Wild camping in Cyprus: is it allowed? (2026)
Free wild camping is banned in Cyprus, but the Forestry Department maintains free campsites in the state forests where you may stay overnight in nature.
What's allowed
- Staying overnight at the free recognised forest campsites of the Forestry Department (including in the Troodos Mountains)
- Camping at a regular (private) campsite
- Making a fire only in the built cooking/barbecue areas of a campsite
- Camping on private land with the owner's explicit permission
What's not allowed
- Pitching your tent freely in a state forest outside the designated campsites
- Making an open fire in or within 2 km of a state forest
- Camping without a permit in protected nature and forest areas
- Leaving litter or traces behind in nature
Cyprus has no ‘right to roam’. Pitching your tent freely in a forest or nature area is illegal. At the same time, you don’t always have to head for a commercial campsite: the Forestry Department maintains a network of free, equipped campsites in the state forests, where sleeping legally in nature is still possible.
Free forest campsites
The official campsites are located mainly in the forests, with a concentration in the Troodos Mountains. They are usually free and equipped with basic facilities such as picnic tables, bins, toilets and marked cooking areas. The idea is simple: camping is allowed, but only at these designated spots. Outside the high season, arrive early, as popular zones (especially around Troodos) can fill up in summer.
Outside the campsites
Camping in a state forest outside a designated zone is illegal and actively policed. Since 2025, the Forestry Department, police, municipalities and the Game and Fauna Service have carried out joint checks with zero tolerance for wild camping. On private land, you may only camp with the owner’s explicit permission.
Open fire & fire danger
Cyprus is extremely dry in summer and wildfires are a major risk. Making a fire in or within 2 km of a state forest is strictly forbidden — except in the specially built cooking areas of a campsite. The penalties are exceptionally high: lighting a fire can land you up to 12 years in prison and/or a fine of up to €100,000. Don’t underestimate this: it’s not a symbolic rule.
Fines
Illegal camping in a state forest can be punished with up to one year in prison or a fine of up to €5,000. The fire ban therefore carries far heavier sanctions. The checks are real and the policy is strict.
Practical tips
- Plan ahead at a recognised Forestry campsite — you’ll find these on the CampCompass map.
- Never make an open fire; use only the provided cooking areas and respect every fire ban during drought.
- Leave no litter behind and respect ‘leave no trace’ — the fines and the fire risks aren’t worth it.