Holiday rentals and lettings in Cyprus

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a holiday letting in Cyprus?
• Holiday lettings in Cyprus: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Cyprus: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Cyprus?

• Villas and sea-view apartments: Most Cypriot lettings are private-pool villas and coastal apartments, with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a terrace almost standard across the island.
• Five very different bases: Choose Paphos for history, Limassol for city life, Larnaca for easy arrivals, Ayia Napa and Protaras for beaches and the Troodos mountains for cooler air.
• Simple to reach: Direct flights land at Larnaca and Paphos from many UK airports, and hire cars drive on the left, exactly as at home.
• A famously long season: Swimming weather stretches from April to November, with spring and autumn the sweet spot and snow in the Troodos in winter.
• Ruins, meze and mountains: Days mix UNESCO-listed mosaics, long sandy bays, mountain villages and unhurried meze dinners under the vines.

Cyprus leans heavily towards self-catering. Expect whitewashed villas set in olive-shaded gardens, modern apartments a short walk from the promenade, and family-sized homes with a private pool in the hills behind the coast. Traditional stone houses in the wine villages round out the picture nicely. Most places are well equipped for long, hot summers:

• Private or shared pool, often with a shaded terrace
• Air conditioning in every bedroom
• Outdoor dining area and barbecue
• Sea views, especially in beachfront properties
• Fast Wi-Fi and off-street parking for a hire car

For something more polished, upmarket retreats add pool heating and daily housekeeping.

What are the best areas to stay in Cyprus?

Paphos suits most first-time visitors, pairing beaches with the island's richest archaeology. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests consistently praise the space they get for their money in Cyprus, and the welcome from hosts who leave wine, fruit or fresh bread on arrival. Pools, terraces and quiet garden settings come up again and again in the reviews, as does how easy the island is to explore by car. Several of our highest-scoring places sit above 9.5+.

Here are our top-rated holiday lettings from the past year:

1. The Ultimate 5 Star Holiday Villa in Protaras with Private Pool - 9.9+: A private pool and terrace a short walk from the beaches of Protaras, on the island's south-east coast.
2. Protaras Pallini Apartment Ftb301 - 9.9+: Sea views and a balcony beside Fig Tree Bay in Protaras, with pool access and a full kitchen.
3. Villa Prodromi Large Private Pool, A/C, Wifi - 9.7+: A large pool, air conditioning and sea views near Polis Chrysochous, in the green north-west of the Paphos district.

Cyprus is the Mediterranean's third-largest island, lying east of Greece and south of Türkiye, with mountains at its centre and beaches all around.

✈️What is the best way to get to Cyprus?

Flying is by far the simplest option from the UK. Here are the most common ways to get to the island:

• Plane: Larnaca (LCA) and Paphos (PFO) both take direct flights from across the UK, including Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Newcastle. The flight takes roughly four and a half hours. Larnaca is the larger airport and handy for the east coast; Paphos suits the west. Both have the usual car hire desks in the terminal.
• Car: Hiring a car is the norm here, and most guests pick one up at arrivals. Cyprus drives on the left, as in the UK, and the motorways linking Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa are quick and quiet. Allow around an hour and a half from Larnaca to Paphos, and longer for the winding mountain roads up into the Troodos.
• Ferry: Tipically from mainland. Seasonal sailings have run between Limassol and Piraeus in Greece, which is worth checking if you are combining Cyprus with a wider Mediterranean trip.

🥗Where to eat in Cyprus?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, MEZE Taverna Restaurant is the best rated restaurant in Cyprus. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers recommend the Pagkratios Tavern in Cyprus: a family-run spot in Paphos where the meze keeps arriving long after you think it has finished, and the halloumi is grilled to order.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

Cyprus has one of the longest seasons in the Mediterranean, and swimming is comfortable from April right through to November. May, June, September and October are the pick of the year: warm sea, manageable heat and quieter beaches. July and August are genuinely hot on the coast, while winter brings mild days at sea level and snow to the Troodos. Paphos also featured among the better-value spots in our summer price index.

Spring (March to May)

• Best for: Walkers, families and anyone who wants the archaeological sites to themselves.
• Weather: Warm days in the low to mid twenties, wildflowers on the hillsides and sea temperatures climbing by May.
• Atmosphere: Relaxed and green, with Easter celebrations filling the village squares.

Summer (June to August)

• Best for: Beach holidays, water sports and late-night dinners by the sea.
• Weather: Hot and reliably dry, often well above 30°C inland, with the coast cooled by a sea breeze.
• Atmosphere: Busy and buzzing along the coast, while the Troodos villages stay noticeably cooler.

Autumn and winter (September to February)

• Best for: Shoulder-season value, wine harvest visits and winter walking or skiing.
• Weather: Warm sea into November, mild coastal winters and regular snowfall on Mount Olympus in the Troodos.
• Atmosphere: Quiet and local, with tavernas returning to their regulars and mountain villages lit up for winter.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our Cyprus local expert, the team at Villa Prodromi recommends coming to visit the Akamas peninsula, a short drive north of the villa. Set out early, follow the coast road past Latchi towards the Baths of Aphrodite, and swim in the coves at Blue Lagoon before the day boats arrive. Bring walking shoes for the gorge trails and stop in Polis for lunch on the way back. You can read more about local tips on the team's page.

1. Wander the mosaics of Paphos
2. Swim at Nissi and Fig Tree Bay
3. Walk the Troodos trails
4. Taste your way through the wine villages
5. Explore the Akamas peninsula

1. Wander the mosaics of Paphos

   The Kato Paphos Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its floor mosaics are the reason most people come. The Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion still show hunting scenes and mythological figures in astonishing detail, laid down in Roman times and uncovered by a farmer's plough in the 1960s. Allow a couple of hours, wear a hat and start early, because there is very little shade. The Tombs of the Kings, a short drive north along the coast, make an atmospheric follow-up.

2. Swim at Nissi and Fig Tree Bay

   The south-east corner has the island's best sand. Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa is the famous one, a pale crescent with a sandbar you can wade across to a small islet, while Fig Tree Bay in Protaras is calmer and better suited to families with young children. Both have sunbeds, water sports and easy parking. For something quieter, the string of small coves along the Cape Greco coast road rewards anyone willing to walk a few minutes from the car.

3. Walk the Troodos trails

   Head inland and the temperature drops noticeably. The Troodos mountains are laced with waymarked nature trails, including the shaded Caledonia Trail past its waterfall and the gentler Artemis loop around Mount Olympus, the island's highest point at 1,952 metres. Ten of the painted Byzantine churches scattered among the villages are UNESCO listed. In winter the same slopes carry enough snow for a short ski season, which surprises most first-time visitors.

4. Taste your way through the wine villages

   The hills above Limassol are covered in vineyards, and the marked wine routes link stone villages such as Omodos, Koilani and Vouni. Family wineries pour indigenous grapes like xynisteri and maratheftiko, and most are happy to talk you through a tasting without an appointment. Try Commandaria, the sweet dessert wine the island has made for centuries. Village bakeries sell warm bread and arkatena, and there is usually a shaded square with a coffee shop for afterwards.

5. Explore the Akamas peninsula

   The wild north-western tip of the island is a protected area of gorges, sea caves and empty coastline. Boats run from Latchi to the Blue Lagoon, where the water is startlingly clear, and the Avakas Gorge offers a dramatic walk between towering limestone walls. Loggerhead and green turtles nest on Lara Bay in summer. A hire car gets you to the trailheads, though the final tracks are rough, so check what your rental agreement allows before setting off.