Larnaca, Lefkara and Nicosia Highlights Day Trip from Paphos

Pano Lefkara: the village of lace and silver

About 80 minutes from Paphos, Pano Lefkara sits on the lower slopes of the Troodos mountains, a maze of honey-coloured stone houses, wooden balconies and narrow lanes. It is known across Cyprus for lefkaritika, a fine handmade lace whose embroidery tradition is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and for delicate silver filigree work sold in small family shops.

During about an hour here you can stroll the stone-paved streets, watch the patterns of lace on display in doorways and visit the workshops. The village is especially photogenic in the soft morning light of this first stop. If you are planning a Lefkara village tour, combining it with Nicosia and Larnaca in one day is the easiest way to reach this inland village without a car.

Nicosia: old town, Venetian walls and the Green Line

Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is the last divided capital in Europe. Its old town lies within star-shaped Venetian walls built in the 16th century, and since 1974 the Green Line, a buffer zone patrolled by the United Nations, has cut the city in two. Walking its streets is a fascinating lesson in the island's layered history, from Byzantine and Venetian to Ottoman and British times.

You have about two hours in old Nicosia to walk Ledra Street, the lively pedestrian heart of the city, explore the restored lanes and craft shops of Laiki Geitonia and look towards the checkpoint on the Green Line. For many travellers a Nicosia day trip from Paphos is the highlight of their stay, and this tour adds two more classic sights on the same day.

Larnaca: Finikoudes promenade and the Church of Saint Lazarus

Larnaca, on the south-east coast, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Cyprus. Its seafront Finikoudes promenade, named after its long row of palm trees, runs beside a sandy town beach and is lined with cafés, making it a pleasant place to stretch your legs and enjoy the sea breeze.

A short walk inland stands the Church of Saint Lazarus, built in the late 9th century over the tomb believed to be that of Lazarus, who according to tradition became bishop of the town. The stone church has a richly carved and gilded wooden iconostasis, and its crypt holds the ancient sarcophagus. About an hour in Larnaca gives you time to visit the church and walk part of the promenade; please dress modestly to enter.

Larnaca Salt Lake and Hala Sultan Tekke

On the way back west, the route passes the Larnaca Salt Lake, a wide shallow lake just outside the town that fills with water in winter and dries to a white crust of salt in summer. From roughly November to March it attracts flocks of pink flamingos and other wetland birds, a beautiful sight against the low hills.

On the lake's western shore, among palm and cypress trees, rises Hala Sultan Tekke, an Ottoman-era mosque complex and one of the most important Muslim shrines in Cyprus, built around the tomb of a revered figure from the early Islamic period. This is a short photo stop of about ten minutes, with one of the classic views of Cyprus, before the drive of about an hour and a half back to Paphos.

Across Cyprus in one day: hotel pickup and the drive

The day starts with pickup from major hotels in Paphos and the Coral Bay area between 08:00 and 09:00; the exact time and place are sent on WhatsApp the day before. Guests in apartments and some hotels are collected from a nearby point a few minutes away. From there, the air-conditioned vehicle follows the motorway east along the south coast and inland across the island.

Your English-speaking guide shares stories about Cyprus during the drives, which makes the long distances pass quickly. Food and drinks are not included, so bring water and some cash for lunch in Nicosia or a snack in Larnaca. The full tour takes about nine hours, returning to your hotel in the early evening.