Cyprus in 5 Days: Limassol, Paphos and a Village in the Troodos Mountains

Limassol

💬 You drive on the left! It's worth getting an automatic car and full insurance, and checking in advance that you're allowed to return the car at Paphos Airport.

Limassol

💬 Ask for a room with a sea view. The hotel is on the beach, about a ten-minute drive from the marina.

Limassol

A modern marina with a promenade, restaurants and shops, adjacent to Limassol's old city.

💬 Especially pleasant at sunset. There's paid underground parking at the marina entrance.

Limassol

💬 Order a fish meze: 15-20 small plates that arrive one after another, so come hungry. The Saripolou street area is lively until late.

Limassol

A medieval castle in the heart of the old city, housing the Cyprus Medieval Museum.

💬 A short visit, no more than an hour. From the roof you can see the entire old city.

Limassol

An ancient city on a cliff above the sea, with a restored Greco-Roman theatre, mosaic-floored houses and an early Christian basilica.

💬 The theatre above the cliff is breathtaking, and the mosaics in the House of Eustolios are worth the visit. There's almost no shade, so bring a hat and water.

Limassol

💬 A long beach at the foot of the cliff with a few small tavernas. There are days with strong waves, so pay attention to the flags.

Limassol

💬 A seaside promenade with a sculpture park and children's playground. You can rent city bikes along the coast.

Troodos

A traditional wine village on the slopes of the Troodos. In its centre stands the Monastery of Stavros on a cobbled square.

💬 Worth arriving before the organised tour buses. In the alleys they sell lace work, sugared almonds and local wine.

Troodos

💬 We ate kleftiko (lamb in a clay oven) and grilled halloumi, and drank red wine from the area.

Troodos

A waterfall about 12 metres high inside a shaded forest, on a nature trail along the Kryos stream.

💬 From the lower car park near Platres the walk is short, and the full trail from Troodos is longer. Closed shoes are a must, because the rocks are wet.

Troodos

💬 A stop for coffee in the mountain air. In winter it snows here and small ski lifts operate.

Paphos

A sea rock on the coast between Limassol and Paphos, where according to Greek mythology Aphrodite was born nearby.

💬 Park on the other side of the road and go down via the underpass. It's a pebble beach, so water shoes are a good idea.

Paphos

💬 The best location in Kato Paphos: walking distance to the harbour and the archaeological park.

Paphos

A small fort at the end of Paphos harbour's breakwater. The current structure was rebuilt during the Ottoman period.

💬 The promenade along the harbour is beautiful at sunset, and the fort visit is short and inexpensive.

Paphos

💬 Order the catch of the day and ask beforehand what the price per kilo is.

Paphos

A UNESCO World Heritage Site with Roman villas and mosaic floors from the 2nd to 5th centuries.

💬 The mosaics in the House of Dionysus and the House of Aion are amazing. Worth arriving when the site opens, because it's very hot at midday.

Paphos

An ancient necropolis carved into rock from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, part of the Paphos World Heritage Site.

💬 Rock-cut tombs with columned courtyards. There are steps to go down, so it's less suitable for strollers.

Paphos

💬 The drive to the airport is short, about 20 minutes. Returning at a different location usually incurs a small extra fee.