The most beautiful places in Cyprus, from coast to mountains

This isn’t my list of monuments, which have their own ranking in places to visit in Cyprus. Here it’s all about scenery. I’ve ranked my favourite spots in the south with a fixed rule, I only score what a citable source supports. That’s why some famous names are missing, and I explain why at the end.

Why does Cape Greco come first?

Because in a few kilometres it packs in rocky coast, coves and a lighthouse on the point. The cape is at the island’s south-eastern tip, between Ayia Napa and Protaras, and the Famagusta region’s tourism website explains that it’s been protected since 1993 and that the British built the lighthouse in 1892. The sea caves lie between the cape and Ayia Napa, and opposite the sculpture park there’s a natural rock arch people call the Love Bridge.

My time is the end of the afternoon, cooler and with softer light. Close by, the Protaras seafront runs for over 4 km from Pernera to Fig Tree Bay. If you’d rather be active than just admire the view, see things to do in Cyprus.

The mountains, the big surprise

Anyone arriving with beaches in mind doesn’t expect the mountains. The Troodos fill the centre and south-west of the island and rise to Mount Olympus, 1,953 m according to CYSTAT. Spread through their valleys are the ten painted churches UNESCO listed in 1985, so scenery and heritage go hand in hand. More in the Troodos Mountains.

For views, my pick is the peak of Throni, north-west of Kykkos Monastery, which the monastery puts at about 1,450 m. It’s a hard-to-reach summit, and at the top is the tomb of Makarios III, the Republic’s first president. To sleep up there, see the prettiest villages in Cyprus.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Protaras before prices climb.

Nicosia, a city that’s a landscape too

The Venetian walls of Nicosia make a cityscape like no other. The municipality describes them as a star of eleven bastions with just three gates, built in the 16th century, and Eleftheria Square was rebuilt as a bridge over the old moat to a design by Zaha Hadid’s practice. A walk along the moat at sunset is one of the best free things on the island. I’d finish it at Famagusta Gate in Nicosia, the largest of the three.

Two spots on the Limassol coast

Between Larnaca and Limassol lies Governor’s Beach, with white rocks that the Limassol tourism board recommends for snorkelling. In town, the Molos seafront has a park of over 20 large sculptures commissioned by the municipality. If you’re based in Limassol, you can do both in an afternoon.

There are more spots I don’t score that have a guide of their own. In Akamas, the Blue Lagoon and Lara beach; on the south coast, the Cape Aspro cliffs at Pissouri, Akrotiri salt lake and the Limassol beaches; and in the mountains, Omodos.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Protaras and choose by the reviews.

What’s missing from this list

You’ll miss Aphrodite’s Rock, Cedar Valley, the Avakas Gorge and the Troodos waterfalls. I’m not scoring them because, since I stopped using the official tourism website, whose terms don’t allow its content to be reused, I don’t have another source I’m able to quote with facts about them. I’d rather tell you less and have all of it backed up. For heritage, see UNESCO World Heritage in Cyprus. Since 4 October 2026 the waterfalls have their own guide, waterfalls in Cyprus, based on the mountain’s own sources, and Avakas Gorge appears in nature parks in Cyprus.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Protaras on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Protaras before prices climb.