Things to do in

Nicosia

A guide will pick you up from a location of your choice and you’ll be driven around carefully selected villages to visit locals making traditional products and taste Cypriot delicacies. One of these stops will be an award-winning winery where you'll try a selection of wines and discover a variety of indigenous grape varieties. You’ll learn about the ingredients, the making process, and the traditions linked to the products. Part of the touring will be visiting villages where you’ll have time to explore and see the sites. Along the way, the group will stop at a local tavern to feast on a selection of Cypriot dishes with a full meze lunch. We keep our tours authentic by visiting true locals and because these local villagers are busy with every day life – we cannot guarantee which stops we’ll be including… However, here’s an example list of products which are likely to be included – Halloumi Cheese, Honey, Olive Oil, Village Breads, Traditional Sweets, Wine etc. We guarantee a great day out and you can be sure that you’ll visit 5 fantastic places within the Troodos mountain villages and experience a foodie day tour like no other!

Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation. Meet your local guide and learn about the local food and wine offerings. Drive to a Troodos mountain village and visit a family-owned boutique winery. Take a tour of the facility and enjoy a wine tasting. Continue to a quaint village where you’ll have a chance to wander the cobbled streets and take in the picturesque scenery. Visit the local church, monastery, and local craft shops. As you explore the village, stop for a food tasting. After exploring the village, sit down for coffee and a traditional snack. Relax and watch the world go by.

Visit the fairytale fortress of Saint Hilarion Castle in the Kyrenia mountain range of Cyprus and get 1.5 hours to explore the former monastery, named after a monk who chose the location for his hermitage in the 10th century. Move on to the ruins of 13th-century Bellapais Abbey in the Five Fingers Mountains region of Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus. Enjoy a 30-minute coffee break before driving to the harbor town of Kyrenia on the northern coast. Get some time to explore the town, founded by the Achaeans tribe after the Trojan War.  Next, explore the divided capital city of Nicosia and enjoy lunch in the Ottoman-era Great Han. Experience both the Greek and Turkish areas of the walled city at sites such as the large caravanserai of the Büyük Han and the amazing Selimiye Mosque, converted from a Catholic cathedral following the Ottoman siege of the city in 1570. 

Discover Nicosia through the eyes of a local on an exclusive walking tour with a private guide. Transform the way you travel and make a new friend along the way! Get a meet and greet at your hotel or a landmark location selected by you, and then explore the city on an itinerary that can be customized to your interests and requirements all the way. Your friendly local is passionate about where they live and eager to share tips and tricks to help you make the most of your stay. Familiarize yourself with your local neighborhood, and learn where the best places to eat and buy groceries are. Hear about the easiest ways to get around, and what are the top things to see and do.  By the end of the tour you will feel more comfortable navigating on your own and confident that you have all the information you need for a memorable stay.

Join this tour to explore St. Hilarion fairytale castle spending 1.5-hours here before you move onto the gorgeous Bellapais Abbey, a ruined 13th-century abbey in the Five Fingers Mountains. Have a 30 minute coffee break, then carry on driving to the town center of Kyrenia, where you will be given a chance to spend time in the harbor town of Kyrenia, which is regarded as the jewel of northern Cyprus and visit Kyrenia Castle, the Venetian built fortress that stands on the beautiful harbor. Visit Nicosia, the only divided capital city of Cyprus and have lunch in the Great Han built by the Ottoman empire. After lunch, experience both its Greek and Turkish areas on this half-day trip from Nicosia. Walk into Nicosia's walled old city to visit Büyük Han and Selimiye Mosque, once St. Sophia Cathedral. Great tour for history and culture buffs. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping in the lively lanes and streets. 

Depart Nicosia and journey to St. Barnabas Monastery and Icon Museum next to the Royal Tombs. Continue to the ancient city of Salamis to see the largest Roman amphitheater in Cyprus. Go to Othello’s Tower where Shakespeare was inspired to write his famous play. Admire the largest medieval building in Famagusta at the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, formerly known as St. Nicolas Cathedral and built in a French Gothic style. Get some free time in the old city to shop or explore on your own.  End with a visit to the ghost town of Famagusta, abandoned in 1974 due to the political issues between the 2 sides of Cyprus. 

You'll visit St. Hillarion Castle reminiscent of Walt Disney's fairytale film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which was inspired by this castle. Spend around 1.5-hours to climb all the way to the top.  Then, continue through the craggy Five Fingers (Pentadaktylos) Mountains to Bellapais Abbey, a French Gothic styled monastery spectacularly set on a mountain terrace for incredible views. Discover the ruins of this 13th-century Augustinian Abbey with a licensed guide and a great view of Kyrenia's epic seascape far below. Another 30 minutes will be given to relax with a coffee break in a peaceful atmosphere.

Join this tour to explore St. Hilarion fairytale castle spending 1.5 hours here, before you move on to the gorgeous Bellapais Abbey, a ruined 13th century structure in the Five Fingers Mountains. Have a 30–minute coffee break, then carry on driving to the town center of Kyrenia for a chance to spend time in the harbor town, regarded as the jewel of northern Cyprus. Visit Kyrenia Castle, the Venetian built fortress that stands on the beautiful harbor. After Kyrenia, continue visiting Cyprus, the only divided capital city of Nicosia and have lunch in the Great Han built by the Ottoman empire. After lunch, experience both its Greek and Turkish areas. Walk into Nicosia's walled old city to visit Büyük Han and Selimiye Mosque, once St. Sophia Cathedral. Enjoy free time for lunch and shopping in the lively lanes and streets. 

Explore the playground of the goddess of love, Aphrodite. This 10-kilometer walk takes place in Akamas, a pristine, almost untouched area of Cyprus. Usually, you'll first do the east part of the Adonis trail, reaching the ruins of a medieval monastery for a picnic. From there, the route ascends to the peak known as "Moutti tis Sotiras". Enjoy unobstructed views of the north coast from Cape Arnaouti, the tip of Akamas, towards Chrysochou Bay, and the northwest all the way to Pomos in the northeast. After a pause for a picnic and soaking in the majestic views, walk to the Baths of Aphrodite on the Aphrodite trail (the last stretch is on a coastal dirt road, near the cliff). Depending on travelers' preferences and time availability, the tour route can be made shorter (7 km) or longer (13 km). Other activities like swimming and snorkeling can also be included.

Visit Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, to find out about the turbulent history of one of the world’s last divided cities. Take a walking tour of the old town. Visit St. John's Cathedral and the Ottoman Buyuk Han. Bring your ID if you want to cross between the Greek and Turkish sides of the city. After hotel pickup, head to south Nicosia, where your guide will show and give you all the interesting facts about this town. Discover the Liberty Monument and St. John's Cathedral in the center of the old town. Despite its modest exterior, the interior of the cathedral will take you by surprise. Next, take a walking tour through the partially car-free old town within the Venetian Walls. Once in the occupied part of Nicosia, visit Buyuk Han and see the Ayia Sofia Church with its modern Byzantine architecture. Enjoy coffee and a pie. Ample free time will be provided for shopping or for lunch. For those interested in a visit to Leventis Museum, the guide will wait for you outside the museum at 3:00 PM. Finish your tour with drop-off back at your centrally located hotel in Ayia Napa or Protaras.