With five days, you can easily explore different parts of Cyprus and glimpse the island’s diverse history, culture, and landscapes. Here you’ll find an itinerary that includes Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, and Nicosia, covering different points of interest that will surely satisfy everyone’s preferences, tastes, and travel styles!
Day 1 – Larnaca
The first itinerary option for a 5-day trip to Cyprus starts in Larnaca, the island’s eastern city and home to the largest international airport.
Finikoudes Promeande and Larnaca Castle
An exploration of Larnaca should start on Finikoudes Beach Promenade. It is lined with palm trees and cafes and follows the sandy beach toward the medieval Castle.
Take your time to explore the centuries-old castle that now houses the small Larnaca Medieval Museum to discover more about the city and the island through an exhibition of artifacts from the Early Christian period in the 4th century to the Ottoman period in the late 19th century.
Larnaca Cathedral
Continue your exploration with the imposing 9th-century St Lazarus Cathedral, just a short walk from Laranca’s fort. The cathedral is an excellent example of Byzantine architecture.
It is also home to St Lazarus’ tomb. In the Bible, after being resurrected by Jesus, Lazarus moved to ancient Larnaca, known as Kition, where he spent the rest of his life.
Larnaca’s Main Museums
Not too far from Finikoudes Beach is the Pierides Museum, Cyprus’ oldest private museum housed in a 19th-century mansion. Five generations of the Pierides family collected Cypriot antiquities to display in the museum.
It is so hard to really get your head around how old some of these objects are – but some date back to the 40th Century BC!
I can also recommend a short visit to the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum, mainly because it includes finds from the Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement that are at least 9,000 years old.
It also has some lovely pieces from Ancient Kition.
Once you’ve dipped into these two museums and have seen the little Larnaca Medieval Museum, you’ll need some lunch! The Old Town is the perfect spot.
