Must knows for your trip to Cyprus
Currency. The currency in Cyprus is the Euro. This makes it nice and easy to get your spending money ready before you go. Just make sure to shop around for the best Euro rates before you go!
Flight time. From the UK, most flights to Cyprus take about 4.5 hours.
Plugs. Cyprus use Type G plus and sockets which means no adapters needed if you're coming from the UK, your standard British plugs will work just fine. Hooray!
Vaccinations. Guidelines for these are always changing, check out the .Gov page here for full advice here.
Time difference. Cyprus are on GMT+2 time, this means they're 2 hours ahead of UK time. 1pm UK, 3pm Cyprus.
Best way to get around Cyprus
Cyprus isn't the biggest country on the planet however, there's no domestic train or air service on the Island which means the road is the best way to get around. We recommend hiring a car for the ultimate freedom and flexibility, but the island has decent bus and taxi services too.
Useful links and resources for your trip to Cyprus.
- Cyprus Tourist Board: The official website for the Cypriot National Tourist Office – a useful resource for planning your trip to Cyprus.
- Know Before You Go: Travel advice for Cyprus from the FCO.
- Cyprus Travel Advice: Travel advice for Cyprus from .Gov.
Ways to save money on your trip to Cyprus
Party like a local. Local festivals are a fantastic way to really soak up the culture for not a lot of money. Festivals like the Commandaria Festival in July are free to enter which means you only spend on the food and drink you want.
The best attractions are free. Stunning and popular tourist destinations on the island are amazingly free. Places like the Larnaca Salt Lake and Caledonian waterfall are 100% free and make for fantastic hiking trips.
Eat like a local. Being such a tourist hot spot means the prices are a bit inflated where tourists are common. This does mean though that scoping out bars, taverns and restaurants that aren't tourist focused can save you a bit of money.
Things to see and do
- Visit Aphrodite's rock – the rock is a few kilometers west of Pissouri. Legend has it that Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty rose from the waves in this spot.
- Go skiing on Mount Olympus, the highest point of the Troodos Mountains. In the winter it’s a small scale ski area with four lifts.
- Visit the Troodos Mountains – the biggest mountain range in Cyprus. This area stretches across most of the western side of Cyprus. There are many mountain resorts, Byzantine monasteries, churches on mountain peaks, and picturesque mountain villages nestling into the hill tops.
- Hike through the many unspoilt areas in Cyprus. There are good nature trails in the areas of Atalante, Kaledonia, and Persephone in the Troodos area, and Aphrodite and Adonis in the Akamas area with other good trails in the forests of Machairas and Limassol.
- Enjoy sun, sea and sand in the various beach resorts in Cyprus. South of Limassol on the Akrotiri Peninsula, is a long stretch of excellent sand and on the north coast of Paphos you will find Coral Bay which is a fast growing resort around a good beach. Polis on the north coast is a bustling resort.
- Take a snorkeling or scuba diving trip around Cape Gkreko where the coastline becomes indented with rocky coves and small sandy beaches.
Festivals and events
- Take a trip to the Spring Historic Car Rally, a classic car event which runs from Lemesos to Ayia Napa annually. (March)
- In Larnaca, Agia Irini Day is celebrated in Churches and Monasteries with a large procession and feast to mark the occasion. (May)
- At the Summer Festival there is a traditional mix of traditional music and dancing, food and drink specialties and arts and crafts. (August)
- Afarnia Grape Festival. (October)
- The Aphrodite Half Marathon takes participants along the coast of Paphos; less experienced runners can tackle the 5km fun run. (November)
- The Forest Park Rally held in the heart of the Troodos Mountains is a fantastic classic car hire rally along the winding mountain roads. (November)
Tipping in Cyprus
In some parts of the island a 10%-15% service charge is automatically applied to your bill. If this is not the case, a tip of around 10%-15% will be acceptable. Taxi drivers and hotel staff can be tipped if you wish to as well; normally small change is sufficient.
Skiing in Cyprus
Cyprus offers a cheap alternative to the mainstream Winter sports resorts. In Cyprus it is possible to combine snow and sand as you can enjoy a morning of skiing and then spend the afternoon on the coast. Cyprus is a great destination if you unable to choose between a winter sun holiday and a ski break as you can combine the two in one visit. Skiing can be enjoyed on the slopes of Mount Olympus from December through to March. The après ski in Cyprus is vibrant and energetic.
Time difference
GMT +2
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