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When most people think of a summer in Europe, it’s probably images of Italy’s pastel-and-turquoise Amalfi Coast they conjure up, or maybe Greece’s whitewashed islands of Mykonos and Santorini, rarely the lesser-known island-nation of Cyprus.
Tucked away in the Eastern Mediterranean, just south of Turkey, it has always been one of the least-visited destinations by Americans flying across the pond, despite its balmy climate, postcard beaches, and Old World allure.
That’s why it may come as a surprise to some that Cyprus has set a new tourism record in 2025 already, considering the limited traction it gets in the U.S.
How Have Americans Been Sleeping On Cyprus For So Long?
According to Harris Papacharalambous, the President of ACTTA, Cyprus’ Travel and Tourism Agents Association, the Mediterranean hotspot has already hit a record 450,000 arrivals so far this year, higher than first-quarters of preceding years.
Cyprus hosts on average 3-4 million tourists a year, largely coming from Northern European countries like England, Germany, and Poland, though since the pandemic, the number of Americans traveling all the way there has increased tenfold.
According to a report by Global Economic Data, a mere 5,069 U.S. passport holders touched down in the Larnaca and Paphos airports in 2020, rising to a whopping 48,616 in 2023, when the figure was last adjusted.
The figure is far from being all that impressive on its own, but it marks a noticeable rise in interest from the U.S. market in what was previously an unheard-of destination.
What Has Cyprus Got To Offer?
If you’ve been curious enough to look up Cyprus on a map, you’ll have seen it is a (fairly) remote island, east of Greece, yet still hundreds of miles away from the nearest Greek island, and surrounded by the turquoise-most seas you’ve ever seen.
Though culture plays a huge part in it, for sure—this is the Ancient Sea, after all—a vacation in Cyprus can easily be summed up in gorging on tasty souvlaki wraps, lazy afternoons lounging by the beachfront, dipping your toes in warm, translucent seas.
In places like Protaras or Ayia Napa, where beaches are of fine white sand, you’d even have a hard time believing this isn’t the Caribbean: none of the usual pebbly beaches, which as beautiful as they may be for pictures, can be quite uncomfortable to walk, let alone lie on.
Over in Karpass, a finger-like peninsula in the north of the island, there are golden sands running adjacent to azure waters for endless miles, and wait until you’ve been to Paphos, out west, famous for its scenic bays and crystal-clear waterfalls—and smaller crowds.
Cyprus Is Less Crowded Than Greece, Italy, France
That’s a big advantage Cyprus has over its Mediterranean counterparts: as hugely popular as it is among Europeans, it still feels far less busy, and not-at-all-hectic compared to the average Greek island, or the trendy South of France.
Usually, tourism is heavily concentrated in a select few areas, most notably Ayia Napa, where a party scene has developed in recent decades, Limassol, a bustling port city wedged between long strips of sand, and the resort-dominated downtown Paphos.
A short one-hour drive north of Paphos, Pomos offers a dramatic rugged coastline interspersed with secret coves tourists have yet to discover, or if you’re not scared to go off-the-beaten-path, Kato Pyrgos near the buffer zone has a nearly-untouched public beach.
Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa may get all the fame, but one of the most beautiful beaches in Cyprus is not serviced by well-frequented beach clubs, nor dotted with blue-and-white umbrellas: check out Lara Beach, without major developments or hotels, just pure nature and Mediterranean bliss.
Untarnished Mediterranean Culture
This is a culture-charged island in the middle of the Mediterranean, remember?
If you’re flying all the way from the States to marvel at historical monuments dating back several millennia, you could truly never exhaust your to-do list in Cyprus.
A must-see attraction is the Tombs of the Kings, in Paphos, a 2,300-year-old necropolis featuring beautiful underground chambers supported by Doric pillars—plus, some respite from the sun is welcome in the scorching Cypriot heat.
Other noteworthy sites include Kourion, a Greco-Roman archaeological site housing a restored amphitheater and intricate mosaic patterns, overlooking the Mediterranean, the medieval Kolossi Castle, near Limassol, and the city of Kyrenia (or Girne) in Northern Cyprus:
Famous for its fortified harbor, donned with a Venetian-built castle, and its ocher-colored Old Town, with cobble-paved alleys lined with Ottoman-era townhouses and artisan shops, it is Cyprus at its best: quaint, authentic, unspoiled by mass tourism.
Cyprus Is An Affordable Beach Getaway
Looking for a Mediterranean getaway that won’t break the bank? Cyprus is no Albania or Montenegro, but it is definitely on the cheaper side of Europe, if you’re asking us:
If you’re not all about that week-round pampering, booking a beachfront room in Ayia Napa (Summer’s Hotel Apartments) will set you back by $83 per night.
If it’s the latter you’re interested in, the 4-star Corfu Hotel, equipped with a pool, and only 400 meters from the main beach, costs a fairly-affordable $162-a-night to book.
Keen on exploring Paphos’ ancient wonders and turquoise coastline? A whole beachside flat (Panklitos Tourist Apartments) will run you up a mere $70 per night in early August, or only $36 per adult if you’re traveling as a couple.
Don’t mind splurging a little on a luxury hotel?
Capital Coast Resort And Spa provides a sumptuous continental breakfast, 2 pools, a fitness center, a tennis court, and a wide array of in-house activities, from dance lessons to diving to snorkeling, from only $174-a-night.
Accommodation aside, if you’re wondering how much eating at restaurants, or grabbing takeout food in Cyprus costs, here are some estimates compiled from sources like Wise and Move2Cyprus:
- Budget restaurant: $13–18 per person for a main dish
- Mid-range restaurant: $25–35 per person for a 3-course meal
- Street food: $5-10 for gyros, souvlaki, and other takeout snacks
The One Slight Caveat
If you’ve been reading attentively so far, there’s been a lot of talking of south versus north divides here, buffer zones, and what have you, and it’s time we finally brief you on what’s really going on in Cyprus at the minute.
Well, since the 1970s, at least:
The island is essentially split between a Greek-majority South, recognized internationally as a sovereign state, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a breakaway, unrecognized state formed following a Turkish invasion half a century ago.
To this day, there is a United Nations-overseen buffer zone separating both territories, perceived most dramatically in the Cypriot inland capital of Nicosia, sundered at its very core by a post-seventies, heavily-militarized border.
You cannot cross from south to north without going through a checkpoint, and as simple a procedure as it may be—in Nicosia, locals do it all the time when shopping up and down the border-traversed Ledra Street—there are some rules you must observe.
On Crossing From South To North (And Vice-Versa)
For starters, as a foreigner, you must always present your passport, even if the Turkish-controlled North isn’t recognized by the United Nations as a country.
Secondly, you can only cross from south to north and back, not vice-versa: Republic of Cyprus authorities (South) consider any tourists that have landed first in the North to have entered Cyprus illegally.
In other words, you should always use the airports in Larnaca (LCA) and Paphos (PFO) when flying from mainland Europe to the island—the third commercial airport, Ercan (ECN) is located in the North, and thus should not be used as an entry point if you plan on visiting the South afterwards.
To make it simple:
- Landing in Southern Cyprus and planning on visiting the North? You’re good to go, and you can cross the border there and back as many times as you wish
- Landing in the Turkish-controlled North and planning on visiting the South? You’ll be barred entry when attempting to cross the border as you won’t have a Republic of Cyprus-issued entry stamp
Has the picture-perfect Kyrenia Harbor, or the dreamy Protaras beach piqued your interest?
You can learn more about Cyprus, and why it’s the next trendy European destination for Americans here.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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