Frequently Asked Questions

Paphos International (PFO) is the better choice for most visitors. It is around 45 km and 35-40 minutes from Pissouri on the toll-free A6, compared with roughly 110 km and 75-85 minutes from Larnaca (LCA). Unless Larnaca flights are substantially cheaper after accounting for extra fuel and driving time, PFO is the more practical option.

Approximately 35-40 minutes in normal conditions. The route is entirely on the A6 motorway eastbound until the Pissouri exit. Allow an extra 10-15 minutes if you arrive during peak summer afternoon hours or if you are driving to Pissouri Bay via the B6, which requires care on its steep, winding descent.

Yes, most major brokers permit one-way hire between PFO and LCA, but a drop surcharge applies to cover repositioning the vehicle across the ~136 km corridor. Local firms occasionally offer a lower one-way fee. Factor this cost in before committing to split-airport flights.

Pissouri has limited fuel options. The nearest station is the Petrolina on Leoforos Pafou in Pissouri, which operates 24 hours with an automated card-only pump outside staffed hours. It is sensible to top up at a motorway service station on the A6 before you exit for Pissouri, particularly if you are arriving in the evening.

Yes — local firms including Tarantos Car Hire deliver to Pissouri village and Pissouri Bay accommodations. Book well in advance during July and August, as delivery slots fill up weeks ahead. Confirm whether any delivery fee is included in your quoted hire price.

Yes. Cyprus has no motorway toll roads. The full journey from either Paphos or Larnaca airport to Pissouri, including the A6 motorway, is entirely free of tolls. Your only on-road costs are fuel and any parking charges if you stop in a town en route.

Approximately 36 km east via the A6 motorway, which takes around 35 minutes in normal traffic. The road is dual carriageway for most of the route.

Use the Limassol Marina car park or the Old Port municipal car park. Both are barrier-operated and charge roughly €2–3 per hour. The Marina uses automatic number-plate recognition so you pay on exit. Do not attempt to park inside the Old Town streets — they are narrow, congested and largely residents-only.

Yes — but you must bring a designated sober driver. The legal blood-alcohol limit in Cyprus is 0.5 g/l for most drivers and just 0.2 g/l for drivers with fewer than three years of experience. Tasting packages at the Cyprus Wine Museum and Omodos wineries are generous; one person in the group needs to abstain.

Not for the main beaches — Pissouri Bay, Governor's Beach and the main Paphos beaches are all on paved roads. However, the approach tracks to Lady's Mile and Zapalo Beach are rutted dirt, and driving them in a standard hire car voids your collision damage waiver. Park on the tarmac at the top of those tracks and walk down.

About 38 km west via the A6, taking roughly 35 minutes. Kouklia (Palaepaphos) is on the same road partway there, so you can combine both sites in a single westward run.

Limassol Marina offers the most family-friendly experience — flat promenade, playgrounds, beach access and plenty of café options. Pissouri Bay itself is also very easy with young children given its calm water and Blue Flag status. The wine village route involves twisty mountain roads and is better suited to adults. For information on getting everyone to Pissouri in the first place, see our airport transfers guide.

Paphos International (PFO) is the better choice for most travellers: it is roughly 45 km west of Pissouri, a toll-free 35–40 minute drive on the A6. Larnaca (LCA) is about 110 km to the east — a 75–85 minute drive — and is only worth considering if UK flight fares are substantially cheaper.

No. Cyprus drives on the left and is a former British territory. A current UK photocard driving licence is accepted in full by all car hire operators and by the Cypriot police. No International Driving Permit is required.

No. All standard hire cover in Cyprus — including CDW, Desk Super CDW, and UK standalone excess policies — is void the moment you leave sealed tarmac. Driving a standard hire car on the unsealed tracks to beaches such as Avdimou or Melanda leaves you fully liable for any damage. Park at the nearest sealed road and walk in, or book a guided excursion — no hire cover protects you off tarmac.

Approximately 45 km — a 35–40 minute, toll-free drive east on the A6 motorway. The route is straightforward and well-signposted, making it one of the easiest airport-to-resort transfers in Cyprus.

On a basic CDW rate, expect a credit-card pre-authorisation of roughly €800–€1,500. This is held — not charged — for the duration of the hire and released on return provided there is no damage. You can reduce your exposure to zero by adding the desk Super CDW (around €15–€25 per day) or by taking out a UK standalone excess policy before travel.

January to March consistently offers the lowest rates, often 40–50% below peak pricing. August is the most expensive month and the period when automatics and family cars are first to sell out. Booking a free-cancellation rate around 6–8 weeks before your trip gives you access to good inventory without locking you into a price that might fall.

Approximately 12 km west of Pissouri along the B6 toward Paphos — roughly a 15-minute drive in normal traffic. The road has been fully resurfaced following landslip works that kept it closed between 2019 and 2025.

Yes, via the pedestrian underpass beneath the B6 — never cross the road at surface level. The currents are strong and the seabed drops away quickly, so only confident swimmers should attempt circling the rock. Wear sturdy footwear on the large pebble beach.

€4.50 per adult, paid at the booth on the access hill (you pay through your car window before reaching the summit car park). Department of Antiquities multi-site cards are available at €8.50 for one day, €17 for three days and €25 for seven days, covering Kourion, Apollo Hylates and other state sites.

08:30 to 17:00 from 16 September to 15 April, and 08:30 to 19:30 from 16 April to 15 September. The site is closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday.

No. The B6 through Episkopi and the British Sovereign Base Area is an open public road with no checkpoints or passport controls for tourists. You drive through without stopping — the only additional consideration is strict speed enforcement by SBA Police.

Yes at both. At Kourion, drive up the access hill past the ticket booth and continue to the free summit car park. At Aphrodite's Rock, use the main pavilion car park (not the elevated viewpoint layby further back on the B6, which has no beach access). Both car parks are free of charge.

No. A valid UK photocard driving licence is fully recognised in Cyprus. You do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry your photocard and your hire agreement — that is sufficient documentation at any police check.

Cyprus drives on the left, the same as the UK. Road layouts, roundabout etiquette and overtaking all mirror what you are used to at home, making it one of the most straightforward European driving destinations for British visitors.

No. There are no toll roads anywhere on the island of Cyprus, including the A6 motorway along the southern coast. You can drive between Pissouri, Limassol, Paphos and Nicosia without any toll charges.

The fine notice is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle, which is the hire company. The company then charges the amount directly to your payment card and adds its own administration fee — typically €40–€50 — which can appear on your statement weeks after you return home. There is no practical way to appeal or avoid this charge once the offence is recorded.

The standard limit is 0.5 g/l of blood (around 22 micrograms per 100 ml of breath), which is stricter than the 0.8 g/l limit in England and Wales. For drivers with fewer than three years' experience and for commercial vehicle drivers, the limit falls further to 0.2 g/l — effectively zero tolerance.

No. All standard cover — including basic CDW, desk-upgraded Super CDW and UK standalone excess policies — is void the moment you take the car off a sealed tarmac road. Damage sustained on gravel tracks, forest trails or beach access routes will be charged in full to your payment card. Plan day trips from Pissouri using surfaced roads only if you want your insurance to remain valid.