Protaras, Cyprus

Things to Do in Protaras

From the sea caves at Cape Greco to the village square at Paralimni, a genuinely local guide to what the east coast of Cyprus is actually worth doing.

SP
Seafront Protaras team
Based in Protaras. Updated June 2026.
Beaches On the Water Nature Culture Food Day Trips Protaras Riviera

Most visitors arrive knowing Fig Tree Bay. The ones who come back know what else is here.

Protaras sits on the eastern tip of Cyprus, in the Famagusta district, where the island pushes furthest into the eastern Mediterranean. The coastline is extraordinary: a series of bays, limestone coves and headlands stretching south from Pernera through Fig Tree Bay, Konnos and down to Cape Greco. Behind the coast, the Kokkinochoria farmland and the town of Paralimni give the area a working, rooted character that most Mediterranean resort destinations have entirely lost.

What follows is the guide we would give a close friend: not a list of everything, but a considered account of what is actually worth your time, written by the people who live here.

Protaras at a Glance
LocationSE Cyprus, Famagusta
Ayia Napa12 km, 15 min
Larnaca airport65 km, 55 min
Best monthsMay, Jun, Sep, Oct
Peak sea temp28°C (August)
Destination brandProtaras Riviera
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Chapter One

The Beaches

The beaches of the Protaras coast are the reason most people come and the reason most people return. They range from the famous and deservedly so to the genuinely hidden. All share the same water quality: clear, calm and warm from June through October. See our Cyprus weather guide for the full seasonal picture.
Flagship

Fig Tree Bay

Central Protaras
Five hundred metres of soft golden sand, crystal-clear shallow water and a small island offshore you can swim to. Blue Flag certified every year. Named after a lone fig tree planted by eastern traders centuries ago, it is now one of the most photographed beaches in Cyprus and earns every photograph. Water sports operate throughout the season: jet skiing, parasailing, paddleboarding and banana boats. Arrive by 9am in peak season.
Best for Snorkelling

Konnos Bay

8 min drive
Inside Cape Greco National Forest Park, flanked by pine-covered limestone cliffs that drop into water of exceptional clarity. The rocky edges support rich marine life: octopus, sea bream and parrotfish are regularly spotted. Snorkelling visibility in spring and early summer regularly exceeds fifteen metres. Bring your own mask and fins. The finest easily-accessible snorkelling in the Protaras and Ayia Napa area.
Hidden Cove

Sirena Bay

5 min drive
Most drivers pass Sirena Bay without knowing it is there. A small hidden cove, a single restaurant serving Cypriot food under the shade of trees, exceptionally clear water and almost no crowds. When Fig Tree Bay feels overwhelming, Sirena Bay is the correct answer. Come here for lunch and an afternoon in the sea at the pace the island actually runs at when it is not performing for tourists.
Family Pick

Malama Beach

6 min drive
Where local families with young children go, precisely because it is not widely known to visitors. The water is exceptionally shallow and calm. A small beach bar provides drinks and food. Off the main road and rarely overcrowded. If you are travelling with children who are not yet confident swimmers, Malama gives you a quality beach experience without the intensity of the main resort beaches.
Worth the Drive

Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa

12 min drive
Cyprus's most famous beach is twelve minutes from Protaras. A natural sandbar lets you walk across to a small island at low tide. At its best in May and June before full summer intensity. At its liveliest it is genuinely lively. At its quietest, early morning in September, it is genuinely beautiful. Both versions are worth experiencing at least once.
2
Chapter Two

On the Water

The water around Protaras and Cape Greco is among the clearest in the Mediterranean. The activities that use it range from beginner-friendly to genuinely adventurous. This is the part of a Protaras holiday that most people look back on as the highlight.
Boat Trip

Blue Lagoon Excursion

Departs Protaras Harbour
Boats depart from Protaras harbour daily throughout the season, heading south past the sea caves to the Blue Lagoon within Cape Greco. The water at the lagoon is a shade of turquoise that looks edited even in person. Swimming stops are included. The views of the coast from the sea are entirely different from anything you see on land. For the same coastline on your own schedule, our private yacht trips are available for couples and small groups.
Sea Caves

Cape Greco Sea Caves

10 min by boat
Deep passages carved into the limestone cliffs of Cape Greco by thousands of years of wave action, some reaching 80 metres into the rock. Accessible only from the sea, by boat trip, kayak or swimming in calm conditions. Crystal-clear water inside and extraordinary morning light effects. The kayak option, which takes you inside the caves rather than viewing them from a boat, is the better experience.
Active

Sea Caves Kayak Tour

Cape Greco launch points
A guided kayak tour of the sea caves takes two to three hours and requires no experience. Paddle directly into the cave passages, feel the cool air inside and see the light effects from within. The activity that first-time visitors least expect and most frequently recommend on return. Book through operators in town or ask at your accommodation.
Diving

Scuba Diving

Various sites
Multiple PADI-approved dive centres offer discovery dives for beginners and guided dives for certified divers. Visibility around Cape Greco regularly exceeds fifteen metres in calm conditions. Green Bay is the preferred beginner site: calm, clear and with a gently sloping seabed. The Zenobia wreck near Larnaca, one of the top ten wreck dives in the world, is within range of a day trip from Protaras.
Evening

Sunset Cruise

Departs Protaras Harbour
Several operators run dedicated sunset cruises each evening through the summer, timed to be on the water as the sun drops. Drinks are typically included. Watching the coastline from the sea at golden hour is a different experience from any land-based viewpoint. Our private yacht trips can be arranged at sunset for couples and small groups.

Stay close to the water

Our villas and apartments put you minutes from Fig Tree Bay, Konnos and the Protaras harbour.

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3
Chapter Three

Nature and the Outdoors

Cape Greco National Forest Park begins at the southern edge of Konnos Bay and extends to the tip of the cape. It is one of the finest coastal nature reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and it is five minutes from the main resort strip. See our exploring Cyprus guide for hiking routes across the island.
Coastal Walk

Aphrodite Trail

8 min drive to trailhead
The Aphrodite Trail winds along the northeast coast of Cape Greco through pine trees and juniper scrub, past cliff edges that drop to the sea far below. The walk leads to the Agioi Anargyroi chapel, a whitewashed church perched on a vertical cliff above a sea cave. Even a 2-kilometre section delivers views that are genuinely extraordinary. Walk before 9am in summer.
Viewpoint

Profitis Elias Hill

5 min drive
The Church of Profitis Elias sits on a small hill above central Protaras with a genuine 360-degree panorama: the Fig Tree Bay coastline on one side, open sea on another and the interior of Cyprus visible inland on a clear day. Fifteen minutes to visit, worth every second. Come at sunrise or sunset. Almost no visitors know this spot.
Easy Walk

Protaras Coastal Path

Central Protaras
The seafront path runs the length of the resort, connecting the main beaches. Flat, well-maintained, accessible for pushchairs along most sections. At dawn, when the water is glassy and the light still soft, it is one of the most peaceful starts to a day in Protaras. In the evening it becomes the natural pre-dinner walk: warm air, sea sounds and every restaurant terrace visible from the path.
Wildlife

Sea Turtle Watching

Various Protaras beaches
Loggerhead sea turtles nest on several Protaras area beaches through the summer. Protected nest sites are marked discreetly by conservation volunteers. Dawn walks along the beach in season occasionally reveal fresh tracks from an overnight nesting female. For the most significant turtle nesting site in the Mediterranean, Lara Beach on the Akamas Peninsula is a full-day excursion worth making.
Hidden

Agioi Saranta Cave Church

10 min drive
Carved into a natural cave in the hills near Protaras, the Church of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste is one of those places that surprises visitors who find it. A small wooden door set into the cliff face opens into a cave interior with decorated walls and a natural skylight. The Agioi Saranta loop trail takes about ninety minutes round trip and offers good views of the coastline from the higher sections.
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Chapter Four

Culture and Local Life

Protaras sits within a municipality with genuine depth. Paralimni has been the main town of the Famagusta district since the Turkish invasion of 1974 and carries a cultural weight the resort strip does not always make obvious. See our Cyprus festivals guide for the full annual cultural calendar.
Local Town

Paralimni Old Town

8 min drive
The main town of the Famagusta district and the community surrounding Protaras. Traditional kafeneions, a central square and the Church of Agios Georgios. Come here for proper local coffee in the morning, the weekly market and traditional Cypriot pastries. The contrast between Paralimni and the Protaras strip eight minutes away is immediate and illuminating.
Indoor Activity

Protaras Ocean Aquarium

3 min drive
Over 1,000 species of marine life, reptiles and birds on display. The shark tank is the highlight for children. Air-conditioned throughout, making it the ideal option when the summer heat is at its most intense. Worth approximately two hours and particularly good for families who want something other than the beach in the middle of a summer day.
Festival

Kataklysmos Festival

Larnaca, 45 min (June)
Kataklysmos is the Festival of the Flood, a uniquely Cypriot celebration linked to the Orthodox Pentecost. Waterfront concerts, traditional music and dance, food stalls and the distinctive tradition of splashing water on strangers as a symbol of purification. Larnaca hosts the most elaborate celebrations. In 2026 it falls on 8 June. A day trip for this festival is among the most genuinely Cypriot experiences available to a visitor on the east coast.
Evening Show

Magic Dancing Waters

5 min drive
A nightly show of illuminated fountains choreographed to music, typically the highlight evening activity for families wanting something beyond dinner and the beach. Ticketed with seating. Works reliably for children and adults alike. Check local listings for the current summer programme.
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Chapter Five

Food and Drink

Cypriot food in Protaras ranges from excellent to very good and is one of the consistent pleasures of a stay here. The Kokkinochoria farmland behind the coast produces potatoes, strawberries, herbs and vegetables. The sea produces fresh fish daily. See our Cyprus wineries guide for the wine country an hour inland.
Essential

A Full Cypriot Meze

Various restaurants
A Cypriot meze is not a shared starter. It is a sequence of fifteen to twenty small dishes arriving continuously over ninety minutes to two hours: halloumi, olives, fresh bread, loukaniko sausage, grilled octopus, kleftiko slow-cooked lamb, souvlaki, seasonal vegetables. Order meze for the table, pair with local wine and let the kitchen decide. This is the meal that Cyprus does better than anywhere else in the Mediterranean.
Morning

Cypriot Coffee

Any kafeneion
Ground coffee and sugar blended with cold water before heating, producing a thick, strong, slightly sweet drink with a syrupy texture. Order it with loukoumades (honey doughnuts) or bourekia (sweet cheese pastry) at a traditional kafeneion. In Paralimni old town this breakfast costs approximately two euros. The coffee at international hotel chains is not the same thing.
Seafood

Fresh Fish Taverna

Various locations
Order grilled sea bream or sea bass rather than choosing from a menu: ask what came in that morning. Grilled octopus, calamari and red mullet are consistently worth ordering. The quality gap between a good local fish taverna and an international-menu restaurant on the main strip is significant. Finding the former is worth the extra five minutes of research on arrival.
Unique

Dinner Under the Stars

Near Protaras
For something genuinely different from the resort restaurant circuit, Cyprus's glamping scene offers outdoor dining and overnight stays in the countryside near Protaras. Our glamping guide covers the best options for those who want to experience the Cypriot countryside without giving up comfort.
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Chapter Six

Day Trips from Protaras

Protaras sits at the east end of Cyprus's A3 motorway, which runs west to Limassol and connects to the A1 for Paphos. The island is small: virtually every significant site is within two hours. These are the day trips we recommend. See our exploring Cyprus guide for the full picture.
Closest

Ayia Napa

12 km, 15 min
Protaras and Ayia Napa are neighbours with completely different personalities. Ayia Napa has Nissi Beach, genuinely beautiful and worth visiting. It also has the Ayia Napa Monastery: a remarkably well-preserved 16th-century Venetian monastery sitting in the centre of the modern resort, free to enter and worth thirty minutes of anyone's time. The contrast between the monastery courtyard and the surrounding bars is one of the more vivid illustrations of Cyprus as a place.
Culture

Tombs of the Kings, Paphos

90 min drive
A large underground Hellenistic necropolis, UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the tombs are so extraordinary that for centuries nobody believed ordinary people could be buried in such places. At €2.50 entry it is one of the most underpriced cultural experiences in the Mediterranean. Combine with the adjacent Paphos Roman Mosaics for a morning covering two thousand years of history. Full guide at Tombs of the Kings guide.
Village

Lefkara Village

50 min drive
Narrow cobbled streets, silver workshops, the UNESCO-recognised lace-making tradition (Lefkaritika), village squares and very good Cypriot food. A half-day from Protaras works well, either alone or combined with a stop further west. Our Lefkara guide covers the village in full.
Wine Country

Troodos Wine Villages

75 min drive
Omodos, Lofou, Vouni and the Commandaria wine route are all reachable in under 90 minutes. Mountain scenery, cobbled squares, vine-covered pergolas, wineries offering tastings and village tavernas serving food from local produce. See our Cyprus wineries guide for the best routes.
South Coast

Pissouri, Aphrodite's Rock and Kourion

1 hr 45 min drive
A full day on the south coast: the ancient city of Kourion on its clifftop, Aphrodite's Rock where the goddess is said to have been born from the waves, and the village of Pissouri with its Blue Flag bay and pedestrianised square. One of the most scenic motorway drives in the Mediterranean. Our Pissouri guide covers everything worth knowing before making the trip.

Planning a couples trip?

A dedicated guide to the most memorable couples activities on the east coast: Protaras for couples.

Read the Guide
New in 2026

The Protaras Riviera: A New Identity for the East Coast

In 2026, the Municipality of Paralimni and Deryneia officially unveiled a new destination brand for the wider region: the Protaras Riviera. It brings together Protaras, Pernera, Kapparis, Paralimni, Deryneia, Frenaros and Acheritou under one unified identity, positioning the area as a year-round Mediterranean destination rather than a summer-only beach resort.

See the Sea
The crystal-clear waters of Protaras, recognised by the European Environment Agency among the cleanest in Europe. The Riviera sits at the point where Europe receives one of its first sunrises each day.
Taste the Land
The red soil of the Kokkinochoria produces potatoes, strawberries, vegetables and herbs that define the food identity of the region. Local gastronomy is central to the Riviera brand.
Feel the Energy
Water sports, diving, open-water swimming, cycling, walking trails and wellness form the activity layer of the Riviera. The goal is to offer reasons to be here in every month, not just the summer peak.
Hear the Stories
The Neolithic settlement of Nissia, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Famagusta region, sits within the Riviera area. Cultural monuments, churches, local traditions and festivals form the historical layer.

The Protaras Riviera is an initiative of the Paralimni and Deryneia Municipality. The official destination site is at protarasriviera.com. As a villa and apartment operator based in Protaras, we are proud to be part of the east coast community this brand represents.

Make Protaras Your Base

Villas with private pools, sea-view apartments and everything you need for the east coast at its best.

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