Crossroads of Empires Archaeological Treasures of Cyprus Tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Welcome to Cyprus
1 stop
1
Larnaca
Our thrilling Cyprus trip begins in Larnaca, the major international gateway to Cyprus. We meet this evening at our luxury hotel for a welcome drink and head out to a wonderful Cypriot feast with local wines. Enjoy a restful night’s sleep in preparation for the upcoming week of adventure…
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Ancient Salamis, Famagusta, and the Ghost Town of Varosha
3 stops
2
Larnaca
After breakfast at our hotel, we head out with our tour leader on a walking tour of Old Larnaca and visit the Church that holds the remains of Saint Lazarus. Lazarus came to Cyprus after returning from the dead and lived the remainder of his life in Larnaca.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
3
Salamis
Then we head across the UN Buffer Zone into Northern Cyprus to meet our archaeologist for a private tour of the ancient Greek city-state of Salamis on the coast of eastern Cyprus. There is evidence that the site was first occupied in the 11th Century BC.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
4
Famagusta
We travel just a few miles further to ancient and stately Famagusta, which was founded in 274 BC after an earthquake toppled much of Salamis. Here we try local cuisine and wines over lunch and tour this remarkable city, marvelling at its churches, mosques, and medieval buildings and mighty walls. Next, it’s on to 1974. We tour the abandoned Famagusta coastal resort of Varosha that was abandoned in terror of the advancing Turkish tanks and troops on 14 August 1974. You have the choice of walking or cycling this eerie open-air museum. Returning to Larnaca, we end our day with a farm‑to‑table dinner, featuring time‑honored local recipes, as the sun sets on our first full day of adventuring in Cyprus!
4 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Europe's Last Divided Capital: Nicosia and North Nicosia
3 stops
5
Cyprus Museum
After breakfast at our hotel, we travel north to the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia. We begin with a tour of the Cyprus Museum
1 hour • Admission ticket included
6
We then take a private guided tour of the UN Buffer Zone, the Green Line that marks the northern part of the city as under the occupation of Turkey.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
7
We then cross the border zone into North Nicosia, where lunch options range from contemporary cafes on ancient sites, to the cafe of the Great Inn, to the many cafes lining Northern Nicosia’s Old Town squares. Meeting again after lunch, we take a private guided tour of the astonishing Old Town of North Nicosia, before crossing the Green Line again and checking into our luxury boutique hotel just outside the city walls of Old Nicosia. Dinner tonight is an old, atmospheric, high-quality traditional Nicosian restaurant with an elegant twist on traditional Cypriot and Greek specialties.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Northern Cyprus: Ancients, Byzantines, Knights, and Monks
3 stops
8
Saint Hilarion Castle
After an early breakfast at our hotel, we cross the Green Line to visit St. Hilarion Castle, high on the Kyrenia mountain range. Named after an obscure monk who lived on the hilltop, the Byzantines fortified the hillside in the 11th century, and it is the best preserved of the three castles that defended the island against Arab raids. Built in three separate self-contained levels, the third level is for the very active (and mountain goats!)
2 hours • Admission ticket included
9
Kyrenia
We travel from the heights of the Kyrenia Range to Kyrenia Harbor, where lunch is at a lovely harborside taverna – a postcard-perfect spot for lunch! After lunch, we tour the 16th-century Venetian Castle that is built over a Crusader fortification, including its 12th-century chapel and Shipwreck Museum.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
10
Bellapais Monastery
Our final stop of the day in Northern Cyprus is Bellapais, where Lawrence Durrell lived and where he wrote “Bitter Lemons.” We tour Bellapais Abbey, a 13th-century monastery that was home to the canons who had been the custodians of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before the fall of Jerusalem.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Neolithic Choirokotia, Aphrodite's Beach and Sanctuary, and the Castle of the Knights
4 stops
11
After breakfast at our hotel, we bid farewell to Nicosia and head south to one of the most exciting Neolithic sites in the world – the UNESCO World Heritage site of Choirokoitia. Our archaeologist guide leads us on a private tour of this ancient site, inhabited from the 7th to the 4th millennium B.C.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
12
Kolossi Castle
Beginning our journey west to Paphos, we tour the Crusader stronghold of Kolossi Castle. It was fought over by both the Knights Templar and the Knights of St John because of its strategic significance.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
13
Aphrodite's Rock
After lunch at a village taverna, we enter the realm of the goddess Aphrodite, visiting the beach where, according to myth, she emerged from the sea, carried naked on a wave of sea foam.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
14
We travel further westwards to the archaeological site of Palaipafos. We have a private tour of Palaipafos by our archaeologist guide. The oldest part of Palaipafos is the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, which was built by the Myceneans around 1200 BC. It’s time now to continue our journey to Paphos, check into our harborside hotel, and eat a meze feast at one of Paphos’ oldest and most famous traditional tavernas – a truly fitting ‘welcome’ to Paphos!
1 hour • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Discover the UNESCO World Heritage City of Paphos
2 stops
15
Paphos
After breakfast at our hotel, our tour guide leads us on a walking tour of old Paphos and Paphos harbor. We visit ancient churches, the catacombs of Agio Solomoni, a medieval fort, and much more.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
16
After a leisurely lunch, we enjoy a private tour of the astonishing archaeological site of Nea Paphos with our expert archaeologist guide. The Roman mosaics of this UNESCO World Heritage site will amaze you! This evening is free for you to choose a traditional taverna or chic contemporary restaurant to discover Paphos specialties and regional wines.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Astonishing Paphos Region: Ancient Kourion and Tombs of the Kings
2 stops
17
After breakfast, we’re later reunited with our archaeologist guide as we explore the important ancient city of Curium (Kourion).
2 hours • Admission ticket included
18
Tombs of the Kings
We head down the clifftop to Kourion Beach for a seafood feast, and in the afternoon we return to Paphos to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tombs of the Kings where our archaeologist guide. Dinner tonight is at your leisure along the Paphos waterfront.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Optional Akamas National Park Experience Day
1 stop
19
Paphos District
After breakfast at our hotel, today is yours to spend however you like. Whether it’s reading a book on your balcony, getting in some spa time, or simply walking, shopping, and eating, that day is at your leisure. We recommend a harbor cruise or a tour of the Akamas National Park by boat and Jeep that includes a visit to the Blue Lagoon.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 9
Into the Mountains to Discover Byzantine Cyprus
1 stop
20
After breakfast at our hotel, it’s time to leave the southern coast of Cyprus and head into the mountains. We journey to the village of Kalopanayiotis, high in the Troodos Mountains, and check into our Small Luxury Hotels of the World mountain lodge. After lunch, we take a tour of the village of Kalopanayiotis, which includes a visit to Agios Ioannis Lampadistra Monastery (Saint John Lampadistis Monastery), one of the monasteries included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Painted Churches of the Troodos Mountains. We venture further along the Setrachos River trail (Trail No. 1) to a 16th-century Venetian bridge. Our walk takes 90 minutes, is a circular route, is 3.9 km and is graded “easy.” Dinner tonight is in an award-winning restaurant with a panoramic view of the Marathasa Valley.
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 10
The Painted Churches and Monasteries of the Troodos Mountains
1 stop
21
After breakfast, we’re reunited with our archaeologist guide as we go hunting for the UNESCO World Heritage 10th-century painted Byzantine churches and monasteries hidden throughout the Troodos Mountains. We’ll stop on the way at a sensational winery for another Cyprus feast and local wines. For our last evening together, we gather in an elegant restaurant with spectacular views for a farewell dinner.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 11
Farewell (For Now)
1 stop
22
Larnaca
After our last breakfast together, our lovely driver returns us to Larnaca airport. If you’d like to stay in Cyprus, we’ll be happy to help you make reservations to extend your stay until next time, when we see you on tour with us again.
2 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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