Panoramic Cyprus for Honeymoon

Today's first stop will be the Aphrodite's Rock (Petra tou Romiou). It is said that the goddess of love, Aphrodite, aka Venus, was born from the foam near the rock. The Greek word "aphros," meaning foam, best explains this legend. In addition to Aphrodite's Rock, some larger rocks are standing in the sea, often called "Romeo". Unlike other beaches, there is no sand but cobbles on the shore.
► Tip: We don't recommend you swim in the water or climb on the rock, as the water in this area is fierce and no protective measures around.

Then, we will head to the Paphos Archaeological Park, where many mosaics that tell Greek mythology are preserved. You can guess which story each mosaic is telling while admiring. The one in the House of Theseus depicting the story of Theseus killing the Minotaur is the most worthwhile to see. You can also appreciate the Ancient Roman Amphitheater in the center of the park, where blue skies, green trees, and a white lighthouse provide a perfect backdrop. There are still performances held here nowadays.
► Tips:
1. If you visit here before a show, you may cannot see the original appearance of the amphitheater as people have to set up the venue ahead of time.
2. As some stairs of the amphitheater are broken, and paths may be uneven, you'd better wear comfortable walking shoes, and be careful to avoid tumbling.
3. It is advisable to bring sun protective gear and water, especially in summer, as there is almost no shade in the park.

After that, we will visit the Tombs of the Kings, which is part of Paphos Archaeological Park. These tombs are not for kings but for nobilities and high-ranking officials. Unlike traditional graves, these tombs were built in a courtyard style and buried more than one person in the surrounding rooms. Finally, we will transfer you back to the hotel in Limassol.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Atlantica Miramare Beach Hotel, Limassol (4 stars) or similar

This morning, our visit will start from the Kolossi Castle, a military architecture in the 14th century that came under the domain of the Knights Templar. Going inside, you can still see the murals from the Middle Ages (476 - 1453). There is a room with an echo effect where you can pretend to be a singer and experience live 360-degree surround sound. Climbing up the spiral stairs to the battlements, a panoramic scene around the castle comes into view. The staircases are very steep, so be careful wen climbing. Afterward, you will visit the Ancient Kourion, where the Κourion Ancient Amphitheater was built in the 2nd century BC, accommodating 2,000 people. You can sing or speak in the center of the amphitheater, pretending to be an opera singer or a celebrity. Your voice can be heard by everyone here even without using a loudspeaker or a stereo. In addition, you can see the council chamber, the baths, and the marketplace back then.
► Tip: The Ancient Kourion is quite large and almost has no shade, so remember to wear a sunhat or bring a parasol.

Then, we will head to Limassol Castle, a medieval fort initially built to keep the enemies beyond. It is said that Richard the Lionheart, King of England, married Princess Berengaria here. The castle now houses a Medieval Museum displaying medieval pottery, Byzantine silver, weapons, coins, etc. Nestled in the Limassol Harbour, it offers a breathtaking scenery of the Mediterranean Sea. Leaving the castle, you will take a leisure walk through the historic quarters of Limassol Old Town. Rambling in the maze-like alleys, you can see houses built in a mix of Venetian, Ottoman, and British styles on both sides of cobbled streets. Finally, our guide and driver will send you back to the hotel or drop you off at Limassol Marina if you want, where you can have dinner and go back to the hotel on your own.

Recommended Restaurant for Dinner: Jamie Oliver Kitchen
The restaurant is founded by the famous Cypriot chef Jamie Oliver. Located near the marina, it shows a stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea. Jamie Oliver's fish stew is a must-eat. The chef braises the fish and clams with tomatoes and basil stalks and adds some red wine to spice things up. The fish is usually served with a special saffron aioli sauce.
► Tips:
1. It costs around €20-30 per person. You can pay by credit cards and cash in euros.
2. Use the app CABCY to order a cab back to your hotel. It typically arrives within 11 minutes and costs around €9.5. Bus is convenient, too. You can use the apps Pame or CyprusBus to check the bus routes and real-time schedules.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Atlantica Miramare Beach Hotel, Limassol (4 stars) or similar

After having breakfast in the hotel, we will pick you up and drive you towards several attractions across the Troodos Mountains.

★ Immersive Red Wine Tour in Troodos Mountains
Ready to tantalize your buds? Today, we will head to one of the selected wineries at the foot of the mountain, where you can see vast vineyards on the slope around the winery. You will have the chance to taste various wines and learn their different brewing process. Commandaria, Cyprus national wine, named "Legendary Wine" by Forbes, is a must-taste. Then, we will continue driving deeper into the mountain to Omodos, a village on the mountain slope, considered the hub of Cyprus's wine-producing region. We will walk through the cobbled streets to the village square, where many stores exist. You can taste 3-5 kinds of wines in some stores for free. Try zivania here! It is made by distilling the residue of grapes and is very alcoholic. Hence, it is also named the "wine of the brave." 
► Tip: If you want to bring some wine home, please check your country's relevant entry policies to clarify the types and quantities of alcohol allowed to be brought and to declare customs to avoid unnecessary taxes or fines.
 
Following the paths in the village, you will arrive at the Monastery of the Holy Cross, also known as Timios Stavros, where a fragment of the True Cross is preserved. Inside the monastery, you will see three golden-plated icon screens created in 1817 and beautiful walls adorned with delicate frescoes. Want to try some local specialties? There are many restaurants around the square of Omodos, where you can try Meze, a traditional Cyprus dish comprising 15-20 kinds of food on one plate. There are meat Meze, fish Meze, vegetation Meze, and mixed Meze. People usually eat it with various sauces, such as Tahini, Skordalia, Taramosalata, and Tzatziki.

Leaving Omodos, we will head to the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Roof, considered one of Cyprus's most interesting Byzantine churches. Here, you can admire delicate frescoes depicting Lazarus's Resurrection, the Virgin Mary's Dormition, and the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Then, we will visit today's last spot, Kakopetria Village, a captivating mountain village famous for its stretches of pine forests and Byzantine and Venetian-style houses. Finally, we will drive you to the hotel in Kyrenia.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Pia Bella Hotel, Kyrenia (4 stars) or similar

Today's sightseeing will begin from the medieval Saint Hilarion Castle on a hilltop, which offers a commanding view of Kyrenia. The castle consists of three main parts. First, you will follow our guide into the lowest area, which used to be the soldiers' quarters. Then, along a winding path, pass through the Lusignan Gate to the middle of the castle, which used to be the royal palace and the church. A final climbing will lead you to Prince John's Tower, where Prince John is said to have thrown off two of his guards who conspired to murder him.
► Tips:
1. You may need to walk on the weathered rock, so please wear comfortable walking shoes.
2. It is advisable to bring sun protective gear, as there is no shade in many parts of the castle.

The next stop will be Bellapais Monastery, where you can receive beautiful views of the whole Kyrenia and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea from its garden and corridors. After lunch, we will visit the impressive and well-preserved Kyrenia Castle and its famous Shipwreck Museum, which displays a 2,300-year-old shipwreck discovered near Kyrenia Harbour. It is said that this was a Greek merchant ship that sank because of the pirates. You can still see the scratches by the spears on the ship's body. There is also a curse tablet preserved in the museum. The pirates believed these tablets could keep the ship at the bottom of the sea forever. Adjacent to the harbour, the castle offers a breathtaking Mediterranean Sea view. After visiting the castle, wander around the Kyrenia Harbour to spend the rest of the day. Finally, we will send you back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Pia Bella Hotel, Kyrenia (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and accompany you to the St. Barnabas Monastery, where the patron saint of Cyprus, Barnabas, is buried. It is now used as an icon museum collecting relics from the Bronze Age (3300B.C. - 1200 B.C.) and Early Iron Age (1200 B.C. - 600 B.C.). Then, we will visit the Ancient Ruins of Salamis nearby. Resembling the world-famous Pompeii, which was buried in volcanic ash, Salamis was buried in quicksand in the earthquakes. It was not discovered until 600 years later. Roman buildings such as the amphitheater, sports arena, and baths were revealed in excavations.
► Tip: The Ancient Ruins of Salamis is very large, and there is almost no shade here. So we recommend you wear sneakers or trekking shoes and bring bottled water to avoid heatstroke.

Then, we will head to St. Nicholas Cathedral, also known as Lala Mustafa Mosque, in the old city of Famagusta, which has the most beautiful Gothic-style architecture in the country. If you want, our guide will leave you some time to walk around the old city of Famagusta after visiting the cathedral. Today's last stop will be the ghost town Varosha, which used to be a popular resort for the rich and famous worldwide. However, after the Turkish entry Northern Cyprus, the once luxurious buildings including hotels and entertainment venues became dilapidated, and weeds gradually occupied some of the town's streets.
► Tips:
1. You'd better not trespass those places with signs, banners, or police lines.
2. You can take photos in public places in Varosha, except places with soldiers and military buildings.
3. Avoid entering the abandoned buildings as they may collapse anytime.

After visiting Varosha, our guide and driver will drive you to the hotel in Nicosia.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Centrum Hotel Nicosia (3 stars) or similar

At the agreed time, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and set off for the Cyprus Museum as our first stop. It is the oldest and largest archaeological museum in Cyprus, which preserves relics from the Neolithic Era to the Byzantine Period (395 - 1453), such as various pottery with interesting shapes, terracotta figurines, ancient coins, and other artifacts. Then, we will head to Venetian Walls, built in the 16th century. Venetians constructed the foundations with stones, built the walls with mud bricks, and reinforced them with 11 heart-shaped bastions. Due to the obscuration of modern buildings, it is difficult to appreciate the majesty of this building in some places in Nicosia. But don't worry, our guide will take you to the Famagusta Gate, one of the passageways of Nicosia at that time. Here, you can admire the height of the wall and its solid construction firsthand. After that, we will visit the House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios, a Turkish-style villa of a translator's house constructed in 1793. The mansion was built in the shape of the Greek word Π with a garden in the center. On the second floor, you can see the reception room adorned with exquisite wooden carvings and murals. 

Then, our guide will accompany you across the Green Line to the north to visit Buyuk Han, originally a caravanserai and remolded into a commercial area where you can find many restaurants on the first floor and handicraft shops on the second. You can taste sheftalia, Cyprus traditional sausages made of pork, beef, or mutton, on your own. Mixed with onions and parsley and seasoned with salt, pepper, and cinnamon, the minced meat is stuffed in caul fat to make sausages. The grilled sheftalia is usually served with pita bread.

► Tip: You need to pay in cash in euros at most stores in Buyuk Han. But in other places in North Cyprus, you may need to pay in liras. Euros are acceptable in a few places but it may be more expensive than paying in liars.

After a short break, we will continue exploring the northern part of Nicosia. Let’s hang out at local bazaars such as Grand Bazaar and Arasta Quarter, then ramble through the square where Venetian Column stands. Finally, you will see the residential houses built during the Ottoman Period (1299 - 1922) in Arabahmet Quarter. At the end of the day, we will send you back to the hotel in Nicosia.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Centrum Hotel Nicosia (3 stars) or similar

After breakfast in the hotel, the guide will pick you up and drive around an hour to Cape Greco National Forest Park, which lies further east of Ayia Napa.

★ Hike to Embrace the Nature in Cape Greco
Ready to embrace the stunning nature of Ayia Napa? Follow our guide to explore Cape Greco, where Apollo, the god of light in Greek mythology, is said to fight to defend this island from invasion. We will accompany you on a hike to the top of Cape Greco, which offers arresting panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea and its coastline. You can also try your luck to discover the hidden caves along the way. Sometimes, you may come across foxes, hares, or porcupines. To gain the best hiking experience, we recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes as you may need to walk on uneven, dusty paths.

Then, we will head to Blue Lagoon on the Cape Greco Peninsula, a must-see location when visiting Cyprus, where you can see azure blue and crystal clear water. After a short break at Blue Lagoon, we'll visit the Kamara Tou Koraka Stone Arch, also known as Crow's Arch, a natural arch that stands near the cliff. You can take a picture on the arch bridge with the Mediterranean Sea as the background. But there are no fences on it, and the rocks here may be sharp, so be careful when climbing onto the arch to avoid falling. Then, we will visit the Agioi Anargyroi Church, a small Orthodox church on the seafront with a blue roof and white walls. Along the wooden stairs at the back of the church, you can also enter a sea cave for a visit. As the stairs and the rocks inside the sea cave are usually slippery, and there are no protective measures, so take care to avoid tumbling. Leaving the church, we will stop at Konnos Bay, where you can take a swimming break during the beach season. Here, you can sit back with a cup of coffee or cold beer and enjoy the beauty of the sea.

After lunch, we will continue to visit the Sea Caves, which are said to have been used by pirates and smugglers to hide their treasures and contraband. Here, we will walk across one of the most amazing natural bridges, the Love Bridge. Eroded by the sea and the wind, the rock is eventually carved into a 6-meter long and half-meter-wide bridge. It is a favorite among honeymooners, offering an undeniably romantic atmosphere. The local legend has it that if couples kiss in the middle of the bridge, their wishes will come true. Capture the golden glow of the Mediterranean Sea as the sun dips below the horizon. In the end, we will drive you to the hotel in Larnaca.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Leonardo Boutique Hotel, Larnaca (4 stars) or similar

Our service on this Mediterranean island will end today with the Larnaca International Airport see-off service. Hope you have enjoyed this panoramic Cyprus guided tour! If you plan to travel to neighboring destinations like Turkey, Greece, or Egypt, we will be very glad to assist you.

► Notice:
Usually, you need to check in at the airport three hours in advance. However, as the Larnaca Airport has enhanced its security measures, we recommend you arrive at the terminal one hour earlier than planned.

Free Time Suggestion:
If you depart late today, Larnaca Salt Lake is a good place to kill time, and it is only an 11-minute drive from the hotel. December to March is the best time to take pictures of flamingoes as they migrate here every winter. These pink birds usually settle in the center of the lake, which is a little far from the shore, so remember to bring a telephoto lens if you want to take clear pictures of them. In addition to flamingoes, the salt lake is also a habitat for herons, egrets, and ducks. During summer months, from May to October, the water evaporates and sometimes even dries up, leaving salt crystals with various colors, commonly pink, white, and sand color, in the lake.

Meal: Breakfast