Seven days is the sweet spot for Cyprus: long enough to swim in three different seas of blue, wander a divided capital, climb into the frescoed mountains and still leave time to do nothing on a sun-lounger. This route runs west across the island — fly into Larnaca, out of Paphos, so you never double back — with just two hotel bases for the week.
Before you go: the shape of the trip
The island is small — you can drive the length of the government-controlled south in about two hours — so distances are never daunting. The easiest way to do this is with a hire car; it unlocks the mountains, wine villages and wild beaches that buses don’t reach. Cyprus drives on the left, but roads are good and quiet outside the towns. Prefer not to drive? Almost all of it works with intercity buses and the occasional taxi.
Split your nights between two bases: three nights around Larnaca or Ayia Napa for the east, then three or four nights in Paphos for the west, with the mountains in between.
Day 1Land in Larnaca, ease in by the sea
Larnaca is the gentlest landing: the airport is ten minutes from the seafront, so you can be in the Mediterranean within the hour. Stroll the palm-lined Finikoudes promenade, visit the honey-stoned Church of Saint Lazarus, and before sunset drive to the Larnaca Salt Lake and the serene Hala Sultan Tekke mosque — and, in winter, the flamingos. Dinner: a fish meze on the front.
Day 2The east coast’s famous blues
Point the car east to the postcard beaches. Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa has a shallow, waist-deep sandbar you can wade across — ideal for families — while Fig Tree Bay in Protaras is the sheltered classic. Between them lies Cape Greco, a protected headland of sea caves, clifftop trails and clear snorkelling water. Round it off with a sunset boat trip from the harbour.
Day 3Nicosia, Europe’s last divided capital
Give the beach a rest and drive inland to Nicosia (Lefkosia), about 45 minutes from Larnaca. Wander the walled old city inside its star-shaped Venetian ramparts, browse restored Ledra Street, and walk up to the Green Line — the UN buffer zone that still splits the city. With your passport you can cross at the Ledra Street checkpoint; our Green Line crossing guide explains the rules and the car-insurance catch. Don’t miss the Cyprus Museum.
Day 4West to Limassol — castles, ruins and wine
Move your base westward, breaking the drive around Limassol. Just outside town stand two unmissable sights: the clifftop Greco-Roman city of Kourion, with a theatre still hosting performances above a wine-dark sea, and Kolossi Castle, the Crusader stronghold that gave Commandaria wine its name. Spend the afternoon in Limassol’s revived old town and marina, then push up to a wine village for dinner.
Day 5Into the Troodos mountains
Trade the coast for pine forest and mountain air. The Troodos range is cooler, greener and dotted with tiny UNESCO-listed painted churches whose interiors blaze with Byzantine frescoes. Visit the grand Kykkos Monastery, wander the cobbled wine village of Omodos, and stretch your legs on the shady Caledonia Falls trail near Mount Olympus (1,952 m — the same slope you could ski in winter).
Day 6Paphos — mosaics, tombs and a goddess
Paphos is an open-air history book. The Paphos Archaeological Park (a UNESCO site) holds some of the finest Roman floor mosaics in the Mediterranean, while the Tombs of the Kings were carved into the rock 2,300 years ago. Potter around the harbour and castle, then drive the coast at golden hour to Petra tou Romiou — Aphrodite’s Rock — where legend says the goddess of love was born of the sea.
Day 7The wild Akamas — and one last swim
Save the best beach day for last. The undeveloped Akamas Peninsula is Cyprus at its wildest: gorges, sea caves, the turtle-nesting sands of Lara Beach, and the electric-turquoise Blue Lagoon, best reached by a half-day boat trip from Latchi. Start at the Baths of Aphrodite grotto, take a final swim, and time your run back to Paphos Airport — tanned, well-fed and already plotting the next island.
Tips to make the week even better
When to come: May–June and September–October are the sweet spots — see our best time to visit guide. Two days short? Drop Nicosia or the mountains and lengthen the beach days. Have longer? Add a slow day in each base.
Getting around: a hire car is the most rewarding way to do this route, but if you’d rather not drive, chain intercity buses between towns and use taxis for the mountains and beaches.