The 11 Best Famagusta Day Trips

1.Ghost-Town Famagusta Mini Bus Tour from Protaras and Ayia Napa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 298 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60Our pick

Travel by minibus from Ayia Napa, Protaras, Pernera, or Kapparis to Famagusta with a guide such as George, Athos, or Olga. See the city from Derynia, cross the border, view the deserted beach hotels, walk through the old walled city, and hear personal stories about the events of 1974.

“Interesting experience. Knowledgeable tour guide. George was fun with a great sense of humour which made it really enjoyable. Easy pick up and drop off. Just the right amount of time. Alan and Sara.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Full-day Famagusta: Lost Cities & Coastal Secrets from Paphos

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 274 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $82

Travel from Paphos to Famagusta with an English-speaking guide, crossing at Strovilia with your passport or EU ID. Explore Salamis, walk the old walled city, eat lunch at your own cost, and see Varosha, the abandoned resort frozen since 1974. Guides such as Emma, George, and Vassos have led recent departures.

“Fantastic day out. As others have said, it’s long at 11 hours but really worth it. You get to see a mixture of ancient history as well as more modern history and the guide Vassos is clearly very passionate and knowledgeable about Cypriot history and the driver also was very friendly and accommodating. Very glad we were able to do this.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Red Bus Varosha experience in English from Ayia Napa, Protaras

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 88 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $45Best value

Travel from Ayia Napa or Protaras to Varosha and Famagusta on an English-language red bus tour. Guides such as Hayley explain the area as you travel, then you get nearly two hours to walk the abandoned streets, rent a bicycle or scooter, swim, or stop for coffee. Pickup and return transport are included.

“What an amazing trip, highly recommend. Hayley our guide was amazing and so knowledgable on all things Famagusta and Varosha. Clive the driver was so friendly and welcoming. If you are visiting Cyprus this trip is a must.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Day Tour to Famagusta, Ghost Town & Ancient Salamis

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 11 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $66Top rated

Travel from Paphos to ancient Salamis, Famagusta’s old town, and Varosha, the abandoned resort district frozen since 1974. Guide Eva brings Cyprus’s divided past to life with personal insight. Expect an 11 to 12-hour day, passport checks, included entry fees, hotel pickup, and free time for lunch in Famagusta.

“Have visited Varosha previously but never expected to get anywhere near the ghost town. Amazing how quickly these things can progress. Our guide Eva was amazing all day. Her very personal experiences relating to the Turkish invasion are clearly still very raw and this made it a truly compelling, if sometimes emotionally draining, day. Absolutely recommend doing this trip before Varosha ends up being redeveloped”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.A Day Trip to Medieval FAMAGUSTA (Kyrenia, Nicosia or Famagusta )

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Travel by private vehicle from Kyrenia, Nicosia, or Famagusta to St. Barnabas Monastery, Salamis, medieval Famagusta, and the abandoned Varosha quarter. Guide Sirin leads the day with stories about Cyprus, Ottoman rule, Gothic architecture, and the city’s divided past. Admission and bottled water are included, while lunch is extra.

“We had an amazing day visiting the St. Barnabas monastery, the ruins in Salamis, the abandoned city of Varosha, admiring the gothic architecture in Famagusta with the lovely Sirin. Her passion for Cyprus history makes her a great guide. Totally recommend to book a day trip with her!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Famagusta and Blue Lagoon Jeep Safari from Protaras

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $111

From Protaras, visit the Famagusta viewpoint, cross into Northern Cyprus, explore the walled city, then cruise to the Blue Lagoon for swimming, snorkeling, and a cooked lunch. Guides such as George Michael and Andreas bring strong local knowledge. Expect a seven-hour day, passport checks, and no air-conditioning in the vehicles.

“Excellent tour driver was very good Andreas very knowledgeable and went out of his way to explain everything we were seeing Farmagusta ver interesting cruise was ok ( too many people on boat not enough seats)”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.From Nicosia and Kyrenia: Famagusta & Kyrenia as Circular Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

Travel from Nicosia in a private, air-conditioned vehicle with a driver-guide to Famagusta, Salamis, Bellapais Abbey, and Kyrenia Harbour. See Varosha, a Gothic cathedral turned mosque, Roman ruins, and a mountain village. Guides including Cemal, Cemaliye, and Sirin Suha tailor the pace to your group.

“Cemal is very knowledgeable and explain the history of Cyprus. we had a pleasant trip. Really like the old monuments and heritage of north Cyprus.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Full Day Tour in Famagusta: The Ghost City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.)

Travel from Larnaca in a private, air-conditioned vehicle to Famagusta, the abandoned Varosha district, Golden Sand Beach, Salamis, St. Nicholas Cathedral, Othello’s Castle, and St. Barnabas Monastery. Driver Steve has earned praise for tailoring the day, but a professional guide is not included. Bring your passport for the border crossing.

“We were fortunate enough to be able to take this tour from Limassol at extra cost. Our driver was very experienced, and although he provided much information, did not act as a guide, so we visited the locations ourselves. Given the venues this was not adverse. All the area is in the Turkish north of Cyprus so passports were necessary, and while there can be very long delays/queues at the border, this was January, so it was quiet. Although memorable it cannot for us be described as enjoyable, since the experience of visiting Varoche (now Maras) the up market area of Famagusta, and its desecration, now decaying after 57 years…”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Famagusta City Tour with Salamis and Varosha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $83

Cross the Green Line with a guide such as Catherine, Rafael, or Stavrula, then visit Salamis ruins, St Barnabas Monastery, the partly opened Varosha ghost town, and Famagusta old town. The day includes a 50-minute Varosha walk, two hours of free time in Famagusta, and transport from Ayia Napa or Protaras.

“This tour was fascinating, also saddening to see, and hear the history Stavrula (I think the guides name was) was fantastic, engaging and spoke very clearly all the facts. We were a mix of languages but we all understood. It was calm and organised tour, we knew the run of the day. I forget the drivers name but he was so friendly. This tour costed a little more than others but it was absolutely worth every penny, lunch was included and was very nice along with a choice of white or red wine, beer or a lemonade plus a nice cup of tea or coffee included. I would 100% recommend…”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.FAMAGUSTA & NICOSIA Private Tour from Kyrenia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $222

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a private guide such as Sedat, Cemal, or another local expert, visiting St Barnabas, Salamis, Famagusta, Varosha, and North Nicosia. Pickup is available from Kyrenia-area hotels, and lunch and entrance fees are included.

“Picked up at The Bellapais Hotel. Contacted by guide very quickly, as to time and pickup. We had a wonderful day with our guide. Would well recommend her, very informative and friendly welcoming. Thank you for a great day and experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Discover Famagusta from Paphos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $113

Spend about 10 hours exploring Famagusta and its surrounding sites with an escort-driver in an air-conditioned vehicle. Visit ancient Salamis, St Barnabas Monastery, Othello’s Tower, and Famagusta, with lunch time at Constantinos Beach. Pickup arrangements are available from selected Cyprus resorts.

“The guide was very informative, loved hearing the history of the divide in Cyprus She really brought it to life”

Check availability →Read our full review