Aphrodite's Rock, Petra tou Romiou, rising from a calm blue sea on the coast near Paphos
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Cyprus

From Limassol's marina and seafront towers to Paphos, Aphrodite's Rock and the painted churches of the Troodos: Cyprus, the island of Aphrodite, chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

Aphrodite's Rock, PaphosPhotograph: Stijn te Strake

Ο πολιτισμός

The island of Aphrodite

Cyprus, the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, is where the Greeks said Aphrodite rose from the sea, at the rock of Petra tou Romiou near Paphos. Its history runs from the Neolithic village of Choirokoitia, one of the oldest settlements in the Mediterranean, through Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Venetians and Ottomans to British rule and independence in 1960.

The Roman mosaics of Paphos, among the finest anywhere, and the painted Byzantine churches of the Troodos Mountains are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Limassol, with its marina and seafront, has become the island's cosmopolitan centre, and the wine villages above it make Commandaria, one of the oldest named wines in the world.

This guide brings together only the first class: the marina, the homes, the schools and the residency that meet our standard. No hotel or restaurant on the island yet meets it, and we say so plainly.

A few words of Greek
EnglishGreekSay it
HelloΓεια σαςYAH-sas
PleaseΠαρακαλώpa-ra-ka-LO
Thank youΕυχαριστώef-ha-ri-STO
Good eveningΚαλησπέραka-li-SPE-ra
The bill, pleaseΤον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-ghar-yaz-MO, pa-ra-ka-LO

Where to go

The best places to visit in Cyprus

Limassol and Paphos: the best time to visit and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Limassol and Paphos

Best time to visitMay to June and late September to October are ideal: a warm sea and sunshine without the fierce midsummer heat. Cyprus stays mild enough for the beach well into November.

  • Stay
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Paphos International Airport (PFO / LCPH), about 20 to 25 minutes by car to Paphos and 45 to 60 minutes to Limassol. Larnaca International Airport (LCA / LCLK), the island's main airport, is about 50 to 70 minutes by car to Limassol.
By helicopter
Not a regular option.
By sea
Limassol Marina, taking yachts up to 110 metres, in the centre of Limassol; about 50 minutes by car to Paphos.

The full Limassol guide ›

Beyond the coast

The Troodos Mountains and Choirokoitia

Troodos Mountains and the Painted Churches

The pine-covered Troodos range rises to Mount Olympus at the island's centre, with stone villages, monasteries and vineyards on its slopes. Ten of its Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches, covered inside with frescoes, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site first inscribed in 1985.

Best time to visitApril to June, and September to October; January to March for snow on Mount Olympus.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Limassol.

Choirokoitia

One of the best-preserved prehistoric settlements in the eastern Mediterranean, a Neolithic village of round stone houses on a hillside in the Maroni valley, with several houses reconstructed beside the excavations. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Best time to visitMarch to June, and September to November.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from Limassol.

Sail

Yachting in Cyprus

Limassol Marina, the island's superyacht harbour.

Superyacht marinas

Cruises

Cyprus by sea

The cruise ports of Cyprus, and where the luxury lines call.

Limassol is Cyprus's cruise port, and the small luxury ships anchor off Paphos.

Where the luxury lines call

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Travel

First-class travel in Cyprus

The chauffeurs at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

Chauffeurs and self-drive

Shop

Luxury shopping in Cyprus

The great marques

Official showrooms, most by appointment.

The Great Marques: showrooms, factories and cars to hire ›

Experience

Events and things to do in Cyprus

The Cypriot year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

  • Cyprus MuseumNicosia

    The island's oldest and largest archaeological museum, founded in 1882.

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

  • Pafos Aphrodite FestivalPaphos

    Open-air opera every late summer since 1999, staged in front of the medieval castle at the harbour.

Live

Luxury real estate in Cyprus

A home in Cyprus: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • John Taylor Cyprus

    The John Taylor luxury network operates several offices in Cyprus, bringing its Riviera and Monaco clientele to the island's prime coastal market. Visit website ↗

  • Cyprus Sotheby's International RealtyLimassol and Paphos

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Cyprus, opened in 2019, with offices in Limassol and Paphos handling prime coastal homes.

Branded residences and new developments

  • ONELimassol

    Pafilia's 37-storey seafront tower, designed by Atkins and called Europe's tallest seafront residential tower, has 83 apartments at three per floor plus Sky Homes and a three-storey penthouse; completed in 2021, with resales through Pafilia. Visit website ↗

Residency

  • Cyprus Permanent Residence Permit for Investors (Regulation 6(2))Cyprus

    Granted by the Ministry of Interior's Civil Registry and Migration Department for an investment of at least €300,000 plus VAT, usually a new property bought from a developer, with secured annual income from abroad of at least €50,000 plus allowances for family.

Private banks and advisers

International schools

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Cyprus and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Cyprus?

May to June and late September to October are ideal: a warm sea and sunshine without the fierce midsummer heat. Cyprus stays mild enough for the beach well into November.

How do you arrive in Cyprus by private jet?

Paphos International Airport (PFO / LCPH), about 20 to 25 minutes by car to Paphos and 45 to 60 minutes to Limassol.

Do you tip in Cyprus?

Many restaurants add a service charge. If not, rounding up or leaving 5–10% is appreciated for good service; in cafés and bars, a euro or two is enough. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

What should you wear in Cyprus?

Orthodox churches and monasteries expect covered shoulders and knees; some monasteries lend wraps at the entrance. Mosques also require headscarves for women and shoes off. Avoid beachwear away from the coast. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Smart-casual suits the better restaurants.

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Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Cyprus

How Cyprus does things.

Language
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English is very widely spoken throughout, a legacy of British rule.
Greetings
A firm handshake with eye contact is standard. Friends often greet with a kiss on both cheeks. Hospitality is generous: guests are often offered coffee, sweets or fruit, and accepting, even briefly, is polite.
Dress
Orthodox churches and monasteries expect covered shoulders and knees; some monasteries lend wraps at the entrance. Mosques also require headscarves for women and shoes off. Avoid beachwear away from the coast. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Smart-casual suits the better restaurants.
Dining
Meals are long and unhurried; lingering is part of the culture, not a sign of slow service. Meze, a long sequence of small dishes, is the classic way to eat, so arrive hungry. Reserve ahead at popular Limassol and Paphos spots.
Tipping
Many restaurants add a service charge. If not, rounding up or leaving 5–10% is appreciated for good service; in cafés and bars, a euro or two is enough. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.
Good to know
The island has been divided since 1974, with a UN-patrolled buffer zone. Do not photograph military buildings, sensitive areas or the buffer zone (you could be arrested), and approach the subject with tact in conversation. Traffic drives on the left.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

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Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.