Car hire and driving in Cyprus
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If your idea of a summer holiday is a daily commute between breakfast, beach, bar and bed, then Cyprus won’t disappoint. If your travel tastes run to something a little more exploratory, you’ll certainly need a car if you want to discover the island in comfort and at your own pace. There are many car rental firms operating out of the capital Nicosia and in smaller towns such as Kyrenia, Larnaca and Limassol. However, for cheap car hire it really does make sense to book in advance.
The quality and range of vehicles available for hire are generally good to excellent. Just make sure the car has the mandatory warning triangle and that it has air-con or climate control. Don’t skimp on this or you’ll regret it later, when no amount of window-opening can stop you feeling as if you are slowly poaching to death.
Driving in Cyprus is fairly straightforward but slower-paced than in the UK. You drive on the left and all the road signs and driving conventions will be pretty familiar. A couple of points worth bearing in mind: most car hire companies in the south (the Greek part) won’t let you take the car into the northern (Turkish) half of the island. Even if you do get permission, you’ll need additional insurance. And remember that the further north you go, the fewer petrol stations there are. Fewer roads too, come to that.
The main border crossing is at Metehan in Nicosia. Take care to read the signs outlining what and how much you’re allowed to take in and out of the country. Oh, and buy a Turkish map. You won’t be able to read it, but you will be able to match the names on the map with the names of the towns you pass through. A Greek map only shows the place names in Greek.
To have a hire car in Cyprus and not visit the Troödos Mountains is borderline criminal. The mountain range stretches across most of the western side of Cyprus with its highest peak being Mount Olympus at 1,952 metres. Only by car will you realistically be able to visit all the mountain-top churches, Byzantine monasteries and incredibly picturesque villages. The first president of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, is buried 3 km west of the famous Kykkos monastery.
Ready for a dip yet? Of course you are. In Cyprus you’re spoiled for choice, but one of the most beautiful beaches is the one at Coral Bay, about 11km north of the busy town of Paphos. Still relatively unspoilt, the beach takes the form of a gently curving bay with a headland at either end.
If you hire a 4×4, head for Lara Bay in the Akamas Peninsular, right at the extreme north west of the island. Until 2000 the British used it as a firing range, but now it’s free to visit. It’s a bumpy ride but worth it if you like getting away from crowds. Just take plenty of water!
