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The Best 6 day Cyprus Itinerary for Backpackers!
- Aiden Scullino
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Bree and I recently completed a 6 day trip to Cyprus in December 2025. Although it was considered the "off" season, the weather was perfect and the lack of tourists made for lesser crowds and cheaper prices! We believe 6 days is the perfect amount of time to get a great taste of this gorgeous island, ticking off the main 3 points of interest. So without further ado, let's begin!
Paphos (Day 1 & 2)
How to get from Paphos Airport to town:
For us backpackers I wont even bother going down the Taxi route but if you want one, expect to pay around 20-35 Euros. Uber is widely used in Cyprus so you can also book on their app for more peace of mind.
The best way though is to definitely catch the bus. There are two options, Bus #612 that ends at the Tomb of the Kings bus station and bus #613 that goes to Karavela Bus Station. For a one way journey, each bus cost 2 Euros, however after 9pm it is 3 Euros. For more information you can click here.
Day 1
Depending when you arrive will determine what you can do. If you have the time then we would recommend you ease into your adventure by heading up to the Paphos Overlook to watch the sunset. While you're there it's worth walking to The Blue Shell House and it is pretty much looks exactly what you think it would look like. Alternatively you could opt for a nice walk along the promenade or do the Coastal Broadwalk.
Day 2
There are a few things you can do but depending on your budget could determine what you get up to. I have done you all a solid and broken down all the activities you can do into different budget categories.
Top:
Boat Tour: In Paphos you have a few options for a boat tour. The most popular being a tour to the Blue lagoon. There are many different options with ones also including a visit to the Baths of Aphrodite or the boat having features such as a glass bottom or slide. For these options expect to pay around $60-75 AUD. You can also check them all out on GetYourGuide:
Middle:
For a middle of the range activity, diving into the archaeological history of Paphos is your best bet. The Paphos Castle located along the promenade has an entry fee of 2.50 Euro ($4.30 AUD). Alternatively you can see some ruins at either the Archaeological Site of Nea Paphos (4.50 Euro, $7.70 AUD) or the Archaeological Site of the Tombs of the Kings (2.50 Euro, $4.30 AUD). We didn't have the chance to visit either however from our research the Tomb of the Kings is a bit of false advertising as they are not tombs for kings of Cyprus, they were just some officials from Paphos. However if you just want to see a great place to see burial chambers aged over 2000 years old then its a perfect choice! From our research though, Nea Paphos seems to be the best option for overall archaeological history.
Budget:
But incase you are like us where the word 'free' tickles your wallet then we've got some great suggestions!
First is a free archeological site which on google doesn't have a name but parts of it are such as the Saint Paul's Pillar and the Agia Church. Besides from these specific ruins you also can see some impressive mosaic tiles. There were some renovations being done so maybe in the future it will be something they turn into a paid attraction but for now it is completely free to explore!
Located nearby to the ruins is the Fabrika Hill Cave Complex which is pretty much what it says. It is a series of caves that you can freely explore and at the top you get a decent view of the surrounding area and there is even an early hellenistic pebble mosaic floor that you can see.
This probably goes without saying but of course heading to any of the nearby beaches for a relaxing swim is also a great option! We would recommend Erik's Cove for a more quieter swimming experience.
Nicosia (Day 3-4)
How to get from Paphos to Nicosia:
Your best option is to get an Intercity Bus unless you want to pay an extortion for a taxi. The buses run to pretty much anywhere in Cyprus (excluding Northern Cyprus) and you can get a direct one from Paphos to Nicosia. The ticket costs 8 Euros, cash only, which you pay directly to the driver (you DO NOT need the exact change). They run quite frequently each day of the week but for more accurate times, visit this page on their website:
Day 3:
Once you arrive we would recommend you dive into the history of Nicosia and Cyprus itself by heading to a few museums, most of which are completely free. The one we would suggest you visit first is the The Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia. The Museum was created to present and highlight the history of Nicosia and it narrates the history of the city from prehistoric times to the present day. However we really enjoyed it through its temporary exhibition called "Sector 2". The museum classes it as a different, experiential exhibition, which is intended to tell the story of the Green Line, a line which for 60 years now has been splitting the last divided capital of Europe. It was really fascinating and one we would highly recommend you check out before it ends on the 17/06/2026!
Staying on topic with the Green Line we would recommend you head to another museum that dives further into its history. It is an exhibition inside the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation called 'Cyprus Insula'. The exhibition has 5 cleverly presented sections that you seamlessly walk through one by one, learning about all aspects of Cyprus. Our favourite being the short film near the end which for us did really well in explaining the history of the Green Line, the war and its aftermath for the Turkish and Greek people.
There is also a seperate exhibition inside the museum called the Museum of the History of Cypriot Coinage. It is quite small but well detailed and had plenty of real examples of all their coins throughout history.
For a cheap, delicious and quick eat to finish off the day we would recommend heading to Avo Armenian Food and trying their halloumi pie!
Day 4:
Today you will be crossing the Green Line into the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Hopefully after Day 3 you would have learnt about the 60 year history of the countries divide to have a bit more understanding of the current situation. As mentioned you will be crossing the Green Line, specifically at the UN zone northern - southern Cyprus. You will need to bring your passport but you will NOT get a stamp either entering or exiting.
Once you have crossed, we would recommend you first check out Büyük Han which is upon entering feels like travelling back in time. with the old Cypriot culture and traditional architecture. The stone courtyard, lined with little shops and artisan workshops, is terrific. It’s a good spot to enjoy a coffee or traditional sweet, while surrounded by centuries-old arches and stone walls.
Next, head to the Selimiye Mosque which is a grand Gothic masterpiece originally a cathedral in the 13th century. The mosque is open to visitors and entry is free. Whether you are interested in history, architecture, photography, or simply exploring cultural heritage, Selimiye Mosque is a must-visit spot in Nicosia.
Finally, we'd suggest making your way a bit further north passing through the square called Atatürk Myd and arrive at Kyrenia Gate. The gate was built in 1567 by Venetians, as a part of the new city walls. It was restored by the Ottomans in 1821, There is also a statue of Ataturk, an important figure in Turkish history which has an interesting story. In 1963 it was shot at by Greek-Cypriots due to their disliking of the Turkish-Cypriots request to have a statue of him. You can even still see some of the bullet marks on the statue itself.
If you still have time after heading back over the border, we would recommend you check out a few more free museums. The first being a modern art museum called NiMAC which also has some ruins located out the front. Then The Cyprus Museum which has many important artefacts on display. The exhibition rooms are thoughtfully divided into categories: jewellery, statues, burial ceremonies, etc, which makes it easier to explore different aspects of the past. There are a few other free ones to visit but we didn't have time to. However for your information they are Museum of the National Struggle, Byzantine Museum and The Postal Museum.
We'd also suggest you visit the The Liberty Monument which honours those who fought during the 1955-1959 liberation struggle and as a reminder for future generations to fight for freedom. A trip to Nicosia is also not complete without visiting the Eleftheria Square where theres many events and/or markets that take place there.
Larnaca (Day 5-6)
How to get from Nicosia to Larnaca:
Your best option again is to get an Intercity Bus and for this route it will cost 5 Euros, CASH only, which you pay directly to the driver (You DO NOT need exact change). They also run quite frequently each day of the week but for more accurate times, visit this page on there website:
Day 5:
The day you arrive we'd recommend you kick off your exploration with a visit to Archaeological Museum of Larnaka District (it is free). Then walk along the beach towards the Larnaka Medieval Fort. We chose to just look at the outside but if you'd like to enter, the cost is 2.50 euros. Afterwards, head over to then Holy Church of Saint Lazarus which was built in the 9th century over the tomb of Saint Lazarus.
For Lunch, the best suggestion we can give is to pick up the cheapest and most delicious Gyros we could find at PSINESAI;. Be sure to get takeaway and walk about 20 minutes to Pattihio Forest Park and have a nice picnic. Afterwards make a short walk towards the Salt Lake to have the chance to spot some flamingos and if you are there long enough, you can also get a nice sunset view!
Day 6:
Finish your trip in style with a few relaxing boat trips. For the best options and price we would recommend doing so on GetYourGuide. Theres a few different boat tours to choose such as a scenic sunset cruise or ones that involve snorkelling and visits to places such as the Blue Lagoon. You can view some of the options below :)
Summary
We hope we've helped inspire you to explore this beautiful island and also how you can do it for cheap! If you have any questions at all or want more information, please feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us via email.
Aiden & Bree :)
Also if you want to see what else we get up to on our travels, then head over to our Youtube channel @passport2theworld
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