1-week Cyprus Itinerary
This 1-week Cyprus itinerary has all you need to spend a relaxing time jumping between beaches, blue lagoons, and seaside villages.
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Getting around Cyprus
We rented a car and it was very affordable. We spent USD 160 on a rental car for 5 days (and only used one tank of gas for this entire trip!) The final 3 days of this 8-day trip, we spent in Larnaca and didn’t need a car. I used booking.com to find a good deal on an automatic rental car. I picked the cheapest and smallest car option, a Kia Picanto that I found on Discover Cars, which is what I suggest for finding the best car rental. Check out the Cyprus page for more tips.
To get to your hotel or Airbnb back and forth from the airport without a rental car, I suggest you use Welcome Pickups because there is no Uber in Cyprus, and booking a taxi in advance has to be done over the phone, rather than online.
Day 1-4: Beach Days around Ayia Napa
Day 1: Lunch in Larnaca and head to Protaras
Pick up your rental car and grab lunch at Lush on Machenzi beach for a welcome-to-Cyprus drink while watching the plane fly in. After lunch, drive to the east coast toward the towns of Protaras and Ayia Napa toward your lodging. I recommend staying in whatever town has the accommodation you like between Ayia Napa and Protaras.
All the small towns are so similar (and so close together) here that you should mainly enjoy the space. Our Airbnb had a lovely view over the coastline and was located on a small farm.
We stopped at a grocery store and bought some fruits and breakfast items. We were still full from lunch and just had fruit for dinner. Grab dinner at a nearby tavern.
Driving time: 45 min from Larnaca to Protaras
Day 2: Beach day!
Spend the day beach hopping. Check out my favorite beaches here. If you just want to pick two beaches, I recommend Malala Beach and Konnos Beach. These are where the locals hang out!
Day 3: Take it easy
Pick a favorite beach and spend the afternoon here. Then head off to Ayia Napa in the evening. Go on a sunset boat cruise if you’d like; We didn’t because we were too tired but we saw the wild people aboard this pirate ship cruise and it looked hilarious. Get dinner at famous Vassos. It is actually as good as all the reviews say. Don’t miss out on the homemade halloumi. I got the veg moussaka and it was excellent! There is a selection of freshly caught fish fillet or whole as well.
Day 4: Driving West
Leave for the West Coast in the morning.
Days 4-5: Nea Paphos ruins and the Blue Lagoon
Day 4: Aphrodite’s rock and Nea Paphos
Aphrodite’s rock
Visit the beach at Aphrodite’s rock and take 3 laps around Aphrodite’s rock for eternal beauty. Spend an hour or so here.
Driving time: 1 hour 40 min from Protaras to Aphrodite’s rock
Nea Paphos
Visit the ancient ruins of this town that was once the capital of Cyprus. Spend 3 hours here.
Driving time: 30 minutes from Aphrodite’s Rock to Nea Paphos
Drive to your accommodation either by staying around Nea Paphos or driving to the town of Latchi. We chose to go to Latchi so we wouldn’t have to rush in the morning to make it for our boat cruise. However, Latchi is a small town and so if you want more food options, perhaps stay around Nea Paphos instead. We stayed at a simple Airbnb.
Driving time: 1 hour from Nea Paphos to Latchi
Add a day: Customize this Cyprus itinerary by adding on an extra day to explore the sunken ships around the area and visit other historical sites on the west coast.
Alternative tip: Check out this blue lagoon tour that combos the boat trip with a visit to a local winery, the nearby shipwreck, sea caves, and Aprodite’s rock!
Day 5: Blue Lagoon and Larnaca
In the morning, take a boat day cruise that starts at 10:30am to the Blue Lagoon. Chill at the Latchi beach (if you need to wear off your vino from the cruise). It’s not recommended to drive to the lagoon because of the poor road conditions. We booked the cruise online in advance.
Drive to your Larnaca accommodation in the afternoon. We stayed between the Old Town and Mackenzi beach at this studio Airbnb.
Driving time: 2 hours from Latchi to Larnaca
Day 5-7: Exploring Larnaca and Lefkara
Day 5: Driving back to Larnaca
We were too tired to make it out for dinner, but if you can head out to one of the taverns around, visit Mackenzi for beach bar vibes, or explore the old town area’s bars. Check out everything to do in Larnaca, including where to get dinner.
Add a day: Instead of following this Cyprus Itinerary, add on an extra day and visit one of the mountain towns on your way back to Larnaca. Hike around Mount Olympos or visit one of the many wineries around there.
Day 6: Larnaca putters
Get breakfast at Lazaris BakeryBar, visit the old castle, stop by the ceramic shop, and wander the city during the morning and afternoon. We had dinner at a fish tavern near our Airbnb for dinner. Check out all my suggestions on what to do in Larnaca.
Day 7: Lefkara Day Trip
Just 40 minutes away from the city via car, you can explore village life. Lefkara is a touristy town but when we visited there were barely any other tourists around so it felt like a hidden gem. Lefkara is known for its traditional lacemaking. Check out all there is to do in Lefkara.
I had an evening flight so a morning visit to Lefkara worked out perfectly for me. You may want to add an extra day to this Cyprus itinerary (like my sister did) to accommodate this visit.
Alternatively, you can visit Lefkara on a foodie tour with Cyprus Taste Tours. You may visit Lefkara or another similar visit on the tour, depending on the season, and visit several wineries as well! We didn’t get a chance to visit a winery but I wish we had the time.
What do you think of this 1-week Cyprus itinerary? Let me know your suggestions in the comments!