Cyprus travel guide

Read about the highs and the lows of the third largest island in the Mediterranean as our Cyprus travel guide leads you to the archaeological sites, Blue Flag beaches and jaw dropping mountain viewpoints rarely glimpsed by many visitors. From turtle nesting grounds and untamed peninsulas to the Troodos Mountains and the Baths of Aphrodite, Cyprus has everything.

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Cyprus travel guide

The archaeological remains of Kourin on the southwest coast are just as meaningful as the Byzantine churches and Kykkos Monastery to be found in the rugged Troodos Mountains, further inland. Nowhere is the UN monitored Green Line between the Turkish north and Cypriot south more in evidence than in the Venetian defences and ramshackle alleys of the country's capital, Nicosia; however, don't expect to find much resistance in the north unless you consider the Crusader castle at Kyrenia particularly intimidating.

Adonis and Aphrodite would become apoplectic if they caught sight of Ayia Napa but thankfully there's plenty of Cyprus to go round.

Peninsulas jab off Cyprus like the proverbial sore thumbs but Akamas, in the northwest, and Karpasia, in the northeast, are quite the opposite in terms of natural attractions with nesting turtles on Alagadi Beach just as fascinating as a dip in the baths favoured by none other than the goddess of love.

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Cyprus is...

committed to a sustainable future. It won a silver medal in 2015 as the best destination for Responsible Tourism in the World Responsible Tourism Awards

Cyprus isn’t…

just a British military enclave or Greco-Turkish political football.

Things to do in Cyprus…

The most scenic hiking trail is undoubtedly the ridge running for 100km from east to west across the Besparmak (Kyrenia) Mountains. Punctuated by crusader castles and ancient monasteries you’ll find carpets of wildflowers and scented pine forests flanked by views over the Med and distant Troodos Mountains. There’s also a shorter trail in the Five Finger Mountains on broad forest tracks and ridges with panoramic mountain views to the south and north culminating in the stunning ‘Lover's Leap’. Tourists flock to the south with Nissi Beach, Coral Bay and Fig Tree Bay popular Blue Flag options. In between, you'll find Governor’s Beach, Lady's Mile and Button Beach all somewhat more developed. For wild and untamed head to Latchi Beach, Serena Bay, Porto Pomos, Lara Bay, Blue Lagoon Cove and around the Akamas Peninsula. In the northeast, Karpasia Peninsula is remote but worth it with Golden Beach and Nangomi Beach probably the most rewarding beaches on the island. Cyprus boasts several agrotourism schemes set within close knit Cypriot communities, just inland from the coast and within easy access of Nicosia and the airport. The Larnaca region, especially, is well known for its collection of authentic, centrally-located villages, like Tochni and Kalavassos, which feature self catering properties; although villas close to the coast in Limassol and rural retreats in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains can be equally as enticing for those looking to live like a local.

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Things not to do in Cyprus...

Support the mistreatment of animals. Just outside Nicosia there's a noise being made and not just from the lions, tigers and other captive animals at Melios Zoo. The dissonance comes from protesters concerned with the legal loophole that allows the zoo to import animals as pets therefore bypassing international trade and veterinary conventions on animal welfare. Melios is not a zoo, it's a licensed pet shop. The animals are for sale. Siberian tigers are kept in the heat of the Med. Paphos Zoo is no better. Get them both shut down.

Although the rock carved Makronissos Tombs and the local monastery are worth a mention the rest of Ayia Napa, as a resort, centers around boat parties, bar crawls and fast-food chains. So, unless you're part of the up until dawn and sunbathe from noon crowd, we'd recommend giving it a miss. However, if you are in the area, the protected Cape Greco nature reserve, in between Ayia Napa and Protaras, is well worth a visit if only for the peace, quiet and unrestricted views out to sea.

Miss out on the north. Crossing to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus at the 24hr checkpoints in Nicosia is possible on foot and by hire car. The TRNC is not off-limits to travelers or Cypriots and presents a much more authentic vision of the island complete with stretches of coastline unaffected by tourism as well as ridge walks, crusader castles and splendid countryside dotted with citrus groves, turtle conservation sites and nearly 50 different species of orchid.