Distances in Cyprus, from one end to the other

One of the most searched questions about Cyprus is how far Ayia Napa is from Larnaca, and it makes sense, because it’s the journey almost everyone landing at Larnaca for a beach holiday has to make. Here’s that one and the other distances I use when planning, all worked out in a straight line from OpenStreetMap coordinates. You won’t find driving times here, because no official source I can cite publishes them.

How to read these distances

All of them are in a straight line, between the points OpenStreetMap assigns to each town, village or airport. On the road they’re always a little longer. Along the coast and on the motorway the difference is small, but in the Troodos a mountain road can double both distance and time. Treat them as a quick way of knowing what’s close and what isn’t.

The east coast, Larnaca to Protaras

Larnaca to Ayia Napa is about 35 km in a straight line, and Larnaca Airport to Ayia Napa about 38 km. Protaras is right next door, about 6 km from Ayia Napa. With those figures, Larnaca is the obvious airport for an east-coast beach holiday, and how to make that first trip is in airport transfers in Cyprus.

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How far apart are the main towns?

Nicosia is about 37 km from Larnaca, 62 km from Limassol and 97 km from Paphos, all as the crow flies. Limassol is almost exactly as far from Paphos, about 57 km, as from Larnaca, about 60 km, which is why I think it’s the most balanced base for exploring the whole south coast. From one end of the Republic to the other, Paphos to Ayia Napa, it’s about 145 km. End to end, the island measures 240 km, and coast to coast 100, per CYSTAT.

The west, from Paphos to Akamas

From Paphos, Coral Bay is about 10 km away and Aphrodite’s Rock about 22. Polis Chrysochous is around 29 km off, with Latchi 3 km further, and the Baths of Aphrodite, the gateway to Akamas, about 32. Following the coast from Polis, Pomos is about 18 km on and Kato Pyrgos, in the Tilliria, about 29. From Paphos Airport, Polis is about 36 km away, Limassol about 50 and Nicosia 94.

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Around Limassol and Larnaca

From Limassol, the ruins of Amathus are about 10 km away, Kourion about 14 and Pissouri about 30, all along the coast towards Paphos. From Larnaca, Kiti and its Panagia Angeloktisti church are about 9 km away, and Lefkara and Choirokoitia about 30 each, on the way to Limassol.

Into the north from Nicosia

If you cross at the capital’s crossing points, Kyrenia is about 19 km away as the crow flies, Morphou about 34 and Famagusta about 53. These are map distances; to take a hire car across you need insurance that’s valid there, as I explain in crossing to northern Cyprus.

If you would rather go at your own pace, see the car hire deals in Limassol: the earlier you book, the more cars are left to choose from.

The mountains, closer than they look

From Limassol, Troodos Square is about 30 km away in a straight line, and Platres and Omodos about 27 km. From Nicosia, Kakopetria is about 48 km. Short on the map, but mountain roads twist and climb, so I’d always allow more time than the kilometres suggest. My favourite villages to stay in up there are in the prettiest villages in Cyprus.

Planning a route

If you’re touring the island, my seven-day suggestion is in the Cyprus road trip, where no stage is longer than 70 km in a straight line. What to know about driving, with the speed limits the European Commission publishes, is in driving in Cyprus, and the overview of getting about without trains is in getting around Cyprus. If you want a ready-made plan built on these distances, pick, longest first, from two weeks in Cyprus, 10 days in Cyprus, one week in Cyprus, 5 days in Cyprus and 3 days in Cyprus.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Limassol for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.