Bikepacking Cyprus & The Kyrenia TraversE
I spent November 2023 exploring Cyprus on my bicycle, and with my time on the island now drawn to a close, I wanted to wrap up with a short post sharing my thoughts. As a whole, Cyprus was really good for me. I had been growing increasingly stir-crazy in England, with the days growing steadily darker and more miserable as winter's chill set in. Cyprus in November was the perfect antidote, with plenty of sunshine and daytime temperatures on the coast of around the low-20s, albeit dropping off slightly towards the end of the month. November is probably the ideal time to visit; not too hot, which is nice for cycling, and being off-season, the island is also mostly free from the boozy tourist crowds which plague it in the summer months, something I appreciated greatly in the more popular spots such as Paphos and Ayia Napa.
I had a great time in Cyprus, and I'm very happy I went. For a place to relax, do a bit of exploring, and enjoy some warmer weather whilst most of the northern hemisphere is either bracing for winter or already wishing they could go into hibernation, I think Cyprus is great, especially in November. I really enjoyed the fact that cats often seemed to outnumber humans away from the busy tourist areas. Cats really do seem to dominate Cyprus, and I will always think of it as the island of cats, which, as a cat person, definitely endeared it to me.
The number of abandoned buildings and ghost towns was also quite remarkable, and I got a bit of a kick out of cycling across the no-man's land between the southern part of the island, the formal Republic of Cyprus, and the northern part, which is occupied by Turkey. The border was rather militarised, but not tense, and my impression was that relations between the north and the south are fairly relaxed these days.
It was interesting to see the differences between the Greek and Turkish sides; Turkish Cyprus felt a lot more run-down, more rugged, and more remote, and it was also very slightly cheaper, though not dramatically. There were also far fewer tourists visiting the north, and instead of the southern Greek Orthodox churches, in the north, you'll see mosques, some of which are very beautiful.
As for the cycling, you're fairly limited in Cyprus, as it’s not a big place. The Kyrenia Mountains and the Karpas Peninsula in North Cyprus were by far my favourites. Absolutely spectacular, quite remote, very memorable, and unique. I ended up publishing a bikepacking route, The Kyrenia Traverse, a four-day route traversing the spine of the Kyrenia mountains from east to west. I absolutely loved that section, so I’d highly recommend The Kyrenia Traverse to anyone looking for a short but spectacular cycling trip on the island. All of the details for the route can be found on bikepacking.com, and I’ll include the GPX for the route at the bottom of this page.
Aside from The Kyrenia Traverse, I have to say that although I’m glad I went, I wasn’t massively impressed with Cyprus, at least as a bikepacking destiantion. The Troodos Mountains in the south of Cyprus were beautiful, and to be fair I enjoyed the few days I spent cycling there, but somehow I just didn't love the vibe, so I didn't feel too inclined to explore more deeply. The Troodos Mountains still felt quite touristy, even though it was the off-season and most of the villages seemed to be partly closed up for the winter. I took my bike through some fun hiking and mountain biking trails, but it never felt like people were far away, and although the mountains were certainly pretty, I didn't find them as striking or dramatic as the Kyrenia Mountains had been. It's hard to put into words, as they were certainly beautiful, but somehow the Troodos Mountains just didn't quite grab me.
Cyprus' coastlines were pleasant but not spectacular, and they generally suffered from the same touristy vibe that I found along many of the coastlines in the Canary Islands. Inland, when not in the mountains, Cyprus was fairly unremarkable. Towns were fairly generic, and the historical sites, with the exception of the insanely impressive Kantara Castle in the north, were mostly fairly run down and neglected. Interesting, but not especially memorable. I ate some good food, but I wouldn't tell anyone to come just for the food, and Cyprus was also fairly expensive, with prices fairly on par with northern Europe for the most part. The Turkish northern part of the island was slightly cheaper, but still definitely not cheap. The only thing that was really cheaper than in northern Europe was alcohol.
So, such are my criticisms, which I'm mainly putting down for the benefit of anyone thinking of coming to Cyprus and looking for insight. Before coming, I had no idea what to expect, but my expectations were nevertheless probably a little high, so in that sense, I found Cyprus slightly disappointing. That said, I'm not at all disappointed with the month I spent there. I had a great time, enjoyed myself immensely, got plenty of warmth and sunshine, found time to relax, and had a lot of fun on the bike. Cyprus was great, and I'm glad I went.
Would I come back? Sure. Probably not again with my bike, although I definitely wouldn't mind riding the Kyrenia Traverse again one day. And probably not for a backpacking travel experience; for that, I'd look elsewhere. But for a winter escape, for some sunshine, beach time, a few excursions with a rental car, and maybe a party, I'd happily come back to Cyprus. Flights are cheap, the weather is warmer than just about anywhere in Europe bar the Canaries, English is widely spoken, and life is easy. Avoid the main tourist season, though. From conversations I had with the locals, for anything other than a party holiday, peak season is just far too much.
