Tatiana Solomatina

What to choose for your holiday: Cyprus or Greece?

Greetings, dear readers and guests of my blog! Today I decided to try to answer such a popular question: “Cyprus or Greece, which should I choose?” About five years ago, I also faced the same dilemma, and I think this question is still relevant for many.

In this article I will compare two countries from the point of view of a tourist who doesn’t care where to go, as long as in the summer and to the sea, to a resort where it will be warm, beautiful and not boring, where there is an opportunity to see the sights. To find out what came out of my idea, read the article to the end.

The country is not small, there are many international airports. Therefore, the flight time is different, 2.5 hours to the resort of Thessaloniki, a flight to Corfu, Rhodes, Crete, Kos will take 3.5, you will spend about 4 if you fly to Athens. This is the approximate time for direct flights - I will not consider those with transfers in this article. Also, we must take into account that there are no direct flights to many Greek islands.

Now . There are two main international airports, in Paphos and Larnaca. There is also one in the north of the island - in Ercan, but I have not heard of direct flights there from Russia. A direct flight from Moscow takes approximately 3-4.5 hours. If you fly with Cypriot carriers, you will have to spend 4.5 hours in the sky, since due to the political situation, local airlines are prohibited from flying over the Turkish part, they have to waste time on a detour. All others fly directly, significantly reducing passenger delivery time.

As you can see, the route to these countries is the same in time. Therefore, we will assume that the score is still equal.

Visa regime

It is not possible to get to Cyprus or Greece without visas.

Cyprus is a clear favorite in this matter. Here you need to apply for a pro-visa, but it is done quickly and is available online. For this reason we give Cyprus a big plus.

Season and weather

In both countries (let's look at the coast, we won't climb into the mountains) the Mediterranean climate dominates. However, in Cyprus the winter is milder and the beach season is slightly longer than in Greece. If in Cyprus it is comfortable to swim already at the beginning of May, then the water temperature on the coast of Greece becomes acceptable a little later, around the beginning of June. The situation is approximately the same in the fall. The season in Cyprus lasts until November, while the opponent’s season ends in October.

As for the summer months, in these countries they are equally sunny and hot. Therefore, we will give a small plus to Cyprus only for the length of the season.

Nature and sea

At first glance, the countries are very similar. Both have a gorgeous sea, amazingly beautiful mountains and magnificent beaches with blue flags. However, in my opinion, in Greece the flora and fauna are more diverse. It seemed to me that in Cyprus there is much less lush, green vegetation than in Greece. Although I traveled far and wide in Cyprus, it was only near the Akamas Nature Reserve that I saw landscapes in no way inferior to Greece. In other places, it was also beautiful, but not great, I hope you understand what I mean. If you are interested in the details of my visit to Cyprus, read.

I draw the following conclusion. Greece will be more luxurious than Cyprus in terms of the surrounding nature, although the sea is not inferior here, well, maybe only in color. For this I give a small minus to Cyprus.

Living conditions money and services

I won’t talk much about money; both countries demand the euro from us. But I’ll talk a little about hotels.

Both countries have a very wide choice of accommodation. However, there are more all-inclusive hotels in Greece, so beloved by Russian tourists. The range of services offered to guests here is wider and the cost of the full package in some places is cheaper. I think that this is due to high competition, because everyone understands that competition forces us to carry out various promotions and reduce prices for accommodation.

As for Cyprus, the island is small, and despite the fact that there are many hotels here, the all-inclusive service most often means only the concept of food, and animation, children's clubs and evening leisure on the territory are difficult (there are exceptions, but they are few).

If we talk about the rest of the stay, then everything is almost the same. In Cyprus, as in Greece, there is a huge selection of private accommodation, especially cheap; you can rent rooms in small private hotels, a little far from the tourist trails. But this, of course, is the lot of independent travelers planning to rent a car.

Since the majority of tourists vacation on package tours, I think that it will be cheaper to spend a vacation in Cyprus, and for those who prefer the all-inclusive service, it is better to go to Greece. But this is purely my personal opinion, and it is based only on my personal experience. Therefore, it would be fair at this point to assume that the countries are identical in terms of living conditions.

Attractions

Of course, Greece will come first. Of course, there is also something to see in Cyprus, however, it is difficult to compete with the number of historical and natural attractions. There is hardly anyone who thinks otherwise, so we give Greece a big plus.

Leisure - entertainment

Here, I believe, Cyprus and Greece are equal, but with one caveat. Both there and there, it all depends on the resort. In each of these countries there are places where there is a lot of entertainment for children and adults, but there are resorts that are designed for a calm, secluded holiday and you will have to find something to do yourself.

So where is the best place to go on vacation?

What to choose Cyprus or Greece? According to the calculations of minuses and pluses, the countries are equal. There can be no definite answer here. Where it’s good for one, it’s not so good for another. Of course, it would be better to visit both countries and form your own personal opinion.

However, if you are wondering what I think, I will say that I like Greece better. Firstly, in order to visit everywhere there, you need to spend more than one year, taking into account the fact that we do not rest every day. Secondly, I did not see the same color of the sea as in Greece in Cyprus, although I drove through almost its entire coast.

At the moment I am planning to return to Cyprus only for a beach holiday and only to the fishing town of Polis. I was hooked by this place with its beautiful deserted beaches and the good nature of the locals. However, you need to go here on your own and with a car for the entire period. I will definitely consider this option, especially when I don’t want to bother with visas; for me this is the main reason for choosing Cyprus over Greece.

Read more about the best places to relax in Greece. I posted information on Cyprus in the article ““. And my personal adventures in this country are recorded. In the near future I plan to write in detail about Rhodes. Subscribe to updates and be the first to receive new articles.

That's basically all I was going to write today. My conclusions are based on personal experience, taken from the stories of friends and acquaintances. If you don’t agree or just want to add something, write in the comments, I’ll be happy to read it.

With this, I bid you farewell for a moment.

Tatiana Solomatina

For many tourists, it is virtually impossible to choose which is cheaper for a holiday in Cyprus or Greece. Some argue that a trip to Greece will cost more, especially if you rent a car, others that in Cyprus you can spend much more money on entertainment.

Before answering this question, you should decide what type of vacation you prefer.

• Calm beach or active with hikes to all attractions and participation in all water sports;
• Is it necessary to take a car or not?
• Whether a hotel has maximum stars or not does not matter;
• Eating only at your hotel or visiting all restaurants;
• Composition of the trip, that is, if you are traveling with a large group, a married couple with children, or alone, you expect that you can spend completely different amounts of money.

Having decided on these points, you can calculate that Cyprus or Greece will be cheaper for you specifically for your holiday.

To make calculations you need to know that

– a visa to Cyprus is cheaper, since you can limit yourself to “provisions”, but to travel to Greece you will have to do a full-fledged “Schengen”;

– renting a car in Greece will be more expensive, since gasoline costs more there;

– on average, accommodation and food will be cheaper than similar offers in Cyprus. Of course, everything depends on the hotel itself and its conditions, so you can find expensive hotels in Greece;

– there are more attractions in Greece due to the larger size of the country compared to Cyprus, so if you love antiquity, it will be difficult to resist. Keep in mind that you can spend a lot of money on viewing historical property;

- is associated with fun and numerous parties, especially the resort of Ayia Napa, so lovers of such entertainment will leave more on the island than in similar conditions in Greece.

Only on an individual basis can you decide on the choice of country for your holiday. Having clearly decided for yourself what you expect from the trip, it is worth estimating the amount it will cost; it will be different for each guest in any of these countries.

Where to find cheap tours?

It’s better to look for profitable tours through a service that compares prices from more than 120 tour operators and allows you to find the cheapest offers. We do this ourselves and are extremely happy :)

Cyprus or Crete: reviews from tourists about holidays on the Mediterranean islands.

Go to Cyprus or Greece, Crete?

When they talk about what a tourist should choose - Cyprus or Crete, these two Mediterranean islands are often confused. They talk about Cyprus, but they mean Crete and vice versa.

Cyprus (Cyprus, Κύπρος) and Crete (Crete, Κρήτη) are located nearby - only 550 km separate these two islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, the climate of these islands is not very different.

Crete (the largest island in Greece) and Cyprus are among the five largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, but the latter is larger in area. The closest states with which Greek Crete borders by sea are located at a distance of 180 km (Turkey) and 300 km (Libya).

The largest cities in Crete are Heraklion and Chania, the first of which is the administrative center of the periphery of Crete and the community of the same name.

Cyprus, on the contrary, is an independent state. The largest city and capital is Nicosia, which is located in the central part of the island. All other cities (aka resorts) are located in coastal areas.

Sights of Crete

Modern Crete is the economic and cultural center of the Greek Republic. The tourist infrastructure of Crete is the most developed, and the island itself is one of the favorite European destinations for recreation and tourism. Interesting sights of Crete: the Venetian castle of Fortezza in Rethymni, the Samaria Gorge, the Lassithi plateau and the Cave of Zeus.

• Archaeological excavations located in Knossos, Malia, Phaistos, Gortyna.
• - Gramvousa Islands with Balos Bay, as well as the unique freshwater lake Kournas.

Sights of Cyprus

Cyprus is attractive to tourists due to its favorable climate and clean sea. Short distances (only 240 km from east to west) and excellent roads make it easy to move around the island both by car and by public transport.

• Archaeological excavations located in Paphos (Archaeological Park, Tombs of the Kings).
• Natural attractions - Aphrodite Bay, Salt Lake, Cape Greco, Lara Bay, Akamas Peninsula and many interesting places in the Troodos Mountains.

Where is it easier to enter: Cyprus or Crete?

When they ask where it is easiest to enter - Cyprus or Crete, there will be a clear answer.

Entry rules for Russian tourists are more flexible in Cyprus. Provisions are issued free of charge, according to a simplified scheme. The treasured paper can be completed in literally an hour. Read more about this -

Crete is Greece, therefore, to enter you need a Schengen visa, which is much more difficult to obtain. By the way, if you already have a Schengen visa, then on the basis of this permit you can also enter Cyprus.

Reviews from tourists about Cyprus and Crete

Olga.“After three trips to Crete, I choose Cyprus. Yes, the Greek island is very beautiful, greener, many interesting places. But since you can’t drive around Cyprus by car, the roads are not the same. It takes 7 hours to cut from one end of the island to the other, although the distance is about the same. In the mountains, the roads are generally trash...”

Dmitriy.“There is nothing to do in Heraklion, but Rethymno, Chania, Agios Nikolaos are very picturesque and beautiful. There are many kilometers of sandy beaches, colorful villages and so on. The road from one end of Crete to the other takes longer than in Cyprus. But it stretches along the coast and the views that open up are worth driving along it and enjoying the views..."

Love.“We have been going to Kos for many years. But it is very small, rural, uncrowded, and there are many other islands nearby that you can sail to. Similar to Rhodes, but Rhodes is much bigger and busier. I really like the northern islands - Corfu, Zakynthos, Thassos. Halkidiki is very beautiful green and the big city of Thessaloniki is nearby...”

Anna.“I like both Greece and Cyprus. It depends on what you like on vacation and when you are going to relax. If you can swim in Cyprus in mid-May, in Greece it is still cool at this time. But on the other hand, Greece is greener, and Crete is an incredibly beautiful island...”

Natalia.“I vacationed in Cyprus, Crete (Agios Nikolaus), and Rhodes (Faliraki). Yes, it’s beautiful, calm, but the Greeks are all kind of “boiled”. I remember when I had to wait for my dear grandfather - the concierge for an hour in order to carry my suitcase to the bungalow, which, as it turned out, was located fifty meters from the reception! I discovered Cyprus in 2015, when I had already visited all the Mediterranean countries. I don't want to go anywhere else. Only in Cyprus, for the fourth year in a row..."

Olga.“Depends what you are going to do. If you drive and travel around the island and look at the sights and all that, then Cyprus. And if you spend more time on the beach, then, it seems to me, Crete. Greece is cheaper. IMHO..."

What do you need to come to Cyprus?

• Visa you need to get a preliminary one. It's free. See how to do this -
• Insurance for those traveling abroad you can calculate -
• Flights look to Larnaca airport (more flights there) or Paphos (not so popular) -
• Hotels in the resorts of Cyprus, as well as all the information on them (available rooms, prices, reviews), tourists usually look at -
• Apartments with a discount I usually look for -
• Hostels- this is for those who do not have money for a hotel. The cheapest housing. The only cheaper option is a sunbed under an umbrella on the beach. If roommates don’t bother you, then look at the options for hostels in Cyprus -
• Tours to Cyprus. Buy a tour from 60,000 rubles until 30.09 with a promo code AF1000kipros and get a RUB 1,000 discount -
• Transfer You don’t need to go to the hotel if you are flying on a tour. As a rule, this service is included in the tour price. If this is not the case, then order a transfer in advance via the Internet. It is very convenient and cheaper than taking a taxi from the airport. You will be met at the airport and taken straight to your hotel doorstep -
• Rent a Car- a very popular way to get around the island, so if you have a license, you can look at car rental prices -
• Excursions from local residents with unusual routes, see -
• Adapter for Cypriot sockets, which tourists use, can be bought in any store, but see what it looks like -
• Everything for relaxation in Cyprus (useful things, fashion accessories, sports and leisure goods, gadgets) you can see -
• Simka for travelers (mobile communications and Internet without roaming) in Cyprus -

Turkey and Egypt have long been mastered by our compatriots, and now the time has come to open new holiday destinations. Southern Europe attracts with its high level of service, safety, and the opportunity to see a lot of interesting places on your own. Let's compare two European countries and decide which is better. Greece or Cyprus, of course, is up to you to decide, based on your own preferences and concepts of quality and complete rest.

Entry issue

The lucky owners do not need to think about how to get to Greece. But those who do not have it need to go through all the circles of hell, consular departments. Getting a Schengen card is a troublesome and expensive task. In order to fly to the Republic of Cyprus, you only need so-called provisions, and in the northern part of this island, occupied by Turkey, an entry permit stamp for Russians is pasted into their passports upon arrival. So if you assume that you have little chance of getting a Schengen visa or do not have time to open one, then the question of whether Cyprus or Greece will become a holiday destination is not before you. What is there to think? Cyprus is definitely your destination.

Prices

On the other hand, the island republic has established itself as a party and fashionable place. Noisy Western European youth, who cannot afford Spanish Ibiza, relax here, as well as other categories of tourists: families with small children, pensioners craving a relaxing beach holiday. If you only want sun, sea and clean air and will not regret foreign currency savings, the “Cyprus or Greece” scales tip towards the first option. If you are planning a budget holiday, plus you want to see more sights, then you should choose the cradle of European civilization, that is, Greece.

Climate

Let's say you are tempted by Which is better: Cyprus? Greece? The map shows that the island republic is located further south, in the Mediterranean Sea, which is warmer and calmer than the stormy Aegean. The swimming season in Cyprus lasts longer - from mid-April to early November. But in Greece, especially on the mainland, summers are hotter. In addition, the shallow ones warm up very quickly, so you can swim there comfortably in early May. If you are planning to go there, it is best to go to the Greek islands - Crete, Kos, Rhodes, Corfu. The sea breeze of the Aegean and Ionian seas softens the heat. But reviews from experienced tourists say that you will not find more beautiful beaches than in Cyprus. Although the coasts of Santorini, Kos and Crete also have their fans. Therefore, in terms of beaches, the choice of “Cyprus or Greece” is quite difficult.

In terms of developed tourism infrastructure, both countries occupy equal positions. In the island republic there are places for youth hangouts, but you can easily find pastoral paradises where it’s not difficult to be Adam and Eve in Eden. Greece also has all this, but on a much larger scale. Take a look at the map. Which country is larger, Cyprus or Greece? If you want to see as many ancient or medieval sights as possible, choose a holiday destination near Loutraki. From this city you can take excursions to Athens, Olympia, Delphi, Sparta and even Meteora. If you want to combine the beach and fur coat tours, choose Thessaloniki.

Cyprus and Crete are very similar. These are islands with a similar name, quite large, and both are located in the Mediterranean Sea. You can also have a good rest in Cyprus and Crete, which tourists from all over the world enjoy. But, naturally, each island has its own characteristics.

Finding Cyprus and Crete on the map is very easy. They are located close to each other, in the Mediterranean Sea. From the airport of the Cypriot resort of Larnaca to the airport of Heraklion on Crete, the plane flies for about an hour and a half, covering about 800 km. This proximity determined the similarity of these two geographical objects:

Cyprus and Crete: how are they different?

We will find the most important difference if we look at the world map again, only politically. The island of Crete has a very interesting history. It experienced both the flourishing of civilization and conquests, for example, by the Ottoman Empire, was autonomous, and finally joined Greece in 1913. But Cyprus has an even more interesting, complicated and tragic history. He also experienced different periods, including wars of conquest and liberation. In 1960, Cyprus became an independent state. However, after this, the conflict between the Turks and the Greeks (the main people groups in Cyprus) did not go away. And now the island is de jure one state - the Republic of Cyprus, and de facto - its northern part (about 40% of the territory) belongs to the unrecognized state of Northern Cyprus.


Tourists need to understand that all these political events do not affect their vacation. In both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, tourism has become one of the budget revenue items. Therefore, government agencies simplify the visa regime as much as possible and attract tourists in every possible way. So most travelers can visit both countries, naturally, if they have the financial means.

Greece or Cyprus, which is better for tourists and what other differences they have:

• Visa regime. Cyprus allows Russians into the country with a national visa. It is easier to obtain than the Schengen visa required for tourists in Greece. However, experienced travelers know that becoming the owner of a “Greek Schengen” is easy, the percentage of refusals is minimal.
• In Cyprus, traffic is on the left, and in Crete, as throughout Greece, it is on the right. Naturally, most of the world's tourists in Cyprus will need some time to get used to if they want to rent a car.
• Beaches and hotels. There are more pebble beaches in Crete, and sandy ones in Cyprus. This is especially important for parents with children. And the service in hotels in Cyprus is better. For some reason, in Crete hotels there is a discrepancy between the level of services provided and the declared stars. But holidays here are cheaper.
• Differences in cuisines. You will taste a lot of delicious food in taverns in both countries. But in Cyprus it would be a crime not to taste local wines, and in Crete it would be a crime not to taste honey. By the way, you should buy them as a souvenir for yourself and your loved ones.

Cyprus or Crete: which is better?

Knowing the features of these islands, their similarities and differences, each tourist will be able to choose where to spend their vacation. Those who value a high level of service and a comfortable stay will buy a trip to Cyprus. Families with children also often choose this island because of its sandy beaches. Those who want to relax cheaper are more likely to go to Greek Crete. And the money saved will be spent on excursions.