Cyprus: A Divided Capital and Two Coastlines

Nicosia is the last divided capital in Europe — a UN-patrolled Green Line runs through the old city, and crossing from the Greek Cypriot south to the Turkish Cypriot north (and back) is a passport check most visitors do in an afternoon. Beyond the capital, the south's beach resorts and the north's quieter coastline and ancient ruins at Salamis make genuinely different trips, and the two sides use different currencies — euro in the south, Turkish lira in the north — and different phone networks.

Getting around#

There's no rail network on the island; a rental car is the practical way to see beaches, mountain villages in the Troodos range, and ruins outside the resort towns of Ayia Napa, Paphos and Limassol. Buses link the main cities but run infrequently and don't reach most of the interior. Driving is on the left, a holdover from British rule, and most rental cars are automatic. Crossing into the north with a rental car needs the rental company's permission in advance and a separate short-term insurance policy bought at the checkpoint — the south's cover doesn't apply there.

When to go#

April-May and October keep the heat manageable; midsummer regularly passes 35°C along the coast and the tourist towns are at their most crowded and expensive. Winter is mild by northern-European standards and workable for Nicosia and the Troodos villages, though beach season is firmly April through October.

What it costs#

A mid-range trip — 3-star hotels, restaurant meals, a rental car — runs $80-130 per person per day in the south, before flights; the north is generally somewhat cheaper for accommodation and food. Ayia Napa and Paphos in July-August sit toward the top of that range.

Before you go#

• Carry a passport for the Green Line crossing even on a day trip — it's checked both directions.
• Card payments and euro cash work throughout the south; the north expects Turkish lira, though euros are often accepted at a poor exchange rate.
• The ancient site of Kourion and the painted churches of the Troodos mountains are easy to miss on a resort-only trip but are a short drive from either coast.
• Larnaca and Paphos both have international airports, so a trip covering both coasts doesn't need to funnel through a single arrival city.
• The abandoned resort of Varosha, near Famagusta in the north, has partially reopened to visitors after decades closed off — worth checking current access before planning around it, since rules there have changed more than once.