Spending a week in Cyprus is definitely an agitated trip. This is because the island has so much to offer than only visiting it for 6-7 days will have you running from one place to another. But as any trip you do to this beautiful island will be worth it so, why not taking the rush?
Of course, if you only want to relax at the beach, eat in some good restaurants and party one or two nights, this time is perfect. But that would be definitely wasting that trip as there’s so much to see.
Arriving Cyprus
The first day of your journey you would like to spend on discovering the city you’ve arrived at. This is because you’ll probably be tired and won’t be in shape for road tripping. But as you’ll only stay a week, you’ll also want to take the most of it.
You can arrive in Cyprus from three different airports:
⦁ Paphos International Airport (Southern Cyprus): you can take a bus from there for €1.50 and road trip 40 minutes until you reach Kato (they step by around every hour from 7:30 am to 12 am). Also, you can get a cab but it’ll cost around €30.
⦁ Larnaka International Airport (Southern Cyprus): you can take a bus to Finikoudes for €1.5 and road trip of 25 minutes (the buses step by every half hour from 5:55 am to 11:25 pm). If you choose to hire a taxi it will cost around €15.
⦁ Ercan Airport (northern Cyprus): you can’t access this airport from foreigner countries unless you have really difficult permissions. But you might arrive from one of the two international airports. Only 12 buses stop by daily. A cab would cost 70TL.
Booking a hotel or renting a property?
Depending on the number of people going on your trip and the budget you want to invest, there’re several options for accommodation in Cyprus. As you’ll spend a week, you need to know exactly what you want.
If taking the most relaxing and pampering experience is your goal, book a hotel. But if you only want a place to stay only for sleeping and then leave to your next adventure, then agrotourism, camping, private rooms or apartments for families are more suitable for your vacations.
Agrotourism
This kind of accommodation is usually far from city centers as it uses antique traditional stone houses as a hotel. Even though they usually have all the commodities such as pools and wi-fi they are still one of the cheapest options:
⦁ €40 for single rooms
⦁ €50-70 for double rooms
⦁ €100 for more luxurious studios.
Also, these properties often include activities related to rural and physical activities.
Camping
A limited option as you can only find 4 legal camping grounds in the southern area and even less in the north. They will include hot showers, snack bars, and minimarkets so they’re pretty comfortable too. Prices are similar to the cheaper agrotourism.
Private rooms
Some locals offer private rooms for renting at a really cheap price (€15-€20) but this is not so common so you’ll have to find signs or ask in taverns, especially in Agia Napa. A good advantage is that you might get meals provided for a really cheap extra cost.
Hotels
Most common way to book a hotel is by package-tour groups. Actually, if you’re planning on traveling on holiday season, it’s recommendable that you pre-book at least a couple of month before. Nevertheless, when not in season, it’s still possible to find walk-in rooms. This is the most expensive kind of accommodation even though it’s heavily regulated. This doesn’t mean you can’t find some good prices but it varies a lot.
Villa
Villas are rarely rented for less than a two-week period so it’s not a good option for your one week travel.
Apartments
Apartments are a good option for families with children as they include well-equipped kitchens and are a bit cheaper. You can find a studio apartment for €35 or a two-bedroom apartment for €35.
Planning your activities and visiting the most popular places
There’s too much to do in Cyprus to achieve it all in a week. Nevertheless, if you rent a car and have a tight schedule, you can manage to at least know the most common places.
Beaches
⦁ Lara Beach: top #1 Cyprus beach with golden sands.
⦁ Aphrodite’s Rock: very popular because of its history, Aphrodite supposedly emerged from its shores.
⦁ Golden Beach: the largest beach on Cyprus, you’ll find a place to relax even when the island is crowded and you can also see wild donkeys or turtles.
⦁ Fig Tree Bay: ideal for kids as it’s really shallow at the shore. It’s also really busy but the san is still fine.
⦁ Konnos beach: for the active and young, these white sands offer all kind of activities and sports.
⦁ Alagadi Beach: the wildest beach adventure on the island. It’s really lonely and far from the city.
Arts and crafts
⦁ Loukia & Michael Zampelas Art Museum: contemporary Cypriot art and some foreigner artists.
⦁ Skala: if you’re looking for Cypriot ceramics then heading to Larnaka’s Skala is your best option.
⦁ Byzantine art museum: the best place for historic art in Cyprus.
⦁ Agios Ioannis Lambadistis Monastery: a real late-Byzantine monastery with original frescos (not so good for the ones having asthma)
⦁ Büyük Han: for buying traditional craft has never been so amazing as in this restored Ottoman caravanserai.
⦁ Municipal Folk Art Museum: really tiny and located in Limassol for the tornaretto embroidery lovers.
⦁ Cyprus Handicrafts Centre: watch traditional Cypriot artisans live.
Archeology
⦁ Ancient Kourion: view the coast from the theatre and feel right in the ancient Greek Hellenistic and Roman ruins in Limassol.
⦁ Paphos Archaeological Site: a great collection of mosaics and remains from 4th Century BC.
⦁ Tombs of the Kings: underground tombs for exploring in Paphos.
⦁ Hrysopolitissa Basilica & St Paul’s Pillar: foundations of a 4th-century Basilica.
⦁ Byzantine painted churches on Troodos Mountains.
Most popular places to visit with children
⦁ Kantara Castle in Karpas Peninsula, a fairytale adventure.
⦁ Natural History Museum of Larnaka offers contact with live animals as well as a playground.
⦁ Mazotos Camel Park: Larnaka offers kids the opportunity to ride on camels and then go to the pool.
⦁ Pafos zoo: an incredible variety of animals and Bird Park.
⦁ Zephyros Adventure Sports: in Paphos kids can explore all kinds of adventure sports such as kayaking or trekking.
⦁ George’s ranch: located in Paphos it offers horse riding for kids along the beach.
Eating, nightlife, and entertainment
⦁ You can find Michelin-star-quality cuisine as well as traditional tavernas, cafes hotel restaurants. The Meze is the most traditional way for tourists to eat and it’s especially suitable for short trips. It consists of 30 sample dishes to be shared and served in stages:
⦁ The entrances are bread, salad, and olives.
⦁ Vegetables, sausages, and cheeses are next.
⦁ Then it comes to the meat which includes lamb, pork, chicken, beef, meatballs, smoked meat and some traditional surprises. For an extra cost, you can ask for fish meze. Vegetarian meze is also available.
⦁ Finally, fresh fruits and pastries for dessert.
⦁ Nightlife and clubbing life are quite good in Paphos but definitely, Agia Napa is the clubbing town.
⦁ Cyprus is known for its wine tradition so, no matter what you decide to visit or where you decide to go, make sure you try some wine. You can even visit one of the six wine routes you’ll find on the Republic of Cyprus tourist information booklet.
