10 days in Cyprus: the whole loop, at an easy pace

Ten days is my favourite length for Cyprus. It’s enough for the full loop of the south, two days in a row in the mountains and the odd afternoon with nothing planned. This route starts and ends at Larnaca, the airport with the widest choice of UK flights, and runs clockwise, east first, then the centre and the mountains, then the west and back along the south coast. It’s longer and slower than the seven-day Cyprus road trip.

Days 1 and 2, Larnaca and the Neolithic

You land at Larnaca, about 6 km from town, and the first afternoon is for the Finikoudes promenade and the Church of Saint Lazarus. Day two pairs the Stone Age village of Choirokoitia, about 29 km off, with lace-making Lefkara just up the road. With a spare afternoon, Stavrovouni Monastery is in the same area, though bear in mind it doesn’t admit women. More in Choirokoitia.

Days 3 and 4, the east coast

The east coast starts roughly 35 km from Larnaca; I’d base myself in quieter Protaras rather than Ayia Napa. One day for Cape Greco, its cliffs and sea caves, and one for the beach, from Fig Tree Bay to Konnos. It’s the trip’s breather before the more cultural stretch. If you fancy a night out, Ayia Napa is the island’s party town, a few minutes’ drive from your bed; Protaras is simply the calmer place to sleep. More in Cyprus nightlife.

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

Day 5, Nicosia

Nicosia is about 61 km from Ayia Napa. Spend the afternoon inside the Venetian walls, with the Cyprus Museum and Ledra Street, and sleep there. Walk through the checkpoint with your passport if you’re curious, but park the car first, because its cover ends at the line. More in Nicosia.

Days 6 and 7, why two days in the Troodos?

Because the mountains have two valleys that deserve a day each. First Solea, around Kakopetria, some 48 km from the capital, with the frescoed church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis. Then Marathasa, with Kalopanayiotis, Pedoulas and, at the end, Kykkos Monastery, about 15 km from Kakopetria as the crow flies, though much further by road. Sleep both nights in the same village and travel without your luggage. All the detail is in the Troodos Mountains.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Kakopetria on GetYourGuide.

Days 8 to 10, Paphos, Akamas and home

From Kykkos to Paphos is about 37 km in a straight line, a lovely descent through pine forest. Give your first Paphos day to the mosaics and ruins of Kato Paphos. The second takes you to Latchi, about 29 km away, and the boat to the Blue Lagoon, which skirts Akamas and stops for a swim.

On the final day, head east past Aphrodite’s Rock and Kourion and, if your flight is late, up to Omodos in the Limassol wine villages, about 27 km from town. From Limassol, Larnaca Airport is about 56 km in a straight line.

What I’d change by season

The route works in winter too, with a few tweaks. Mount Olympus normally has skiable snow between January and March, the ski club says, so the mountain days may be snowy, and I’d make sure the hire car is up to it. Between 21 November 2026 and 6 January 2027 there are also Christmas villages in Kakopetria, Kalopanagiotis, Lefkara, Deryneia and five other villages, according to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, several of them on this route. In July and August I’d flip it, treating the mountains as a refuge from the heat and the coast as an early-morning and evening affair.

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.

What does a trip like this cost?

CYSTAT’s 2025 survey puts the daily spend of British visitors travelling under their own steam at roughly €72, beds and extras included. Over ten days that’s roughly €720 each, before flights and the hire car, which you should book well ahead in high season. The painted churches charge no entry, according to UNESCO, which helps. The breakdown is in prices in Cyprus.

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