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Salamis and Famagusta: Explore Cyprus' Historic Sites
4.8
27 Ratings
Paphos
Discover ancient Salamis, historic Famagusta, and the eerie ghost town of Varosha on this unforgettable day tour. Unearth Cyprus’ rich and haunting past.
Discover ancient Salamis, historic Famagusta, and the eerie ghost town of Varosha on this unforgettable day tour. Unearth Cyprus’ rich and haunting past.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Paphos - Collect guests from their hotels.
- Choirokoitia - Travel to Choirokoitia for a brief coffee stop.
- Strovilia - Proceed to the Strovilia checkpoint. All guests must present their passports.
- Salamis - Head towards Salamis to explore the Salamis Ruins, a vast archaeological site that highlights the ancient city of Salamis….
- Paphos - Collect guests from their hotels.
- Choirokoitia - Travel to Choirokoitia for a brief coffee stop.
- Strovilia - Proceed to the Strovilia checkpoint. All guests must present their passports.
- Salamis - Head towards Salamis to explore the Salamis Ruins, a vast archaeological site that highlights the ancient city of Salamis. Rich in history, these ruins display the remains of a once-magnificent city, featuring a well-preserved amphitheater, gymnasium, and detailed mosaics. Visitors can admire the grandeur of Roman and Byzantine architecture while delving into the captivating stories of Salamis’ former glory.
- Famagusta - Travel to Famagusta’s old town to visit St. Nicholas Cathedral, offering a journey into medieval magnificence. This Gothic-style cathedral, now serving as the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, boasts remarkable architecture and historical importance. Free time for lunch (not included).
- Ghost Town Famagusta - Enjoy a guided tour of Varosha in Famagusta, providing a rare chance to see the time-frozen urban landscape of what was once a lively resort town. Led by expert guides, visitors can wander through the haunting streets, deserted hotels, and homes within the restricted area. Gain understanding of Varosha’s complex history, which has remained uninhabited since the 1974 conflict. The tour offers a poignant view into the past, serving as a sobering reminder of the effects of geopolitical events on communities and their environments. The tour concludes at the renowned Constantia beach.
- Paphos - Cross the checkpoints once more and return to Paphos, with a brief coffee break along the way.
What's Included
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Other
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Other
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Tea and coffee
- Lunch
- Tea and coffee
Additional Information
Embark on a captivating journey as we cross the UN buffer zone into the northern part of the island. Explore the ancient city of Salamis, a Hellenistic marvel dating back to the 12th century BC, boasting ruined temples, a remarkable theatre, and a sprawling gymnasium. Immerse yourself in Famagusta’s rich history within its city walls, visiting the…
Embark on a captivating journey as we cross the UN buffer zone into the northern part of the island. Explore the ancient city of Salamis, a Hellenistic marvel dating back to the 12th century BC, boasting ruined temples, a remarkable theatre, and a sprawling gymnasium. Immerse yourself in Famagusta’s rich history within its city walls, visiting the Venetian Castle, Othello’s Tower, and the iconic St. Nicholas Cathedral. The highlight awaits as we take a guided walk through the hauntingly preserved ghost town of Varosha, frozen in time since the events of the Turkish invasion in 1974, revealing a poignant chapter of Cyprus’ history.
Location
Paphos
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(27 Ratings)
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Michelle_m
Oct 8, 2025
Iva was our guide and it... - Iva was our guide and it was a pleasure to listen to all the explanation she was given us throughout the day. She is very friendly and approachable and very knowledgeable. The tour was very well structured with plenty of breaks. Famagusta was interesting and sad in the same time. We had a very good time. Worth doing it.
Review provided by Viator
F1598utsallyc
Oct 1, 2025
Excellent trip - Great trip really worth doing- very interesting and informative detail given by Eva. Excellent value for money.
Safe driver very courteous.
Would recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chriskm5612ml
Oct 1, 2025
Interesting but sad - Was met by the coach near the hotel then after pickups carried to a coffee break. After the toilet stop/coffee break we carried on to the check point to the North. During the journey our wonderful guide Eva recounted the history of the island and her personal story which had sad undertones. Once we were through the check point *Dont forget passports* we carried on to Salamis with a chaperone. We learnt all about the site and after a bit of free time it was back to coach for Famagusta. We were dropped close to the Othello castle. Reportedly associated with the famous Shakespeare play. This castle was within the walled city of Famagusta. After free time to explore and have lunch it was back to our meeting point. We then continued our way to the segregated Forbidden zone. Fenced off since 1974, now partially open for visitors. It was sad to hear the story and to see the state of the buildings some showing signs of battle damage. After our visit it was back to the coach and yes we stopped at the same stop on the way home. I have seen some comments about the coffee/toilet stops. Well both the driver and the guide had a very long day which did not stop until a while after the last drop off. Our driver was brilliant, patient and deserves praise for the hours he did. Eva was an excellent guide very positive and informative. It was a brilliant trip that I am glad I did
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janew544
Sep 24, 2025
A long but interesting and informative day - Air conditioned coach. Stopped at a cafe halfway there. The guide gave us lots of information on the coach journey to our destinations which was much appreciated. Personally I didn’t listen to it all but having done lots of trips before I feel the drive to trips are a missed opportunity for guide to tell us the history of their country if they don’t. We visited salamis first the amount of time and information given was perfect for us. We then went through the border crossing to famagusta walled city where we visited the cathedral which was converted to a mosque. We were allowed to enter. We had free time which allowed us to find a restaurant to eat and rest. We then went onto ghost town of varosha. The guide told us interesting facts of the city and some personal experiences from her childhood visits to varisha. I personally watch a video on youtube about famagusta and varosha and this helped piece together my understanding of my visit.
If I had to make any suggestion I would say skip the 30 stop on the journey home or give travellers the option as I would have rather have got back to our hotel 30 minutes earlier as it was a 12 hour trip ( maybe 45 mins of this was added onto the journey with picks ups and drops offs
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Claire_h
Sep 18, 2025
Famagusta and Salamis tour - An insight into Cyprus and its history- past and present. Eva, our guide, gave us lots of information about her life in Cyprus from childhood to present day.
Review provided by Viator
Mssmith99
Sep 16, 2025
You will never forget this trip - We have just had the most wonderful trip to Famagusta with Eva our guide and Mario our driver. It was educational and emotional. Eva was so engaging and we felt privileged that she shared her personal story with us along with educating us about the history of the area. Definitely one not to be missed if you are in Cyprus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sven
Aug 12, 2025
Unforgettable - Great tour with heaps of information from our gorgeous tour guide Eva. The tour took about 12 hours, but here is a coffe break on the way there and back, as well as a 1 1/2 hour break in Farmagusta, so there are plenty of opportunities to buy something to drink and to eat. It was an unforgettable experience which I can only recommend. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
76soniay
Jun 25, 2025
A Fascinating and Relaxing Day Trip to Famagusta - Our family of four joined the Explore Famagusta Sea & Island Excursion from Paphos, and it was a memorable experience from start to finish. The day was a perfect mix of history, sightseeing, and relaxation, making it enjoyable for both adults and kids.
The highlight for us was seeing Varosha, the abandoned "ghost town" — such a powerful and emotional sight, especially with the guide’s detailed explanation of its history. It gave us all a lot to think about, even our teenager asked questions afterward!
We also had some time to relax by the coast, enjoy the views, and explore a little at our own pace. The trip was well-organised, the transport was comfortable, and Eva the guide was both informative and approachable.
The kids appreciated the stops that weren’t too long, and there were snacks and toilets along the way, very helpful when you have a toddler in tow!
A great day out that combines culture, history, and coastal beauty. Highly recommended if you want to see a very different side of Cyprus.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kasoof
Sep 24, 2025
Enjoyable informative tour of occupied Cyprus - The guide was very informative, approachable and helpful. Everything was made very clear about crossing the border and the protocol and felt safe the whole time. Coach was comfortable and air conditioned (necessary in the heat!). Sites were interesting and we had enough time at each location. It is along day to the other side, so prepare for that. Only loss of a star was that the pickup times were not shared correctly, so there was a longer wait. Otherwise all very smooth!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E3jfjulies
Oct 15, 2025
Disappointed - I think we would have really enjoyed our trip if we had got there! We arrived at the pickup point at 7.45 for an 8am departure… at 8.30 we called the tour company to be told the bus had left at 7.30! We have had an apology and a refund but are really disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
