Interesting

What to bring back from Cyprus: food, handicrafts and limits

Cyprus does not impose any quantity restrictions on the export of personal belongings, but licences, aviation regulations and the customs authorities of the destination country do so on its behalf.

Cyprus InformEditorial team

1 August 2017 10 min read

What to bring back from Cyprus: food, handicrafts and limits

Checked: 17 September 2026.

Who actually imposes export restrictions

Cyprus does not set any quantitative limits on the amount of food, wine or handicrafts a tourist may take out in their personal luggage. The official customs website for outbound travellers only mentions the right to inspect passengers and their luggage and the obligation to pass through the customs area; no kilograms or litres are specified there.

There are three practical restrictions. The first is the country of arrival, which has its own duty-free allowances and prohibitions. The second is airline regulations for cabin baggage, which affect liquids. The third is Cyprus’s own licensed categories: antiquities and cultural artefacts, species protected under CITES, weapons and ammunition.

This information is useful for anyone taking cheese, butter, a bottle or a handicraft home and not wanting to part with their purchase at security. Let’s clarify two distinct tables in advance: the duty-free import limits for the island are irrelevant to the issue of exports. Please check all figures and procedures against the original source on the date of your trip.

The most commonly exported products

Halloumi is the best-known Cypriot product with a protected designation of origin: the European Commission registered Χαλλούμι, Halloumi and Hellim on 12 April 2021, and the protection came into effect on 1 October 2021. Only producers on the island are authorised to sell cheese under this name within the European Union.

The protection covers the whole of Cyprus, so cheese made in the northern part is not automatically considered a counterfeit. The difference lies not in quality but in the route: purchases brought from there across the Green Line are subject to specific limits, as detailed below, rather than the general rules on exports.

The rest of the basket comprises olive oil, honey, jam, pomegranate sauce, rose water, dried herbs and sun-dried sweets — are not subject to any quantitative restrictions on export from Cyprus, although customs officials are entitled to inspect passengers and their luggage. Almost all of these items are liquid or viscous, and such jars should be packed in a suitcase rather than in hand luggage.

Wine, zivania and the liquids rule

Commanderia and zivania are the most recognisable Cypriot drinks. The transport aspect is important: the alcohol content stated on the label determines which category of the destination country’s limits the bottle falls into, whilst the container determines whether it will survive the journey. Bottles are not permitted in hand luggage at all: they do not comply with the liquids rule.

As of September 2026, the rules for hand luggage remain unchanged: containers no larger than 100 millilitres in a single transparent one-litre bag, one per passenger; exceptions include medicines, medical devices and baby food. Items purchased in duty-free shops are allowed in excess of the limit provided the goods and receipt are sealed in the bag issued to you until your final destination.

During a connecting flight, the bag may be opened and must be resealed – inform the officer of your connection, otherwise the liquids will be confiscated. Within the European Union, excise duty and tax are not levied again if you are carrying the goods for your own use: the guidelines are 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer; for quantities exceeding these, you will need to prove personal consumption with receipts.

Crafts and the line between them and antiques

Lefkada lace is often counterfeited using machine-made versions, but this is a matter of price and trust in the seller, not customs regulations. As far as customs are concerned, lace, woven baskets, silver, textiles, soap and contemporary ceramics remain ordinary goods, the export of which is not subject to quantitative restrictions.

The distinction lies in the age of the item, not its type. The official list of prohibitions and restrictions explicitly mentions old earthenware jugs: these may only be exported with an export licence from the Director of the Department of Antiquities. The place of purchase is irrelevant — neither a shop nor a market makes an item exempt from these rules.

The second category subject to licensing comprises items made from species protected under the CITES Convention: leather, ivory, cacti and their derivatives require authorisation from the Director of the Environment Service. Separately, the export of anything that is prohibited from import is banned – ranging from counterfeit branded goods and fake banknotes to switchblades and ammunition.

VAT refund on purchases taken out of the country

The tax refund scheme is designed for visitors who live outside the European Union and are travelling beyond its borders: a flight from Cyprus to Greece does not qualify. The conditions are as follows: purchases must be made in a participating shop totalling at least €50 per person; the goods must be carried in your hand luggage; and they must be taken out of the country by the end of the third month following the month of purchase; please check the deadline and threshold on the date of purchase.

Customs stamps are applied in different ways: items from hand luggage are presented on the way to the gate, at the boarding control point, whilst items from a suitcase must be presented at the check-in counter, where an officer is authorised to inspect them. The tax rate for September 2026 is 19 per cent, but this is only the base rate: the operator retains its own fee.

The refund applies to goods, not services: dinner, excursions and hotel stays are not included, nor is food consumed on the island. The receipt is issued by the shop assistant at the time of purchase, and it is usually not possible to issue one retrospectively; therefore, you should enquire about the scheme at the till before paying, and check the list of participating shops on the spot.

Antiques, finds and purchases from the north

Under Cypriot law, an ‘antique’ is defined as an object created 100 years or more ago and found on the island or recovered from the seabed within its territorial waters; for church and folk art of great value, the cut-off date is extended to 1940, regardless of where it was made. The criterion here is age, not visual assessment.

The romance of a shard from an excavation site is short-lived: removing an antiquity without a licence is a criminal offence, punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 45,000 euros, plus confiscation of the object by court order. Metal detectors are also licensed by the Department of Antiquities, and may only be used in designated areas.

Purchases from territory not under the control of the Republic’s government must cross the Green Line within the following limits: up to €260 per person, 40 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits are allowed duty- and tax-free, whilst smoking tobacco and rolling tobacco are prohibited altogether. The limits have changed — please check them before you travel.

The return journey and what to check in advance

Products of animal origin are the main cause of losses on the return journey. Within the European Union, cheese, meat delicacies and honey can be transported freely, but at the border of a third country they are subject to that country’s veterinary regulations, which may include a complete ban. Check the list of permitted items at the customs office on arrival before making any purchases.

Outside the EU, tobacco and alcohol are regulated by the host country, and its rules are not subject to EU guidelines: the host country alone sets the limits, which may be as low as zero for certain categories. Within the EU, specific personal consumption limits apply to tobacco: 800 cigarettes, 200 cigars and 1 kg of tobacco.

There are four steps to follow before departure: remove liquids from your hand luggage; obtain a customs stamp – at the check-in desk if the purchase is in your hold luggage, and on the way to the gate if it is in your hand luggage; — do not open the duty-free bag and check the limits with the customs authorities of the destination country: as of September 2026, it is they who set the limits.

Continue planning

Official sources

News and articles about Cyprus — on Telegram Subscribe so you don't miss useful content.