Cyprus Adventure Travel Guide: Ideas and Inspiration
PureTravel Says: “Cyprus is a Mediterranean island and offers mountains, monasteries, oceans, beaches and lakes. The summer days are long, hot, and dry and tempt you to come and enjoy the place where Aphrodite was born. You’ll find all your favourite holiday activities here and why not try playing golf in the morning, taking a coastal bike ride in the afternoon and hiking through the hills before dinner. All this and so much more is available in beautiful Cyprus.”
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Holiday Highlights
Water Sports - Cyprus has some great on the water activities, lest you forget it is an island, and a big one at that (nearly 9,300km2). The watersports here include windsurfing, surfing, swimming, snorkelling and paragliding and good beaches to find these activities are Geroskipou, Dasoudi and Larnaca, which have all amenities required.
Walking & Trekking - Cyprus, a nation seemingly created by the gods for walking and trekking. No matter if you’re a mid-morning walker or a hardcore roamer, Cyprus has got the path for you. Try the Troodos Mountains, which give you panoramic ups and downs, or the coastal paths, which are refreshingly breezy. There are out-and-backs and loops that take you to the best of the Cypriot countryside. You can find waterfalls, villages, pine forests and streams meandering by old mines all over certain parts of the island. Don’t miss the Phini trek that goes by the famous Trooditissa Monastery. And try the Akamas Peninsula to the south and the west for some spectacular undulating hills and the Baths of Aphrodite shouldn’t be missed.
Mountain Biking – The Troodos Mountains are a great location to enjoy mountain biking whilst in Cyprus. You can cruise past some 9 Byzantine churches, the best being Kykkos Monastery. You’ll ride by old mines and waterfalls too. The highest peak in the Troodos Mountains is Mount Olympus reaching 1,952 meters so you won’t be able to ride down the whole mountain.
Fishing - Anglers will do well in Cyprus, as it’s next to impossible to visit the island without landing some sort of “big catch.” The dams in the island make for some interesting nesting spots, and it’s likely you’ll catch carp, zander, catfish, silver bream, roach and bass. Two lakes on the island are Larnaca and Limassol Salt Lakes. The fishing areas in Cyprus include Asprokremmos, Evretou, Arminou, Kouris, Polemidhia and Yermasoyia. Your tour operator can help get you proper licenses from Nicosia.
Golf - Golfing is offered on Cyprus with some 18-hole challenges. A good course is near Tsada, the Tsada Golf Club. There is also Aphrodite Hills in Limassol and The Secret Valley, which is close to Paphos. Your specialist local tour operator will be able to give you more information and will be happy to make all the local arrangements.
Accommodation - Cyprus might be small in size, but the island offers all kinds of places to stay from big beach resorts with excellent facilities to tiny rustic cottages hidden away in the olive groves. Renting a private villa has always been a good idea if you want to avoid hotels or big resorts. You can stay together with your friends or family, enjoy the stunning landscape views, and the benefit of a private swimming pool. There are some more villa ideas to be found at https://www.cyprusvillas.
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When To Go
Cyprus has typical Mediterranean weather, with hot, dry summers and balmy winters with rainfall along the plains. There are on average over 320 sunny days a year on Cyprus. The annual rainfall averages at around 400mm per year with more rain on the Troodos Mountains. January and February are the wettest months with June through September having the least amount of rain and the hottest months with temperatures around 32C.
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Classic Itineraries
- Geroskipou, Dasoudi & Larnaca Beaches
- Troodos Mountains
- Kykkos Monastery
- Mount Olympus
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Exploring North Cyprus
Two hundred miles of golden sand stretching all along the coastline spotted with secluded coves some still un-discovered are a well-kept tourist secret of Northern Cyprus. This land is full of scenic sites and abundant with history as it is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. You can enjoy your days wandering through cobbled streets and sit in one of the bars on the harbour taking in the amazing and magical views.
In the harbour town of Kyrenia, you can see the Mediterranean unchanged from ancient times. Scenic stone harbour, suddenly ending with the Kyrenia castle. This is one of the most complete castles, and was first built around the year 700, but later was enlarged and fortified by the Venetians, to withstand artillery attacks. The Shipwreck Museum is housed in Kyrenia Castle and displays one of the oldest and remarkable oceanic archaeological discoveries in the world. There is a lot to do in Kyrenia itself. With good affordable hotels and villas in and around the town and beaches close by; it’s an ideal place to anchor your holiday.
There are plenty of diving locations to visit, with new ones being added frequently. Each location has something unique to offer. You can be sure you will be satisfied, whether you want a relaxing afternoon dive, or a more adventurous one.
The diving site Lost is easy to reach from Kyrenia. It is a good place to start your diving experience, or to go for a second dive of the day. It is a relaxing dive which suits all skill levels. At the Mare Monte, there are many groupers living in the rocks, and if you are lucky you might come face to face with one. You will most likely be accompanied by the Turkish wrosse and the rainbow fish as you make your way around. A very diverse diving location is the Chicken Farm. A large variety of marine life including the eel, octopus and other fish live in the many different reefs at this location. You can choose to dive between a depth of 10 to 40 meters depending on the reef.
If you love to photograph under water, the Power Station is a good place to try out your skill, as it will provide you with amazing scope for photographs. The tops of large rocks start at 9 meters and go down close to 34 meters. The rocks are covered with small holes which are homes to marine life. Moray eels, amberjacks, stingrays, sea breams, large schools of mackerel, parrot fish and striped groupers are some of the marine life you will find among these huge rocks.
If you are not too exhausted by the end of the day North Cyprus has a vibrant night life. After enjoying a walk along Kyrenia harbour and tasting some traditional cuisine, you can dance the night away in one of the many night clubs or open air parties.
North Cyprus allows you to have a very unique holiday, as the place has not been fully developed into a tourist attraction. There is just enough development to enable you to have comfortable places to stay, and it has a convenient transportation system.
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Beach Resorts in Cyprus
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is steeped in myth and legend and its rich history, endless sunshine and established resorts has attracted travellers for years. Drawn to the Greek and Roman ruins, heady cedar forests, traditional Cypriot villages and self-styled party towns, there’s a resort for all tastes and budgets.
Paphos – Nestled between the azure Mediterranean coast and the imposing Troodos Mountains is the established harbour town of Paphos, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend has it that the Greek goddess Aphrodite was born here and as you’d expect the area is brimming with archaeological gems, particularly in the Kato Paphos district.
Ayia Napa – If you want to party the night away, then the former fishing village of Ayia Napa is for you. With a great choice of nightclubs, bars, shops and restaurants, Ayia Napa also has a superb sandy beach to relax on during the day.
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Top Tips
- Cyprus is a great place to explore and to ensure you get the most from your visit use a specialist tour operator who will use their local knowledge to ensure you get the most from your visit.
- Though an island, be sure to take a map and a guide with you when venturing out to the mountains and areas.
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Paphos
- Painted Churches in the Troodos Region
- Choirokoitia
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National Holidays
New Year's Day – 1 January
Epiphany – 6 January
Clean Monday – 3 March
Greek Independence Day – 25 March
Cyprus National Day – 1 April
Good Friday – 18 April
Holy Saturday – 19 April
Easter Sunday – 20 April
Easter Monday – 21 April
Labour Day – 1 May
Pentecost Monday – 9 June
Dormition of the Theotokos – 15 August
Cyprus Independence Day – 1 October
Greek National Day – 28 October
Christmas Eve – 24 December
Christmas Day – 25 December
Boxing Day – 26 December
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