Cyprus in 5 Days: Paphos, Akamas, Limassol & Troodos

Land at Paphos airport (PFO), collect your hire car and check in near Kato Paphos so the main sites are on your doorstep. Start at the Paphos Archaeological Park by the harbour, where the floors of grand Roman villas survive as detailed mosaics of mythological scenes. Allow a couple of hours and wear a hat; there is little shade among the ruins.

Walk or drive a short way north to the Tombs of the Kings, a rock-cut necropolis carved into the coastal stone, with underground chambers styled like houses for the dead. A combined ticket covers both this and the archaeological park, so keep your stub. In summer the sites stay open into the early evening, which lets you visit in the cooler late afternoon.

Head down to the working harbour below the medieval castle for fresh fish and a slow dinner as the light drops. This is the easiest evening of the trip; you are within walking distance of the main sights and can settle into the pace of the island.

Drive north from Paphos to Latchi harbour near Polis and Latchi, about 35 to 40 minutes away. Board a morning Blue Lagoon boat cruise that runs along the rugged Akamas coast, passing the Baths of Aphrodite and stopping for a swim in the clear water of the Blue Lagoon. Morning trips are common and many include snorkelling gear.

Back on land, head into the Akamas peninsula proper. With a normal car you can reach the trailhead for the Avakas Gorge and walk into its narrow limestone walls. With a 4x4, or on an Akamas jeep safari, you can continue to the turtle-nesting sands of Lara Beach, where loggerhead and green turtles lay eggs in summer. The unpaved tracks here are rough, so check your hire agreement before driving them.

Return to Paphos for the evening. If you would rather stay west, the tavernas around Polis village serve simple, good food in a quieter setting than the Paphos seafront. Either way, this is a full outdoor day, so an early dinner suits it well.

Check out of Paphos and drive east on the A6 toward Limassol, about 69 km and 50 minutes in all. Break the drive at Petra tou Romiou, the pebble beach below Aphrodite's Rock, the sea stack that legend marks as the birthplace of the goddess. It is a short stop from the roadside, with a footbridge under the highway to reach the shore.

Just west of Limassol, spend the afternoon at Ancient Kourion, a Greco-Roman city spread along clifftops above the sea, with a restored theatre and house mosaics. A short drive away stands Kolossi Castle, a Knights Hospitaller stronghold tied to the island's sweet Commandaria wine. Then check in to Limassol for the next two nights.

Walk Limassol's seafront and marina, then the old town lanes around the medieval castle. The city has the widest choice of restaurants on this trip, from seafront fish tavernas to the marina's modern places, so it is a good night to eat well.

Take a full day in the Troodos Mountains, climbing inland from Limassol on winding roads into the Troodos national forest park. Drive up toward Mount Olympus, the island's highest point at 1,952 metres, where a short forest trail near the summit gives long views (the very top holds a military installation and is closed to the public).

Continue to Kykkos Monastery, the wealthiest and best known monastery on Cyprus, founded in the 11th century and covered in gold mosaics and frescoes. If you would rather not drive the hairpins yourself, organised Troodos hikes and tours run from the coast. On the way down, stop in the wine village of Omodos for a late lunch and a family winery visit on an Omodos wine tour.

Return to Limassol in daylight if you can, as the mountain roads are slow and dark after sunset. Back in the city, keep dinner relaxed after a long day of driving and walking. If you have energy, the southern slopes you passed are the heart of the Limassol wine villages, worth a return another time.

Have an unhurried morning in Limassol, then drive east toward Larnaca, about 45 minutes on the A1 motorway. If you have beach time to fill, stop at Governor's Beach, a run of small coves with white cliffs partway along the coast, or push on to Larnaca itself.

In Larnaca, walk the palm-lined Finikoudes promenade and the sandy town beach, and visit the Church of Saint Lazarus in the old town. South of the city, the Larnaca Salt Lake draws flamingos from roughly November to March on a flamingo birdwatching walk; in summer it dries to a white crust beside the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque.

Larnaca's airport (LCA) sits just a few kilometres from the centre, which makes a late flight easy. If your departure is the next day, eat a final seafront dinner on the promenade. If you fly out today, build in a buffer for car drop-off and return the hire car here rather than back in Paphos.