How many days in Cyprus? 7 days, from Paphos mosaics to the Troodos villages
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Cyprus is small enough to cross in two hours, but it holds 9,000 years of history, mountain villages at 1,500 metres and some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean. Seven days with a hire car covers it well: start in the west at Paphos, cross the Troodos Mountains, then work east through Limassol and Nicosia, the last divided capital in Europe, to the sand beaches around Ayia Napa. Driving is on the left, and the roads are good.
Short answer
Five days covers Paphos, Troodos, Limassol and Nicosia. Seven adds the Akamas coast and two beach days in the east around Ayia Napa and Cape Greco.
The 7-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Paphos: mosaics and the Tombs of the Kings
Morning. Start at the Paphos Archaeological Park (about €4.50) at 8:30, before the heat. The Roman villas of Dionysos and Theseus have some of the finest floor mosaics in the Mediterranean.
Afternoon. Drive 5 minutes to the Tombs of the Kings (about €2.50), underground Hellenistic tombs cut into the rock by the sea. Then walk the harbour to the small Paphos Castle.
Evening. Dinner in Ktima, the upper old town, where a full meze of 20-odd small dishes costs about €20-28 per person.
Many sites run on summer hours until about 19:30-20:00 and winter hours until 17:00; check the Department of Antiquities website.
Day 2: Akamas Peninsula and the Baths of Aphrodite
Morning. Drive about 50 minutes north to Latchi and walk to the Baths of Aphrodite (free), a shaded pool in a grotto, then the Aphrodite nature trail (about 7.5 km loop).
Afternoon. Take a boat from Latchi to the Blue Lagoon (about €25-40 per person) for swimming in turquoise water off the roadless Akamas coast.
Evening. Stop at Coral Bay on the way back for sunset, then a fish dinner in Polis.
The Akamas tracks are rough; most hire-car insurance does not cover unpaved roads, so use the boat or a jeep tour.
Day 3: Troodos Mountains and painted churches
Morning. Drive about 1.5 hours into the Troodos Mountains. Visit the Kykkos Monastery (museum about €5), the richest in Cyprus, or Kalopanayiotis and the UNESCO-listed Agios Ioannis Lampadistis painted church.
Afternoon. Walk the Caledonia trail (about 3 km, 1.5-2 hours) through pines to the Caledonia waterfall, near Platres. Mount Olympos reaches 1,952 metres nearby.
Evening. Overnight in Omodos or Kakopetria, stone villages with tavernas serving kleftiko (lamb slow-baked in clay ovens).
Ten Troodos churches are on the UNESCO list; many are locked, and the key holder lives nearby (often noted on the door). A small donation is expected.
Day 4: Kourion, Aphrodite's Rock and Limassol
Morning. Drive down to Kourion (about €4.50), the cliff-top Greco-Roman city with a theatre facing the sea. Detour 20 minutes west to Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite's Rock, birthplace of the goddess in legend.
Afternoon. Visit Kolossi Castle (about €2.50), the Crusader keep linked to the sweet wine Commandaria, then stroll the Limassol Marina and the Old Town around Limassol Castle.
Evening. Walk the Molos seafront promenade, then dinner and bars around Saripolou Square.
Try Commandaria, among the oldest named wines still produced, at a winery in the villages above Limassol.
Day 5: Nicosia, both sides of the Green Line
Morning. Drive about 1 hour to Nicosia. Walk the Venetian walls and the Cyprus Museum (about €4.50), then Ledra Street to the pedestrian crossing point.
Afternoon. Show your passport and cross to the north: the Buyuk Han caravanserai (1572) and the Selimiye Mosque, built as the Gothic Cathedral of St Sophia.
Evening. Return south for dinner in the Laiki Geitonia quarter, or try coffee from a traditional kafeneio.
Hire cars from the south are usually not insured in the north; cross on foot. The north uses the Turkish lira, but euros are widely accepted.
Day 6: Larnaca, Hala Sultan Tekke and the east
Morning. Drive 45 minutes to Larnaca and visit the Church of Saint Lazarus (9th century). Walk 10 minutes to the Finikoudes palm promenade.
Afternoon. See the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque on the shore of the Larnaca Salt Lake, where flamingos winter from about November to March. Continue 40 minutes to Ayia Napa.
Evening. Sunset at Cape Greco, then dinner at the fishing harbour of Ayia Napa.
Larnaca airport is 10 minutes from town, the easiest place to return a hire car on your last day.
Day 7: Cape Greco and the eastern beaches
Morning. Walk or swim at Cape Greco National Forest Park (free): the sea caves, the Kamara tou Koraka natural bridge and the cliffs where people jump into deep blue water.
Afternoon. Beach afternoon at Konnos Bay or Fig Tree Bay in Protaras, with sunbeds for about €7-10 each. The sea stays above 25°C from July to October.
Evening. Drive back to Larnaca (40 minutes) for the airport, or a final meze in Protaras.
Ayia Napa's nightlife peaks in July and August; in May, June, September and October the beaches are much calmer.
Only have 5 days?
With 5 days, skip the Akamas boat and do Larnaca and Cape Greco in one day. Base yourself in Paphos then Limassol.
Got extra days?
Extra days fit Northern Cyprus: Kyrenia's harbour, the Gothic Bellapais Abbey and the castle of St Hilarion, or the ruins of Salamis near Famagusta. In winter, ski on Mount Olympos.
Where to stay in Cyprus
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Larnaca centre / Troodos villages | Simple hotels and agrotourism rooms; Larnaca is cheapest near the airport. | €55-90 |
| Mid-range | Paphos Kato / Limassol seafront | Walk to the harbour and beaches, good bases for both halves of the island. | €100-180 |
| Mid-range | Omodos / Kakopetria | Restored stone guesthouses in the mountains, cool nights in summer. | €80-140 |
| Comfort | Limassol Marina / Protaras resorts | Five-star beach hotels and marina apartments. | €220-450 |
Getting around
Hire a car: buses connect the towns but barely reach Troodos and the beaches. Cars cost roughly €25-50 a day; driving is on the left, as in the UK. Distances are short: Paphos to Limassol about 50 minutes on the A6, Limassol to Nicosia 1 hour, Nicosia to Larnaca 40 minutes. Intercity buses (about €4-5 a ride) link the main towns, and Kapnos airport shuttles run from Larnaca and Paphos airports to the cities.
What to eat in Cyprus
Cypriot food mixes Greek and Turkish traditions. Order a meze: dips, grilled halloumi, sheftalia (sausage in caul fat), loukaniko, kleftiko and souvla (chunky skewers grilled on charcoal), served in waves for about €20-28 per person. In the mountains, try trout and the walnut sweets of glyko tou koutaliou. On the coast, choose a fish meze. Keo and Leon are the local beers; Commandaria and zivania (grape spirit) close the meal.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to November, with highs of 24-30°C and warm sea. July and August regularly reach 35-40°C inland, though the coast is cooler. Winter is mild on the coast (around 17-19°C) with snow on Troodos in January and February. Easter is the biggest festival, with village processions and fireworks.
Month-by-month weather for Cyprus →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €35 | €70 | €170 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €50 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €8 | €20 | €50 |
| Local transport | €15 | €25 | €40 |
| Total per person, per day | about €88 | about €165 | about €350 |
Approximate 2026 prices; transport assumes a shared hire car with fuel, and most archaeological sites cost €2.50-4.50.
Before you go
Common questions
Can I cross to Northern Cyprus?
Yes. Crossing points are open to visitors with a passport or EU ID card; the Ledra Street crossing in Nicosia is pedestrian and takes a few minutes. Car crossings are possible, but you must buy separate insurance at the checkpoint and many southern rental firms forbid it. Keep in mind that the south does not recognise the northern administration.
Do I need a car in Cyprus?
For this itinerary, yes. Buses link Paphos, Limassol, Nicosia, Larnaca and Ayia Napa cheaply, but Troodos villages, Akamas, Kourion and most beaches are hard to reach without a car. Cars are cheap outside July and August, roads are good and signposts are in Greek and English.
Which airport should I fly into?
Larnaca has the most flights and is closest to Nicosia and the eastern beaches; Paphos is better for the west and Akamas. Flying into one and out of the other works well with this route, though car rental companies may charge a one-way fee for returning elsewhere.
Is Cyprus good for swimming in October?
Very. The sea stays around 24-25°C in October and highs are still about 27-29°C, with far fewer visitors than in summer. November is cooler but still swimmable on sunny days. Some beach bars and boat trips start closing at the end of October.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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