For shore diving for a 1st timer, I would suggest, roughly from north to south...
1.) Karpata - fairly easy entry, particularly lush, a good site and quite popular.
2.) Tolo - heading to Karpata commits you to a one-way drive, with a long swing around home. Might as well hit another really nice dive site on the way to Karpata, on the one-way strip, and this is it.
3.) 1,000 Steps - very scenic staircase, nice for photos, and a good site.
4.) Oil Slick Leap - the big giant stride is classic, and it's consistently a good dive, too.
5.) The Cliff - the vertical wall is quite unusual. By boat, Small Wall is similar.
6.) Bari Reef - good site, reputedly great species diversity.
7.) Windsock - easy entry & exit. Good for night dives, as that really big pier is good to tell you where to exit.
8.) Hilma Hooker - the classic, big wreck dive.
9.) Angel City - nice dive, and head out to the 2nd reef. Nice showing of the double reef system.
10.) Salt Pier (shallow dive, pilings provide cover & habitat, a nice dive).
11.) Sweet Dreams (really lush reef) - but this is a fairly far southern site, so watch conditions before deciding to go in.
Richard.