Travel Guide: Cheap flights to Cyprus
Cyprus Airlines and Airports
Airline and airport information plus insider tips for Cyprus
The third largest of the Mediterranean islands, Cyprus is one of the most popular holiday destinations for UK tourists. Good weather year round, nearly 500 hundred miles of coastline, with sandy beaches and rugged outcrops, olive and citrus groves, and a history that can be traced back over 10,000 years combine to make the island in the Aegean a welcoming place for holidaymakers.
Cyprus's past has been turbulent, with invasions by the Greeks, Romans, Ottoman Turks and British among others. The country still faces struggles in the present, with the island partitioned into north and south. Most holiday resorts are in the southern, Greek-Cypriot Republic. Turkish-Cypriot North Cyprus is more remote and less visited by tourists, though independent travel is possible.
But millennia of invasion have left a rich cultural mosaic. There are ruins of ancient temples, Crusaders Castles and ornate Byzantine churches. Legends also cling to Cyprus – Aphrodite was supposed to have risen from the sea by the island, perhaps one of the reasons it is so popular with honeymooners today.
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When to fly to Cyprus
Before booking your cheap flights to Cyprus, it's good to know that summer lasts a long time, roughly from mid-May to mid-October, during which time you're pretty much guaranteed sunshine. Temperatures can reach 40 degrees inland in the height of summer. It is more refreshing at the higher altitudes and along the coast. Winters are moderately wet, though not that cold.
Peak season:
As the weather is good for most of the year, the peak season runs for many months. Prices from the UK will rise for popular travel times such as school holidays.
Off season:
The real winter lasts only for December and January. The resorts in Cyprus, unlike much of the Mediterranean, tend to stay open in the winter so fares won't plummet. Spring starts in Mid-February when the almond trees blossom and the countryside becomes green. If you find cheap flights to Cyprus, this can be the perfect time to visit as the country has a milder climate.
Getting Around
Buses run on Cyprus every day except Sunday. Generally, the buses are cheap, frequent and efficient. Having made savings on cheap flights to Cyprus, you should have plenty of spending money to see many of the sights this way.
If you want to travel on a Sunday you will need to take a service taxi.
Hiring a car and driving is relatively easy. Driving is on the left and all the main roads are all paved. Minor roads are still largely unsurfaced. If you are driving make sure you think about filling up with petrol long before you need to do so – many petrol stations are only open at certain times so check well in advance.
Flying to Cyprus
Major airports in Cyprus:
Larnaca (LCA)
Paphos (PFO)
Ercan (ECN)
Airlines serving Cyprus include:
British Airways
Cyprus Airways
XL Airways
My Travel Airways
Flyglobespan
Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomsonfly.com
KLM
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In-flight Reading
Bitter Lemons of Cyprus
By Lawrence Durrell
Durrell describes starting a new life on the Aegean and how it is impacted by the Greek-Turkish conflict.
Death in Cyprus
By M. M. Kaye
A murder mystery in the Agatha Christie vein. Amanda's holiday to Cyprus is spoiled when one of the party dies in mysterious circumstances...
Hostage to History: Cyprus from the Ottomans to Kissinger
By Christopher Hitchens
Hitchens examines the events leading to the partition of Cyprus.
Insider Information on Cyprus
Paphos was the island's capital in Roman times and mosaics from the 3rd century BC can still be found here. This fun-loving region has excellent swimming in clear water beaches, hillside villages, catacombs, the Baths of Aphrodite and palm-lined boulevards by the port. If you and your travel companions want to indulge in a relaxing swim after stepping off cheap flights to Cyprus, visit the best beach of the area and drive 15 minutes out of Paphos to Coral Bay.
The stunning Troodos Mountains run along the west of the island. Perfect to visit if the weather is too hot on the beach, the cool breezes and mountain air mean the area is always cooler than the coastal resorts. Visit one of the nine Unesco listed Byzantine churches, have a picnic, or just take a walk in the pine-scented forest. The Troodos region is especially beautiful to visit in Spring, when the almond blossoms are out.
Ayia Napa is the party capital of the island with many young holidaymakers booking cheap flights to Cyprus for its nightlife. The town is popular with package tours and the clubs have often been referred to as world class. Perhaps surprisingly, the beaches and town are pretty good too. Despite being crowded, the long beach at Ayia Napa is clean and attractive and the town has excellent shopping and some beautiful buildings. If you've booked discount flights to Cyprus and prefer to have a peaceful evening in, avoid staying in the centre, as this is where many of the nightclubs can be found.
Lefkosia, also known as Nicosia, is the inland capital of Cyprus, though it is often ignored by tourists as it has no beach. Divided down the middle by the "green line" into North and South, it is the last remaining partitioned city in the world. Well worth a visit, Lefkosia is the place to see what the “real” Cyprus is like.
Travel Tips
- Finding Cheap FlightsOur golden rules for finding a cheap flight
- Airlines with low-cost ticketsAn essential guide to how the main carriers operate
- Before You GoAdvice on everything you need to do before you set off
- Regional UK and Irish AirportsFlying from the four corners of the UK and Ireland
- Glossary of Flying TermsAn A-Z of common terms you’ll need to know
- Travel Sickness and DVTHow to stay happy and healthy in the air
Travel links
- Destination GuideLonely Planet's guide to Cyprus
- EventsLocal events calendar
- Currency converterFind the current exchange rate