Keywords
Cyprus, Greece, Türkiye, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Ercan, Kyrenia, Girne, ferries, flights, Turkish visa
Summary
This short episode discusses the three airports, the ferry ports, the need for visas, and the things you need to be aware of when entering the Republic of Cyprus through the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Takeaways
- Flying directly to Larnaca International Airport is the easiest way to get to Cyprus
- Paphis International Airport is smaller than Larnaca International Airport
- Ercan International Airport is in the Self-Declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
- You will likely need a Turkish visa if you arrive in Northern Cyprus by plane or ferry
- The ferry service from Athens to Limassol is about 30 hours and inexpensive
- Ferries operate from Türkiye to ports in Northern Cyprus
- If you enter the Republic of Cyprus through Northern Cyprus, you also need to exit from Northern Cyprus as you are not considered to have entered the Republic of Cyprus legally.
Sound Bites
“the easiest way to get to Cyprus is to fly.”
“Unfortunately, fares int Paphos are always higher.”
“You’ll most likely need a Turkish visa to fly into Ercan Airport.”
Timeline
00:00 – Introduction
01:36 – Ercan Airport, North Cyprus
02:41 – Ferries to Cyprus
03:36 – Ferries from Türkiye
04:51 – Conclusion
Transcript
Introduction (00:00)
Stephen Parker: Welcome to the Take Me to Europe podcast with your host, cultural anthropologist Monique Skidmore.
Monique Skidmore: Today’s podcast episode is a quick one about how to get to Cyprus. Preparing for a trip to Cyprus can be a little complicated because of its division between northern Cyprus and the rest of the island that makes up the Republic of Cyprus, with its well-connected airports and ferry services.
Though you can easily reach Cyprus from many destinations in Europe and beyond, the easiest way to get to Cyprus is to fly. The country has two main international airports in southern Cyprus and another airport in northern Cyprus, located in Larnaca, on the southeastern coast of Cyprus. Larnaca International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the country, making it the primary gateway for travellers visiting Cyprus.
It’s well connected to other major towns and rural areas, so it’s a perfect place to fly into to begin your Cyprus trip. It has the advantage of being the cheapest airport in southern Cyprus to fly into, with great onward land connections.
Situated in Paphos, on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, Paphos International Airport is relatively small, with a handful of international flights every day, but it is the perfect entry point for travellers wishing to explore the western part of Cyprus, like the major cities of Paphos and Limassol, and the Troodos Mountains.
Unfortunately, fares into Paphos are always higher than those to Larnaca and sometimes substantially so.
Ercan Airport (01:36)
Monique Skidmore: Located in the northern part of Cyprus, Ercan Airport is under the control of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It operates cheap flights mainly from Turkish cities like Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. However, although it has several international flights from countries like the UK, Ercan Airport is not recognised internationally, and flights can involve slightly more complex travel arrangements compared to the international airports in Larnaca and Paphos.
So, for example, you’ll most likely need a Turkish visa to fly into Erkan Airport and, most importantly, if you’re not an EU citizen and you fly to Cyprus via Erkan Airport, you may not be allowed entry into the Republic of Cyprus through the Green Line, that’s, the border crossing.
Look, it’s very unlikely that’s the case, but you have to be aware that you are taking a risk if you enter the country through Türkiye, through the Turkish controlled part, and don’t intend to exit through that way as well, but also if you plan to visit just the northern part of Cyprus.
Ferries to Cyprus (02:41)
Monique Skidmore: Ercan Airport is an excellent, efficient and cheap way to get to northern Cyprus, but if you don’t want to fly or you don’t need to fly, you can get a ferry, and there are several places in neighbouring countries where you can board a ferry to Cyprus.
The trip by ferry from Greece to Cyprus is about 30 hours, so if you have plenty of time and love the idea of sitting back and relaxing while you enjoy a voyage across the Mediterranean, getting to Cyprus by ferry is a fantastic idea.
The ferry links the port of Limassol, the second largest city in Cyprus, with Piraeus Port in Athens.
A plus for getting to Cyprus by ferry is that you can take your car and then that solves your transportation issues in Cyprus.
Ferries from Türkiye (03:36)
The Greece-Cyprus ferry only began again in summer 2023 after a lengthy hiatus, but it’s a cheap way to get to Cyprus when the airfares are high and it sells out quickly. And it’s cheap it’s only 60 to 70 euros one way for a first class cabin.
Türkiye also has ferry links with Cyprus, especially with the northern Cyprus city, Girne, which is Kyrenia, and the Turkish cities Tusukku and Mersin. The ferry journey is about five hours and 35 minutes, so it’s a good alternative way to get to northern Cyprus from Türkiye.
I prefer to fly just because I’m normally coming in through somewhere in Greece.
So, for example, this summer I’m going from Samos over to Türkiye and then I’ll fly out through Izmir to Ercan Airport.
An alternative way, of course, of getting to Cyprus is by taking a cruise. You’ll find many, many cruise ships traveling to Cyprus from Greece and Mediterranean destinations like Italy, Spain, France, and Malta. Cyprus is also including cruises across the Middle East and destinations like Egypt.
So that’s a quick rundown of the different ways that you can get to Cyprus by ferry and by plane.
Conclusion (04:51)
Stephen Parker: Thanks for listening to this episode of Take Me to Europe podcast. Hop onto our website, takemetoeuropetours.com and sign up to our newsletter to learn more about Europe’s hidden and most exciting destinations, and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast series.
