If Mediterranean islands, bathed in sunshine and lapped by azure crystal clear waters are your idea of the ultimate holiday destination, then Cyprus is for you! But make time to step away from the beach and into the island’s interior and you’ll find a whole new side to this island paradise that’ll have you coming back for more year after year. Check our top ten tourist attractions to see Cyprus in all its beauty!
10. Coral Bay
flickr/ynysforgan_jack
Cyprus for many tourists and travellers is an island that conjures up images of warm weather and lazy days on sandy beaches lapped by the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea – so it should come as no surprise that our top ten list of favourite places to visit in Cyprus is spearheaded by a popular beach area.
However – unlike many of the beaches on the eastern side of Cyprus – which are heavily populated at certain peak times of the year – Coral Bay, which is set on the western shoreline of the island, is quieter and more secluded and a great place to visit for that ‘more relaxing’ trip to the beach. Located 6 kilometres north of the Cypriot city of Paphos, Coral Bay is a crescent shaped 600 metre long beach nestled between the rocky coves and headlands which form much of the western boundary of the island. Definitely worth a visit!
9. Saint Hilarion Castle
flickr/bestfor / richard
If you’re the kind of sturdy tourist that likes scenic historical locations and doesn’t mind a spot of exercise to reach them, then destination number nine on our list could be just the place for you. Set in the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus in the Kyrenia Mountains, Saint Hilarion Castle near Kyrenia is said to have been the inspiration for the castle in Walt Disney’s Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, and when you visit, it is easy to see why. This wonderfully Gothic-style castle appears to grow almost magically out of the 732 metre high mountain.
Originally started sometime in the late 7th or early 8th century, the castle is named after a deaf monk who is believed to have rid the mountain of demons, being impervious to their cries. A fort and monastery were established around his tomb and the rest, as they say, ‘is history’. The castle is the most well preserved of three mountain-top sanctuaries in the area and has had a very chequered history. A spectacularly romantic mountain top fortress and well worth the effort of visiting since the architecture and the views over the island are simply stunning.
8. Aphrodite’s Rock
flickr/Colin Moss
If you know your Homer’s Iliad from your Homer Simpson, then the name Aphrodite will be familiar to you as the Greek Goddess of Love and Fertility. Aphrodite’s Rock which is set just offshore from the beach on the southern coast of Cyprus between the cities of Paphos and Limassol is the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, who was said to have been transported ashore in a large clamshell by soft Mediterranean breezes – known as Zephyrs.
The long pebbly beach at Petra tou Romiou stretches almost to each side of the largest rock of the group that make up Aphrodite’s Rock. Easily accessible, why not visit by car, then walk to the beach via the underpass through the rocks. A great spot for some memorable Cypriot holiday snap-shots.
7. Kyrenia Harbour
flickr/ynysforgan_jack
Set on the northern shore of Cyprus, Kyrenia Harbour is a beautiful, charming area of Kyrenia town, where the clinking sounds of yacht sails, moored in cooling sea breezes and the stunning mountain back-drop – with historical Kyrenia Castle as a major landmark in this very picturesque area – all combine to help you to relax and unwind wonderfully.
There are many first-class restaurants and eateries here and the harbor is a great place to spend the evening after a day in the heat, as temperatures tend to be lower here because of the gentle onshore winds. Sit back with a glass of the local vino in hand and people watch or alternatively walk the quayside and choose the yacht of your dreams.
6. Latchi Water Sports Centre
Based in Latchi Harbour near Pathos, the Latchi Water sports Centre started from humble beginnings with just a few boats for hire but has grown considerably over the years and is now considered a very professional and well run place to visit indeed. If you like water sports of any sort then this attraction is a definite must-visit.
You can hire a speedboat and take the kids out for a bumpy laugh-inducing ride on a donut, hire something a little more genteel or perhaps try snorkeling or scuba-diving with their PADI-trained staff to guide and instruct you. Alternatively why not take to the air and try the adrenaline rush of paragliding! The centre has an excellent reputation, both for the quality of all their hire equipment and also for the friendly, knowledgeable and very well trained staff.
5. Tombs of the Kings
flickr/Darren Taylor
Just to the north and east of the city of Pathos (or Pafos as the local refer to it) are the grandly named Tombs of the Kings. In fact no Kings are actually buried here and the name refers simply to the fact that these necropolises were constructed in such an elaborate manner for their time period. Originally constructed in the 3rd century BC, these ancient tombs were built into the rock and were used during the Hellenistic and Roman eras.
Evidence shows that early Christians used the site for their burials too. In their day these necropolises had painted frescoes on their walls – though not too much remains of them today. The area where the tombs are located was also used as a quarry so there has been extensive excavation in the area. The tombs were heavily looted in the early 19th century and further archaeological digs last took place in 1977 when eight main tombs were revealed. If the study of ancient history and architectural structures are of interest to you, then, these early burial-places are well worth the visit.
4. Waterworld Water Park
web/www.wwcyprus.com
If you love swimming and want to have fun in the Cypriot sun without finding the ‘accursed’ grains of sand in your bathing ‘cossy’, then this award-winning water themed park is going to be just heavenly for you – which is very apt as it happens – for many of the rides and attractions within this park, located in popular Ayia Napa, are named after Greek Gods and Greek Mythology. The choices and options for fun here are endless – the park is considered one of the top twelve water-parks in the world.
Try the ‘Minotaur’s Labyrinth’ challenge – a unique attraction where you have to climb, using a rope, up to the top of a very large water bubble – but beware the Minotaur might just be there! Or perhaps you and your two best buddies want to venture onto the Drop to Atlantis – the only water ride in the world which combines visual effects with sounds and light. Riding in a three-man ‘bullet’ at high speeds, you encounter, turns, loops and complete disorientation before being unceremoniously plunged into a pool at the end of the ride. For a great day out for the entire family – one which you’ll probably want to repeat again and again, this amazing theme park has it all.
3. Fig Tree Bay
flickr/Holfo
At number three on our top ten list of Cyprus’ top holiday destinations is yet another Bay – this time on the eastern shore of Cyprus at the resort of Protaris. Fig Tree Bay is a 500 metre long sandy-beached bay which gets its name from the trees that grow near the coast. A popular destination amongst holiday makers – especially families who seem to like the fact that a small off-shore island (which you can swim to) provides some protection from the wind.
Access to the beach is free, though the loungers and parasols are charged for. Facilities are good – there are lifeguards on the beach, water skiing, wind surfing and pedal boats are available for hire. The beach has attained European Union Blue Flag cleanliness status and was voted the 13th best beach in Europe in 2013.
2. Kato Paphos Archaeological Park
flickr/Phil Amesbury
Located close to Pathos Harbour, the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park was granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1980 and is an area of many fascinating archaeological gems (including the Tombs of the Kings already mentioned at number five on our list). With buildings here dating back as far as the prehistoric age and with the majority of the constructions dating from the Roman period, the Park was given its status in order to ensure these ancient buildings and particularly the many fine mosaics contained within them were preserved and could be made available for all to see and enjoy.
Attractions within the park include: The House of Dionysos, The House of Theseus, The Asklepieion, The House of Orpheus and the Pathos Mosaics. Enjoy a day out enjoying the wonderful Roman and pre-Roman structures and feel the history of Cyprus come alive under your feet as you walk.
1. Nissi Beach
flickr/Nicolas Vavatsiklis
Surely with the entire island of Cyprus enjoying such an enviable position in the sunny Mediterranean Sea as it does, it should really come as no surprise that the top island attraction should be… yet another outstanding beach. The Nissi Beach and the resort to which it gives its name are the stuff of picture postcards. With a crystal clear aquamarine sea sparkling against a backdrop of beautiful white sands, topped by a veritable army of parasols and sun loungers, all set within 100,000 square metres of beautiful lush tropical gardens, Nissi Beach is the absolutely perfect place to lie back and relax.
Listen to the sound of the waves, gently kissing the shoreline of this lagoon which is naturally protected by a small island and let yourself go to wherever your mind wants to take you! The resort is truly first class as are the service and the facilities. Precisely the reason why you took a holiday break in the first place – this first class beach and its associated resort, are just one of many excellent examples of why the entire island of Cyprus is such an incredibly popular tourist destination.
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