping you coming back to this island for more.
We wish you a wonderful stay in Cyprus! And, as they say here: «kαλή εκδρομή!» (kahlee ekdromee) — enjoy your excursion!
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