EXPLORE CYPRUS
Cyprus, from Cape to Cape
Greek myth places the birth of Aphrodite in the sea off the south-west coast of Cyprus, and the island’s shore still mixes legend with everyday life. Roman mosaic floors lie a short walk from the harbour at Paphos, a medieval castle stands behind the marina at Limassol, and one of the world’s best-known wreck dives rests on the seabed off Larnaca. In between, the water changes from the pale turquoise of the Blue Lagoon on the Akamas to the deep blue around the sea caves of Cape Greco. A yacht lets you follow that coast at your own pace and stop wherever the swimming looks best.
A Long Coast, Not a Chain of Islands
IN CYPRUS, SUMMER LINGERS INTO NOVEMBER.
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies in its far eastern basin, the Levantine Sea. Only a few small islets lie offshore, so a charter here is a coastal voyage rather than a run of island hops, following the west and south coasts from the empty headlands of the Akamas to the cliffs of Cape Greco.
The main harbours are strung out along that coast: Latchi in the north-west, then Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. Each is roughly 20 to 40 nautical miles from the next, and the hours in between are spent at anchor off a beach or beneath the cliffs, with time for a swim and lunch on deck.
Cyprus has changed hands many times. Mycenaean Greeks and Phoenicians settled here, and after them came Romans and Byzantines, crusader kings, Venetians, Ottomans and the British, until the island became independent in 1960. Each left a mark close to the sea, from the Roman villas of Paphos to the Byzantine church of Saint Lazarus in Larnaca and the forts beside the old harbours.
The season is long. The eastern Mediterranean is the warmest part of the sea, and off Cyprus the water stays above 20°C from May to November. When most of Europe’s charter coasts are closing for the winter, Cypriot anchorages are still warm enough for a morning swim and a lazy lunch in the shade of the bimini.
Six Stops from West to East
From the turtle beaches of the Akamas to the sea caves of Cape Greco, these six stretches of shore set the course of a charter around Cyprus.
Ayia Napa and Cape Greco
The Akamas and Latchi
Paphos
Aphrodite’s Rock and the South-West Coast
Limassol
Larnaca
Ayia Napa and Cape Greco
The Akamas and Latchi
Paphos
What to Do Along the Way
Swim into the Sea Caves
The limestone shore between Ayia Napa and Cape Greco is cut with caves, arches and rock ledges, and the water is clear enough to watch fish from the surface. Take the tender along the cliffs, swim into the caves when the sea is flat and snorkel along the rocks, with paddleboards and masks ready on the swim platform. At the other end of the island, the Blue Lagoon on the Akamas is the classic swim stop out of Latchi. A westerly swell can make some caves unsafe, so the captain decides on the day.
Dive the Zenobia
The wreck of the Zenobia lies on her side in Larnaca Bay, and divers rate her among the best wreck dives anywhere. The upper side of the hull lies at about 16–18 metres, within reach of qualified recreational divers, while the lower decks, where many of the lorries still lie, are for experienced divers with the right training. Your crew can arrange a licensed dive centre. Snorkellers have two shallower choices: the sculptures of the underwater museum off Ayia Napa and the sunken harbour of Amathus near Limassol.
Stand on Roman Floors
Cyprus packs thousands of years of history into a short stretch of coast. In Paphos, walkways lead over the mosaic floors of Roman villas, and the Tombs of the Kings lie a short way up the shore. Above Episkopi Bay, the theatre of Kourion looks straight out to sea, and inland from Larnaca, the round houses of Choirokoitia date back to the Neolithic. Most sites have little shade, so go early in the day, ideally with a licensed guide booked by the crew.
Walk the Akamas Trails
Some of the island’s finest walks start close to the anchorage. From the Baths of Aphrodite near Latchi, the Aphrodite and Adonis trails climb into the hills of the Akamas, with wide views over Chrysochou Bay. On the peninsula’s west coast, Avakas Gorge is a narrow limestone canyon whose walls close in overhead. At the other end of the island, a cliff path at Cape Greco passes the natural bridge and the chapel of Ayioi Anargyroi. In summer, set off soon after sunrise and carry plenty of water.
Join the Festival of the Flood
Kataklysmos, the Festival of the Flood, is held at Pentecost, 50 days after Orthodox Easter, so it falls in late May or June. Larnaca hosts the largest celebration, when stalls, concerts and fairground rides fill the Finikoudes seafront for several days, and people splash each other with water. Listen for tsiattista, improvised duels in rhyming couplets between two poets, which UNESCO added to its list of intangible heritage in 2011. In summer, the ancient theatre at Kourion also hosts performances under the stars.
What to Eat and Drink
Settle In for a Meze
A Cypriot meze is a whole meal rather than a starter: a long procession of small dishes, often 20 or more, brought a few at a time through the evening. It usually opens with dips such as talattouri, yoghurt and cucumber flavoured with dried mint, and tahini, then moves on to koupepia, stuffed vine leaves, lountza, smoked pork loin, and loukanika, sausages marinated in red wine. The grilled meats arrive last, so pace yourself.
Order the Halloumi Hot
Halloumi is the island’s own cheese, made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, or both, sometimes with cow’s milk added, and since 2021 it has been a protected designation of origin in the EU. It is traditionally folded and flavoured with dried mint, and because it does not melt at high temperatures it can be grilled or fried until golden. Cypriots eat it hot at breakfast, with chilled watermelon in summer, or in a sandwich with lountza.
Wait for the Souvla
Souvla is the centrepiece of a Cypriot Sunday or family celebration: large chunks of lamb, pork or chicken on long skewers, turned slowly over charcoal until the outside is crisp. Sheftalia, small sausages of minced pork, onion and parsley wrapped in caul fat, go on the grill beside them. For a quick lunch ashore, order souvlaki or sheftalia in a Cypriot pitta, opened into a pocket and filled with salad, parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Try Kleftiko from the Oven
Kleftiko is lamb or goat cooked for hours in a sealed clay oven, the fourni, until it falls from the bone, often with potatoes and bay leaves. Its name comes from the Greek word for stealing, and the usual story is that thieves cooked stolen animals in sealed pits so that no smoke would give them away. Many tavernas cook it only on certain days, so ask the crew to order it ahead.
Eat Fish at the Harbour
The best fish tavernas sit beside the fishing harbours, at Latchi on the Akamas and at Zygi, between Limassol and Larnaca. Order a fish meze and the dishes keep coming: fried calamari, octopus grilled or stewed in red wine, little fried fish such as marides, red mullet and finally a whole grilled fish. Ask what the boats brought in that morning and let the kitchen choose.
End with Commandaria and Coffee
Commandaria is a sweet amber wine made from sun-dried Xynisteri and Mavro grapes in 14 villages on the southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains. It is often called the oldest named wine still in production, and it takes its name from the crusader estate at Kolossi. Pair it with loukoumades, small fried dough balls soaked in syrup. Then order a Cypriot coffee, boiled in a small pot called a briki and served with a glass of water: sketos without sugar, metrios medium or glykis sweet.
Reading the Cyprus Season
Yachts work the Cyprus coast from April into November, a longer season than most of the Mediterranean, and summer is almost free of rain. The summer wind keeps a daily rhythm: light in the morning, a westerly or south-westerly breeze building through the afternoon, usually to force 3–5, and calm again at night. Stronger westerlies, when they come, are felt most on the west coast around Paphos and the Akamas, so captains make the longer passages early and spend the breezy hours at anchor.
Best for wild flowers, walks and ancient sites
Spring comes early to Cyprus. The Akamas trails are green and bright with wild flowers, the mosaics and theatres are comfortable to explore before the heat, and the anchorages are quiet. The sea is still fresh, about 18°C in April and 20–21°C by the end of May. Easter in the Orthodox calendar, usually in April or the first days of May, is the high point of the Cypriot year, with midnight services in every town and village.
APRIL AND MAY
Best for warm water and the Festival of the Flood
By June the sea has warmed to around 23–24°C, the evenings stay light until late, and the afternoon breeze takes the edge off the heat. Kataklysmos, the Festival of the Flood, falls at Pentecost in late May or June and fills Larnaca’s seafront with stalls, music and tsiattista. The peak of the summer crowds is still a few weeks away, so the bays and harbours have room to spare.
JUNE
Best for long swims and lively waterfronts
Midsummer brings cloudless days, hotter inland around Nicosia than on the coast, and the sea at about 26–28°C. The afternoon westerly is at its most regular, so the crew plans passages for the morning. August is when Cypriots take their own holidays, especially in mid-August, when 15 August, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, is a public holiday, and beaches, tavernas and marinas are at their fullest, so secure your yacht and your favourite tables early.
JULY AND AUGUST
Best for warm water and the grape harvest
The water is still at its summer high, around 27°C, but the heat eases a little and the August holidaymakers have gone home. In the hill villages above Limassol the grapes are picked, and those destined for Commandaria are spread out in the sun to dry before pressing. Warm swims, emptier anchorages and long golden evenings make September an easy choice for almost any kind of charter.
SEPTEMBER
Best for swimming after summer ends elsewhere
October still feels like summer in Cyprus. The sea holds at around 24–25°C, the light softens and rain is rare, although the first autumn showers can arrive late in the month. Cyprus marks Independence Day, a public holiday, on 1 October. The swimming lasts into November, when the water is still about 22°C, so a late-season week here can follow a summer spent elsewhere.
OCTOBER
wild flowers, walks and ancient sites
warm water and the Festival of the Flood
long swims and lively waterfronts
warm water and the grape harvest
swimming after summer ends elsewhere
PLAN YOUR CHARTER
More on Cyprus by Yacht
- Yacht Charter in CyprusThe coast, the yachts we offer and how to plan a charter around the island.
- Cyprus ItinerariesWeek-long routes along the Cyprus coast, from Latchi to Ayia Napa, published here as they are ready.
- Where to Eat and DrinkThe restaurants, bars and beach clubs we recommend, from Latchi to Ayia Napa.
- Yachts in CyprusThe crewed yachts we list for charter on the Cyprus coast.
Choose Your End of the Island
A week is enough for one half of the coast. From Limassol you can head west past Aphrodite’s Rock and Paphos to the Akamas and the Blue Lagoon, or from Larnaca east to Ayia Napa, Cape Greco and Protaras. With ten days or more, the yacht can run the whole south coast from one end to the other.
Some weeks are about the water: sea caves, sandy coves and long afternoons at anchor. Others weave in mosaics, ancient theatres, wine villages and meze tables ashore. Cyprus does both well, often on the same day.
Let us know your preferred dates, how many of you are coming and what you most want to do ashore and afloat. We will propose yachts available in Cyprus and a route shaped around the season and the afternoon westerlies.