A Road Trip Through Cyprus
Caravaner's Companion: Turkish delight, archeological sites, and outdoor art installations
Welcome to the Summer ‘24 batch of Caravaner’s Companion, featuring Norway, Greece, and Cyprus. Released in batches of three each season, upgrade to get these novice-friendly, down-to-earth (and around-the-earth) travel companions chock full of travel recs, cautionary tales, & vibe checks. From your chronically-traveling, donut-obsessed, over-caffeinated bestie. Yamas!🍻
Want a freebie? Check out my guide to Greece!
… And don’t miss the last batch:
Cairo, Egypt | Lisbon and the Algarve, Portugal | Antigua Guatemala, Lake Atitlán, and Petén
If you love the idea of a Mediterranean vacation but are looking for a place less traveled, Cyprus is the answer. It’s a slow traveler’s paradise. No one attraction here has serious star power, but I’d argue that that’s the beauty of it. Cyprus is not the sort of place where you shuffle around in crowds, fanning yourself with a brochure while trying to edge people out of your photos. It’s the kind of place to spend days at wineries and olive farms and rocky beaches, climbing to the tops of lighthouses and driving dramatic coastlines.
As I alluded to in this essay, Nick and I arrived with few expectations and even fewer plans; all we wanted was to bum around a balmy, sun-kissed island, drifting about however felt right. And on that score, Cyprus delivered. It’s the perfect place for a leisurely road trip. In fact, you can’t really get around without a car, but the driving is easy, and the island is so small that you can get from any one point to any other and back again in a single day.
Cyprus also full of world-class archaeological sites you’ve never heard of—the island boasts some of the most beautiful and colorful ancient mosaics I’ve seen, to rival anything you’d find elsewhere in the ancient world. And it all comes at a lower price tag (and with fewer throngs) than Greece or Italy. So rent a car, pack a lunch, and explore Cyprus’ wild coastline at your own pace, unhurried and unscheduled.
A few notes: because Cyprus is sleepy, this guide will be a little different than the usual Caravaner’s Companion format. I’ll give you the scoop on hotels, food, and shopping, but I’m adding a section about the best places for road trippers to stop, and I’ve linked to their Google Maps locations. Also, Cyprus is technically divided into two countries: the Republic of Cyprus, or the “Greek side,” and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or the “Turkish side.” This guide is for the Greek side, except for a couple spots on the Turkish side of the capital, Nicosia. (We would have loved to drive across the border, but that’s difficult to do in a rental car.)
Off we go!