The best things to do in Cyprus
21.07.2023 - 07:52
/ roughguides.com
The birthplace of Aphrodite and the crossroads between three continents, Cyprus has seduced and inspired generations of travellers for hundreds of years. And it continues to do so today. Here is our pick of the best things to do in Cyprus.
This article is inspired by the Rough Guide to Cyprus — your essential guide to travelling to Cyprus.
Beaches in both the south and the north represent some of the last Mediterranean nesting places of green and loggerhead turtles. One of the most beautiful and most isolated beaches in Cyprus, Lara Bay is a haven for loggerheads and green turtles. During the turtle laying season volunteers monitor the beach for female turtles and relocate their eggs to a fenced hatchery, protecting them from predators.
East of Acapulco Bay is Alagadi Beach, a “Protected Area” because of the green and loggerhead turtles that nest here. As well as sea turtles, the area is home to a variety of plants, lizards and butterflies.
Watch sea turtles in Cyprus Andreas Michael/Shutterstock
With no main roads, few people and a spectacular coastline, the Akamas Peninsula is a pleasant contrast to the island's more developed and crowded parts. A trip to this rugged coastline is one of the best things to do in Cyprus for walkers, mountain bikers, and off-road drivers.
Driving on the Akamas means either renting a 4WD or signing up for a jeep safari, and only experienced walkers, properly dressed and equipped, should attempt it on foot. Given its military past, if you find anything that looks like a live shell or other ordnance, leave well alone.
For the faint of heart, the best way to see the peninsula is from the comfort of a boat – excursions run from Pafos and Lakki (Alkion run cruises in glass-bottomed boats along the Akamas coast.
Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus © f8grapher/Shutterstock
Girne (still widely known by its Greek name Kyrenia or Keryneia) is the most beautiful town in Cyprus, owing to its ravishing harbour, mighty Venetian castle, and a backdrop of sharp and craggy mountains. It even has a pleasant climate, courtesy of those mountains, which bring cooler air and a greener landscape than in the rest of Cyprus.
Apart from the harbour and the castle, much else is hidden among Girne’s steep serpentine alleys. The Anglican Church, the Cafer Paşa Camii, the Ottoman Cemetery and the Chrysopolitissa Church attest to the spiritual life of the town, and the tiny Folk Art Museum and Icon Museum to its cultural life.
Ready to explore the Mediterranean further? Read our guide to the best Greek islands.
Find more accommodation options to stay in Girne.
Beautiful view of the new port of Kyrenia (Girne), North Cyprus © MarinaDa/Shutterstock
Cyprus has some top-quality hiking trails, particularly in the