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11-day road trip through Cyprus: From the wild Akamas Peninsula to the paradisiacal Nissi Beach

  • Melanie
  • Mar 29
  • 8 min read

Updated: Apr 21

Route, travel tips & recommendations for your road trip


by Melanie


Sun, crystal-clear waters, and a landscape that ranges from wild nature to golden sandy beaches—the Greek part of Cyprus is a true dream for road trip lovers!


The island in the eastern Mediterranean combines ancient history, Mediterranean joie de vivre and breathtaking nature in a very small space.


Our adventure begins in the untouched west, on the Akamas Peninsula with its rugged coastlines and hidden coves. It takes us along winding roads past the impressive Troodos Mountains, whose verdant forests, charming mountain villages, and cool waterfalls reveal a completely different side of the island—until we finally arrive at the famous Nissi Beach, where turquoise waters and fine sand await us. Come with us on a journey full of discoveries, surprises, and unforgettable moments—Cyprus is calling!




Impressions of the various activities of our road trip




Table of contents



  1. Basic information about the island of Cyprus

    Here you will find important information for your trip to Cyprus:


  • Cyprus is considered a very safe travel destination that can easily be explored with your own car.


  • The island has been divided since 1974. The south belongs to the Republic of Cyprus, while the north is controlled by the internationally unrecognized "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus."


  • Crossing the border between the Greek (Republic of Cyprus) and the Turkish part (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) of the island is possible and relatively straightforward, but there are some important points to know:

    • Entry and exit only via the south: International visitors should only enter through the airports or ports in the Greek part (Larnaca, Paphos, etc.) . Entry via the Turkish part (e.g., Ercan Airport near North Nicosia) is considered illegal by the Republic of Cyprus. Due to the political situation, this may lead to problems.

    • Border crossings: There are several official border crossings between the Greek and Turkish parts of Cyprus

    • ID/travel documents: For EU citizens, a valid passport or identity card is sufficient. The ID card will be scanned but not stamped.

    • No visa required: There is no visa requirement for tourists between the two parts of Cyprus, regardless of their nationality.

    • Multiple border crossings: Tourists can travel back and forth between the two zones as often as they like.

    • If you rent a car , check in advance whether the rental company allows you to drive into the Turkish part (unfortunately, we didn't find any that allow this) . Additional insurance for the north is necessary, as Greek rental car insurance isn't valid in the Turkish part.

    • An easy border crossing on foot is possible in the capital Nicosia.


  • For your road trip, you must remember that Cyprus is a left-hand drive country.


  • In the Greek part, like everywhere else in the EU , payment is made in euros .


  • Most residents speak Greek and English very well.


  • To charge electronic devices you will need a British adapter.




  1. Our route

Here you will find a rough overview of our overnight locations with the number of overnight stays per location.


We only stayed on the Greek side because unfortunately we couldn't find a car rental company that would allow us to cross the border.



You can find hotel recommendations here.


In the next section you will find a table to give you an idea of how many kilometers or hours there are between each station.

from
after
kilometers
Travel time

Larnaca

Chlorakas

135 km

1 hour 40 minutes

Chlorakas

Polis

35 km

40 minutes

Polis

Limassol

99 km

1 hour 20 minutes

Limassol

Ayia Napa

114 km

1 hour 20 minutes

Ayia Napa

Larnaca

52 km

40 minutes



  1. Our activities

Here you will find a table showing what we did on each day:

day
Location
activity
Recommendations / Tips

1

Chlorakas

  • Arrival in Chlorakas

  • Stroll along the promenade & watch the sunset


  • We can recommend our accommodation to everyone - the location was great, the room was well equipped and the landlords were very friendly.

2

Chlorakas

  • Hiking in the Avakas Gorge

  • Go early, then it is not so crowded

  • Wear good shoes, it is partly wet and very slippery

  • If it has rained, you can visit the gorge because there is a river there

  • It is best to park here – you can get here very easily with a “normal” car

  • It is about a 30-minute walk to the gorge

  • We continued walking to the viewpoint – it was a beautiful hike

3

Chlorakas

  • Enjoy sun and sea at Prestos Beach & Sea Caves

  • It is best to park here and then walk down the section

  • The beach is not suitable for children as there is very little sand and many rocks

  • Be sure to bring water shoes, as there are a lot of stones in the water and if you want to climb on the rocks, sturdy shoes are also recommended

  • Stay until sunset, the light there is very beautiful

  • The sunbathing area isn't very large, so we got there early. However, in April, it wasn't very busy.

4

Continue to Polis

  • Get up very early and set off

  • Explore the Akamas Peninsula and many viewpoints by buggy

  • Swimming stops at various beaches: Blue Lagoon & Lara Beach

  • There are various tours you can take. The tour operators will explain which ones are best for you and in which direction.

  • Don't get the smallest buggy, but go for a larger size. This will make it easier on certain sections of the route. Book the buggy in advance – we can recommend our provider .

  • Plan enough time to explore the Akamas Peninsula. We underestimated it a bit and ended up having to hurry a bit.

  • Be early at Blue Lagoon. The large tourist boats arrive around 10 a.m.

  • Bring enough food and drink with you, there are no opportunities to buy anything here.

5

Continue to Limassol

  • Stop at the Rock of Aphrodite & Petra tou Romiou Viewpoint

  • Swimming stop on the beach: Pissouri Bay

  • We were disappointed by Aphrodite's Rock. It was incredibly busy, even though we were there during the off-season. But it's worth a look while driving through.

  • The viewpoint “Petra tou Romiou” was very beautiful, but also easy to take a look at while driving through.

  • Pissouri Bay is a beautiful pebble beach, ideal for a short stopover

6

Limassol

  • Hiking in the Troodos Mountains

  • Explore Limassol

  • Unfortunately, we didn't have such good weather in the Troodos Mountains: The view was not as good as we had hoped, but it was still very beautiful and one of the many hikes is definitely recommended

  • We really liked Limassol, it has a very cute old town with beautiful houses and alleys

7

Limassol

  • Day at Zapallo Bay Beach

  • Beautiful long beach that we had almost to ourselves in April

  • The way there is a bit strenuous, as you walk for about half an hour

  • Sturdy footwear is definitely recommended.

8

Continue to Agia Napa

  • Day at Nissi Beach

  • Explore Ayia Napa

  • The water and sand at Nissi Beach are beautiful, with crystal-clear water and soft white sand. However, it was already very crowded in April, so we can't even imagine how busy it must be during peak season.

  • Personally, we didn't like Agia Napa at all, as it's so focused on celebrations and parties. However, we found a great restaurant that we highly recommend. It's a bit away from all the hustle and bustle.

9

Ayia Napa

  • Day at Nissi Beach

  • Visit to Cape Greco

  • The area around Cape Greco is very beautiful and definitely worth a visit, even if we didn't have blue skies

  • To see the Natural Window, you have to climb a bit and pay attention to the tides. We were lucky and there was no one there. But when we left, it got crowded and people were queuing up for a photo.

10

Ayia Napa

Day at Nissi Beach


11

Ayia Napa

Day at the beach and flight home




  1. Impressions of all activities

Avakas Gorge


Hiking through the Avakas Gorge and the viewpoint at the end of the hike





Prestos Beach and Sea Caves


Turquoise water and amazing rock formations at Prestos Beach





Buggy tour on the Akamas Peninsula


Beautiful viewpoints on the tour across the Akamas Peninsula





Rock of Aphrodite and Pissouri Bay


On the way to Limassol two short stops on the coast





Troodos Mountains


Beautiful hike in the Troodos Mountains despite clouds





Old Town Limassol


Impressions from Limassol





Zapallo Bay


Two different perspectives of Zapallo Bay





Nissi Beach and Cape Greco


Crystal clear water and white sand at Nissi Beach and the Sea Caves at Cape Greco




  1. Hotel recommendations

I've linked our accommodations to Booking.com - so you can view them directly there.

Location

Our hotels

Notes

Chloraka / Paphos

Terrazza Suites

Absolute recommendation: very friendly hosts, great room with great facilities and views, very good breakfast in the adjoining restaurant

Polis

Aphrodite Beach Hotel

Very suitable for one night

Limassol

Atlantica Miramare Beach

A very large hotel. In retrospect, I would have preferred a smaller one. But overall, it's a nice hotel.

Ayia Napa

Nissi Beach Resort

Also a very large hotel. Located directly on Nissi Beach. Very beautiful grounds and a great beach.


  1. Restaurant & café recommendations

Restaurants in Chloraka:


  • The New Horizon Bar & Restaurant: very good breakfast and also very good cuisine in the evening

  • Meraki Market Café: very good breakfast - was recommended to us by our host


Restaurants in Ayia Napa:


  • En Yevo Tavernaki: This tavern was our favorite in Ayia Napa. Good food and very friendly hosts.



  1. Questions you may ask yourself during planning

During my planning, I came up with a few questions that I only learned from reading many different blogs and very long texts. I'd like to provide you with a brief overview of these questions and their answers here.


Do I need an off-road vehicle for the road trip in Cyprus?

  • For the route we took, you DO NOT need an off-road vehicle.

  • Some roads in the mountains or to the Avakas Gorge are a bit bumpy, but can be driven slowly and carefully without any problems.

  • There are some routes on the Akamas Peninsula that can only be accessed by off-road vehicles.


Can you get to Lara Beach by car?

  • We were very unsure and went to the beach in a buggy.

  • But we also met people who arrived by car without four-wheel drive. You have to drive very carefully and slowly.


Can I drive to the Turkish part of the island?

  • If you find a rental car company that allows you to cross the border, then that is not a problem.

  • Unfortunately, we couldn't find a car rental company that allowed this, so we didn't go to Turkey.

  • In principle, however, crossing the border is possible. There are various checkpoints on the island – you can find them here: All checkpoints in Cyprus: Location, opening hours, border crossing | CYPRUS FAQ



  1. Packing list

Here are the most important things you should take with you on your road trip in Cyprus:


  • Hiking boots or sturdy shoes for hiking

  • water shoes

  • A Buff or a tube scarf that you can pull over your face while riding in the buggy. It can get very dusty.

  • Headgear - especially for exploring the Akamas Peninsula - there is almost no shade here

  • Adapter for electronic devices: British type



I hope you've found all the important information you need for your planning and that your questions have been answered. If not, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment with your question. I look forward to your feedback and wish you a wonderful time in Cyprus.

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