Cyprus Holidays

Aphrodite’s island is blessed with Blue Flag beaches lapped by crystal waters – but with monasteries, ancient tombs and mountain landscapes, it’s more than just a beach destination.

You might be seduced by the postcard scenes of Cyprus’s knockout beaches, but it’s the food, culture and history that’ll stick with you. This beguiling Mediterranean island has it all going on. Just a splash from the shore, you can discover legendary rock formations, age-old archaeological ruins, bathable waterfalls and family-run wineries. Pull on your hiking boots to trek the Troodos Mountains, visit the Tomb of the Kings where 4th Century aristocrats were buried, and dine out on succulent souvlaki grills, moussaka and sweet loukoumades (honey dough balls).

Studding the Cyprus coastline are some of the world’s best Blue Flag-awarded beaches (76 to be exact). And they’ve all got their own individual charm. There’s the calm, diamond-clear waters of Fig Tree Bay, the rocky arches and smugglers’ caves of Cape Greko, and the loggerhead turtles of Pissouri, which you can often spot on a swim or snorkel. You could spend your time lounging by the lagoon, indulging in meze lunches paired with local wine, or head out on island adventures to see Aphrodite’s Rock, the mythical birthplace of the Goddess of Love.

We know Cyprus from all angles, so talk to us and we’ll create an enchanted Mediterranean escape to suit your travel style.

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Cyprus - Perfect for

  • Sun-kissed coastline

    Cyprus is a top choice for summer and winter sunshine, with 76 Blue Flag-awarded beaches – from shallow family-friendly lagoons to remote rocky bays.

  • Traditional mountain life

    The Troodos Mountains give you forested waterfalls, ancient monasteries, UNESCO-listed Byzantine churches, rugged trails and wine-making villages.

  • Historic relics

    Unlock a treasure trove of extraordinary tales as you explore 4th Century tombs, Roman ruins and archaeological monuments dedicated to Greek Gods.

  • Cypriot flavours

    Influenced by Greek and Turkish flavours, Cypriot cuisine is rustic and down-to-earth – think homemade lamb kleftiko, meze spreads and fried halloumi.

Cyprus Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Cyprus

Columbia Beach Resort

Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, this romantic resort offers the ultimate in seclusion and l...

Azia Resort & Spa

With its stunning seafront setting, sustainable restaurants and award-winning spa, this low-impac...

Elysium Hotel

This is a delightful beachfront resort with a traditional Cypriot style, offering award-winning s...

Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

This exceptional resort is design-led, in a glorious beachfront setting and features world-class...

Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort

A clever blend of design, luxury and wellness make this a head turning summer hangout. Expect sum...

Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel

A stylish and tranquil hotel with a fantastic selection of leisure and dining facilities.

Capo Bay Hotel

A family-friendly resort on one of Europe’s best beaches, set in a popular resort town.

Anassa

Understated luxury and sheer elegance within a resort of palatial yet simple Cypriot style

Almyra

Overlooking Paphos harbour, this popular resort has a modern style and state-of-the-art amenities...

Constantinou Bros Athena Beach Hotel

This expansive hotel is set right on the beach, away from the bustle of central Paphos.

Constantinou Bros Athena Royal Beach

An adults-only hotel offering a fantastic selection of leisure and dining facilities.

AMARA

A luxe hotel on Limassol’s beautiful coast with exceptional dining venues.

Amavi Hotel

A beautiful couples-only hotel with a self-assured swagger, set on a Blue Flag-awarded beach in P...

Casale Panayiotis

A stylish mountain bolthole surrounded by stunning scenery, this unique hotel offers a taste of a...

Mediterranean Beach Hotel

With a striking pool scene, resort-style touches and ancient city ruins just around the corner, M...

Holidays in Cyprus

  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, this romantic resort offers the ultimate in seclusion and luxury.

From £988 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

With its stunning seafront setting, sustainable restaurants and award-winning spa, this low-impact luxury resort goes above and beyond to create a special experience for everyone.

From £943 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

This is a delightful beachfront resort with a traditional Cypriot style, offering award-winning service.

From £907 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

This exceptional resort is design-led, in a glorious beachfront setting and features world-class facilities.

From £960 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

A clever blend of design, luxury and wellness make this a head turning summer hangout. Expect sumptuous suites, stunning sea views and beautiful restaurants.

From £1,346 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

A stylish and tranquil hotel with a fantastic selection of leisure and dining facilities.

From £1,201 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 4.5 Star

A family-friendly resort on one of Europe’s best beaches, set in a popular resort town.

From £821 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

Understated luxury and sheer elegance within a resort of palatial yet simple Cypriot style

From £1,734 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 5 Star

Overlooking Paphos harbour, this popular resort has a modern style and state-of-the-art amenities.

From £1,005 p/p
  • Cyprus
  • 4 Star

This expansive hotel is set right on the beach, away from the bustle of central Paphos.

From £760 p/p

Hidden Cyprus

See a side of Cyprus that many visitors don’t tend to see – the stunning and character-filled villages that are tucked away in the Troodos Mountains. Begin your day in Kakopetria, where winding cobbled streets are lined with gorgeous stone-built houses. Next up is the settlement of Omodos, a rural town that’s home to a 17th-Century monastery and an array of craft shops and local tavernas, one of which will be your lunch spot.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 9am to 4pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Protaras and Limassol
• Private experience

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Walk to Cavo Greco

It’s all about Cyprus’s natural beauty on this on-foot tour in south-east Cyprus. You’ll lace up your walking shoes and follow the coast to Cape Greco, a breathtaking rocky promontory where cerulean seas shape dramatic cliffs and caves. You’ll also walk through the nearby National Forest Park where miniature pine trees and juniper bushes are scattered across the sun-soaked landscapes. Sustenance will be in the way of a picnic packed with mouth-watering Cypriot food.

• Duration: full day
• Departs Monday-Saturday
• Operates year-round from Protaras
• Private experience

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Highlights of Cyprus in a Day

Pack in the best of the island’s sights, tease the tastebuds and explore rural Cyprus on an all-day adventure. You’ll begin with breakfast at a traditional kafenion (coffee shop) before visiting the UNESCO-listed village of Fikardou with its criss-crossing narrow streets and mountainous backdrops. As well as sitting down for a meze lunch at a local family restaurant, visit the terracotta topped Macharias Monastery.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 5pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from from Protaras and Limassol
• Private experience

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Larnaca Cooking Class

Learning a recipe and new cooking techniques is the ideal way to ensure that holiday feeling continues once the wheels have touched down in the UK. You’ll get the chance to learn from the experts in the village of Vavatsinia as they show how a selection of local dishes. And the best thing about cooking classes is that you have the chance to taste your creations – this time at lunch. The day concludes with a visit to Lefkara, a village known for its traditional crafts.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 3.30pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Protaras and Limassol
• Private experience

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Traditional Cyprus

Away from the coastal resorts and larger towns and cities, life in Cyprus has retained much of its traditional charm. We’ll spend the day learning about local delicacies, firstly visiting a goat farm where halloumi is produced. Next up we’ll visit a farm to learn to make olive bread and a winery to taste the island’s sweet dessert wines. The tour ends up in the Troodos Mountains where a visit to local family taverna is included.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 3.30pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Protaras and Limassol
• Private experience

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Experience a Day in the Life of a Beekeeper

Bees are essential to the ecosystem and economy of Cyprus as the island has a long history of honey production and it is a major export. Today, discover the work that goes into caring for these busy little insects from working with the hives to extracting and bottling the sweet nectar produced. Of course, you’ll get to try different varieties of honey as well as learning how it is used in cosmetics and other parts of life.

• Duration: half day
• Time: 9am to 2pm • Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Protaras and Limassol
• Private experience

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Discover Cypriot Traditions by Jeep

You can really get to know a destination by travelling through its countryside, driving from farms to villages and really getting off the beaten track. This full day exploration is flexible in nature but there’ll be the option to visit a halloumi cheese workshop, stop at a winery where you’ll join a short tour and a tasting and visit the village of Fyti which is famed for its lace weaving. Coffee lovers will love the stop at a local kafenion while nature enthusiasts can head out on a short walk to see a rare species of wild sheep. Alternatively, you could head to a nearby bay for a swim.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 9am tp 5pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Paphos, Pissouri, Polis and Limassol
• Private experience

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Forests & Villages by Jeep

There’s a share of nature and culture on this full day exploration up in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. Head into the stunning Diarizos Valley, stopping for a delicious Cypriot coffee in Agios Nikolas before you drive through the Paphos Forest and onto the UNESCO-protected Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Church. The rest of the day will be spent wandering through impossibly pretty mountain villages, sitting down to a typical Mediterranean lunch at riverside restaurant and wandering to a small pretty waterfall hidden in the forest.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8.30am to 5pm
• Departs Monday to Saturday
• Operates year-round from Paphos, Pissouri, Polis and Limassol
• Private experience

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Scenic Yacht Cruise

Enjoy a lively sun-kissed day out on the glistening Med on the Ocean Flyer motor yacht. You’ll be welcomed on board with a glass of sparkling wine and set off for the first of two inviting swimming spots. Here, you can take a dip (swimming noodles are included if you are a nervous swimmer), hop on one of the canoes or simply soak up the rays on the open-air decks. A varied buffet lunch will be served at one of the swim spots and followed up by desserts and fresh fruit. Throughout the voyage, there’ll be an open bar serving local drinks and there’ll be some light-hearted entertainment.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 11am to 4pm
• Daily departures from Paphos
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Discover Troodos

The stunning Troodos Mountains hide a cluster of traditional Cypriot villages where cobbled streets are lined with charming stone houses that are adorned with flowers. During your time in the mountains, you’ll visit a museum where you’ll learn about the region’s wine producing industry, and the bijou Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis (St. Nicholas of the Roof) which was believed to have been built in the 11th Century. The next stops are the wonderfully preserved medieval settlement of Kakopetria and tour ends with a wine tasting session in the village of Omodos.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 6.40pm
• Departs on Tuesday from Paphos
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Historical Cyprus

Peel back the layers of the island’s rich and varied history on this heritage-packed day out. The tour starts at Aphrodite’s Rock, also known as Petra tou Romiou, the mythological birthplace of the Goddess of Beauty and Love, before moving on to the Kourion Archaeological Site, where the remains of an ancient kingdom are beautifully framed by the Mediterranean and the rugged coastline. The Crusades are the next historical focus as you visit Kolossi Castle. This military stronghold was originally built in the 13th Century and reconstructed in its existing form 200 years later. It’s then time to head up into the Trodos Mountains and the traditional village of Omodos where you’ll take part in a wine tasting a nearby winery.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 5.15pm
• Departs on Monday from Paphos
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Cultural Cyprus

Cyprus is an island that is rich with traditions that have endured across centuries. You’ll start in the heart of Paphos Old Town where characterful streets are lined with vibrant buildings and browse the stalls of the old market. Here, you can buy locally produced crafts and try traditional delicacies and wine (at your own cost). Just to the north of Paphos is hillside Tala which is home to the 16th-Century Holy Monastery of Saint Neophytos the Recluse with its beautiful frescoes. Continue on to Letymbou where you’ll visit the local home where Sophia will show you how halloumi cheese is made, and you’ll sit down to a typical Cypriot brunch and coffee. End the tour tasting another of the island’s famed produce: wine.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 9am to 3pm
• Departs on Tuesday from Paphos
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Peaks of Faith

For centuries, faith has been incredibly important to the people of Cyprus and there are reminders of this wherever you go. On this full-day trip, we’ll take you to a handful of historic monasteries, some of which are just shy of 900 years old. First up is Chrysoroyiatissa Monastery, a 12th-Century place of worship that’s dedicated to ‘Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate’. The most lavish and largest of the island’s monasteries is Kykkos which is reached along pine- and cedar-lined lanes. Spend a bit of time here seeking out fascinating artefacts and soaking up the unique atmosphere. The final stop of the day is the village of Omodos where you’ll find the Holy Cross Monastery, one of the oldest in Cyprus.

• Duration: full day
• Time: 8am to 6pm
• Departs on Monday from Paphos
• Operates year-round
• Group experience

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Get to know Cyprus and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +2 hours

CURRENCY

Euro

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

4½ hours

RELIGION

Christianity (majority Eastern Orthodox)

LANGUAGE

Greek (and Turkish in Northern Cyprus)

Where is Cyprus?
The idyllic island of Cyprus is located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to the south of Turkey and North of Egypt. Although considered a European Island, and shares its culture with the south-east European countries, it is geographically classed as being located in Western Asia.

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Protaras
The town of Protaras, located at the south-eastern tip of the island, is first and foremost a family-friendly resort. The town is perfect for those looking for a lively spot where there’s plenty to do for family members of all ages – both day and night. The town’s real highlight is its enviable setting on one of Europe’s most popular beaches – the sandy Fig Tree Bay, which is lapped by beautifully clear waters. The resort town of Ayia Napa is not too far away for those who’d like to experience its famed nightlife.

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Limassol
Limassol is ideal for exploration. You can discover the fascinating rock formations, secluded coves and natural arches that are hidden within verdant forestry or by the sea; take a short boat trip to enchanting Cape Greko; or experience the lively port and wide sandy beaches of the heart of town, which is often called ‘Little Miami’. A little further afield there’s the largely undeveloped Lady’s Mile Beach, a popular choice for family-friendly swimming and windsurfing.

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Paphos
Located on Cyprus’ south-west shore, the town of Paphos is undoubtedly the island’s most famous resort. The modern waterfront area of Kato Paphos offers restaurants and bars which are geared towards international visitors, while in the historic centre of Ktima, cobbled streets hide gems such as ancient catacombs and local markets. The majority of Paphos’ resorts, as well as our featured properties (p176-180) are located along the waterfront to the east of the centre of Kato Paphos, just a beachside walk or short taxi ride from the harbour.

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Pissouri
Pissouri Bay sits within the small town of Pissouri, located between Limassol and Paphos. Serene enough for the loggerhead turtles to come and lay their eggs, Pissouri features authentic Cypriot architecture and a long Blue Flag beach, where you can enjoy watersports such as sailing, diving and windsurfing.

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The Troodos Mountains
The Troodos National Forest Park covers a vast area of rugged mountain landscapes including the 1952-metre-high Mount Olympus. Whether you want to hike in the mountains or visit traditional villages, we highly recommend staying here for two or three nights. While here, you can spend some time sampling a glass or two of the country’s most popular wines on the Pitsilia Wine Route. Wine has been produced in Cyprus for over 5000 years, with the combination of high altitudes and mild winters creating the perfect conditions for the production of some of the Mediterranean’s finest wines.

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History
For a small country, Cyprus packs in plenty of sites of huge historic interest. One of the real highlights is the Archaeological Park of Kato Paphos, part of the wider Paphos UNESCO World Heritage site. The ruins here date from Prehistoric Ages through to the Middle Ages, although the majority of structures are Roman in origin. Just to the north of the site is the Tomb of the Kings, the final resting place of local aristocrats from over 2000 years ago. Close to Pissouri is the Kourion Archaeological Site, a former city kingdom which overlooks the Med, and the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates (the God of the Woodland).

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