Cyprus Holidays and Luxury Vacations Limassol, Paphos and the Coast

Limassol (Lemesos) is the island's most stylish city, with a superyacht marina, a long seafront promenade, a revived old town and the island's most luxurious resorts. See our guide to Limassol luxury hotels.

Paphos (Pafos), in the southwest, is a UNESCO city famous for its Roman mosaics, the Tombs of the Kings and the rock of Aphrodite at Petra tou Romiou. The Akamas Peninsula nearby has wild beaches and the Blue Lagoon. Ayia Napa and Protaras on the east coast are known for powder-white beaches and turquoise water.

Nicosia (Lefkosia), the capital, is ringed by Venetian walls and has the excellent Cyprus Museum. The Troodos Mountains offer painted Byzantine churches, wine villages and cool summer air. Larnaca, home to the main airport, has a palm-lined seafront and the Church of Saint Lazarus. In the north of the island, Kyrenia (Girne) and Famagusta (Gazimağusa) are known for their harbors, castles and medieval architecture.

Cyprus is in the European Union but not yet in the Schengen Area. US citizens can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's ETIAS travel authorization, which will also cover Cyprus, is now expected to start in 2027; check its status at the time of your trip.

There are no nonstop flights from the US to Cyprus. Connect through London, Athens, Frankfurt, Paris, Vienna, Zurich, Istanbul or the Gulf to Larnaca (the main airport) or Paphos. Total travel time from the East Coast is usually 11 to 13 hours. Explore premium cabins and private aviation on our Fly pages.

A rental car or private driver is the easiest way to explore; the main highway links Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos within about 90 minutes.

Cypriot cuisine is generous and Levantine-Greek in spirit: halloumi grilled or fresh, souvlaki, slow-baked kleftiko lamb and the famous meze, a parade of up to thirty small dishes.

The best things to do in Cyprus include a yacht day from Limassol Marina, the mosaics of Paphos at golden hour, a swim at the Blue Lagoon, a wine tour in the Troodos villages, golf in the Paphos hills, and diving the Zenobia wreck off Larnaca, one of the world's top wreck dives. Our summer escape guide and Sail section have more ideas.

Shopping in Cyprus means handmade lace from Lefkara, a craft practiced for centuries, silver filigree, ceramics, Commandaria wine, carob products and halloumi straight from the village dairy. Limassol's marina and Anexartisias Street have designer boutiques and jewelers. Wellness is another strength: the island's best resorts offer large spas, and its mild winters make it a year-round destination for golf, cycling and hiking in the Troodos and on the Akamas trails.

Cyprus is one of the Eastern Mediterranean's most popular places to buy a second home. Limassol's seafront towers and marina residences, Paphos villas and golf communities attract international buyers, and a qualifying property investment can lead to permanent residency. The island's low tax rates and EU membership add to the appeal. Explore the market in our guide to Cyprus property investment, compare programs in residency and golden visas, and see where the island is heading in Cyprus 2035.