The Atlas Obscura Guide To Cyprus

39 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Cyprus

Updated October 8, 2026

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Cities

Unusual Attractions in Cyprus

Fairy Tale Museum.

Nicosia, Cyprus

Fairy Tale Museum

A magical museum of fairy tale treasures near Cyprus' buffer zone.

A scene from the beauty contest between Cassiopeia and the Nereids seen in the House of Aion.

Paphos, Cyprus

The Mosaics of Paphos

The ancient mosaics here are considered among the finest in the world, and serve as a stunning record of Greco-Roman daily life.

The Zenobia wreck dive.

Larnaca, Cyprus

The Zenobia Shipwreck

The water here is so clear you can see the mysteriously sunken ship from the surface.

One of the monastery cats.

Akrotiri, Cyprus

Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas of the Cats

For nearly 2,000 years this church has been waging war on local snakes by importing cats.

Larnaca Salt Lake, dry.

Larnaca, Cyprus

Larnaca Salt Lake

Once part of an ancient international harbor, it's now an all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for flamingos and other water birds.

Panagia (Our Lady) tu Araka.

Lagoudera, Cyprus

Panagia tu Araka

Breathtaking Byzantine paintings cover the inside of this 12th-century church.

Tombs of the Kings

Paphos, Cyprus

Tombs of the Kings

An ancient necropolis of magnificent tombs.

See All 39 Things To Do in Cyprus

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Cyprus

Just a few of the shakers on display.

Larnaca, Cyprus

Salt & Pepper Museum

More than 20,000 salt and pepper shakers from across the globe call this museum home.

Omodos, Cyprus

Linos tou Charilaou (Omodos Wine Press)

This medieval wine press is one of the oldest in Cyprus.

Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Bed Rock Restaurant

A Flintstones-themed eatery in the heart of Ayia Napa’s party strip.

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History 6

History & Culture 6

Museums 6

Churches 5

Mosaics 5

Ruins 4

Sacred Spaces 4

Abandoned 3

Mythology 3

Ancient 3

Archaeology 3

Water 3

Ancient Greece 3

Military 3

Animals 2

Memorials 2

Borders 2

Food Museums 2

Basilicas 2

Beaches 2

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Stories About Cyprus

The Sweet From Geroskipou That Became Cyprus's First EU-Protected Product

A visit to Aphrodite Delights, and the story of how loukoumi reached Cyprus in 1895.

by Auriane Rezé-Duclos, Community Contributor

October 8, 2026

The island of Cyprus was an ancient mecca for herbal perfumes.

Resurrecting the Scents of Ancient Cyprus

An experimental archaeology park lets visitors get a whiff of the island's aromatic past.

by Anna K. Cottrell, Atlas Obscura

August 15, 2024

A green turtle.

Forensic Science Is Being Used to Crack the Secret Code of Turtle Foraging

Evidence never lies.

by Natasha Frost, Atlas Obscura

November 6, 2017