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Salamis and Famagusta: Explore Cyprus' Historic Sites
4.9
18 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
4.9
(18 Ratings)
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1 star
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
Z3886sflesleym
Jun 25, 2025
Best trip experience - We went on a day trip to Famagusta with Eva our courier. She was absolutely amazing we had the best day. A trip to famagusta is definitely to be done while in Cyprus it was very emotional and very educational. I highly recommend to book this trip it’s definitely worth the money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_b
Jun 8, 2025
Brilliant memorable tour - This trip was educational and emotional.
Our guide Eva, not only knows the history she was telling us about, she has lived through it. She was relaying her very personal and detailed tragic experiences she's gone through during an illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey and beyond.
It was a long day but theres plenty of stops for refreshments and eats.
All credit goes to both Eva, our guide and Yani our driver who gave us a comfortable safe ride.
Review provided by Viator
Amanda_s
Jun 3, 2025
Excellent and emotional - It's a long tour, about 11 hours, however brilliantly put together, and remember you get chance to rest on the coach. The sights are amazing and humbling. Our tour guide Eva had a story to tell, it was emotional and informative. A real insight it the history of Cyprus, definitely worth doing.
Review provided by Viator
Mlancs
Jun 1, 2025
A must experience in Cyprus! - A great tour with so much information and history. Such fantastic value for money for a worthwhile 11 hour trip. Salamis was interesting and great to see the theatre and ruins in fairly complete condition. Famagusta was a nice stop for lunch but the highlight had to be Varossa the ghost town. Breath taking and emotional. Unbelievable to see and hear what happened to this place. Eva our tour guide was absolutely amazing, her personal story was very moving and she really brought the history to life. I pray, Eva that someday you realise your dream and return permanently to your homeland. Thank you for sharing your heartbreaking story.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annep36
Oct 16, 2024
Abandoned town - Fantastic trip made all tge better for having our Guide Eva who is a historian, archaeology enthusiast and who lived through and experienced the atrocities of the take over.
Thought provoking and very moving.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brysharth
Oct 10, 2024
Tour to go back to - What a great tour it was! Our guide Eva, not only knows the history she was telling us about, she has lived though it. She wasn’t just a repeating remembered script but was relaying her very personal and detailed tragic experiences she’s gone through during an illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey and beyond.
It was a fairly long trip but you’ll only feel tired when get back home. There’s plenty of stops for refreshments and grabbing a bite. Also seeing all those beautiful places is energising.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ian
Sep 18, 2024
Very good tour - Very good Tour Eva and John the driver were very good. Eva had excellent knowledge of the whole trip. Stops are very well spaced out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T2707pdtracym
Sep 18, 2024
Amazing 🤩 - What an amazing trip…🤩🤩
Eva was so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, passionate and friendly…
It was a long day but one I would definitely recommend…
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gareth_h
Aug 23, 2024
Memorable trip - Our guide Eva was very informative and knowledgeable, whilst also giving us her own personal account of what happened when the Turkish invaded. Thank you Eva for making this trip so memorable.
Review provided by Viator
