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| | | | Chic Cyprus and fine wines
Who would've thought that Cyprus could be a place where you could pleasure your senses with lovely spa treatments, and indulge in fine wines and gratifying food?
Chic Cyprus is now being marketed to chic people and luxury is what's on offer.
Let's start with the Thalassa Hotel at Coral Bay in Paphos, which offers some of the best massages going.
Being a man was obviously a slight disadvantage. We guys only got our backs done, not the full works as the women did.
Georgie, my nice masseur, was a former dancer from north London. I was taken aback when she instructed me to put on a G-string for the treatment. I'd never worn one before. It snapped when I put it on.
I then lay face down with a towel draped over my mid section while she worked her her way over my back and legs. All very relaxing. I felt remarkably clean and healthy afterwards.
For the girls, it was more fun. They got to enjoy a yummy moisturising treatment with gentle exfoliation, before being wrapped in a sheet and towels, while the therapist gave an Indian head massage. Perfectly soothing.
The Thalassa Hotel had only 58 rooms but it more than made up for space what it lacked in number. I was surprised to be given two keys when checking in. These were for the two doors to my room, which was divided into a living room and bedroom. There were good scenic views from the balcony and two tellys. Fab.
Next door to the Thalassa was the much larger Coral Beach Hotel. It had 421 rooms, conference facilities and a nice bar with entertainment each evening. Try and catch musical double act Radi and Michael who perform there every Tuesday night.
Radi was a foxy blonde, who handled most of the singing duties and got audience members to participate. Michael looked like death warmed upand appeared to be playing the keyboard with a mechanical arm. Their cheesy covers were a pleasure to listen and dance to.
The food in the restaurant was wonderful - try not to miss the veal tenderloin. It was sublime.
Around 60% of the patrons at the Thalassa and Coral Beach hotels came from the UK, with the remainder made up of Germans, Dutch, Russians and locals.
The village of Omodos, with the Church of the Holy Cross in the Troodos mountains, was a truly fascinating place to visit. You felt as if you'd been time warped back decades to a World War II movie.
Old ladies with moustaches clad in black sat on chairs in the searing sunshine, sewing lace patterns; a grey haired, bearded priest in ecclesiastical garb that fell to his feet looked on beneficently at the good village folk; old men who appeared to be aged about 100 - and had no teeth - sat contentedly outside the cafe in the village square doing, well, nothing at all, frankly.
Custom dictated that women were not allowed in the cafe, as for years it was where the men conducted the village business while the female folk stayed at home and looked after the kids.
A nice gentleman in the village has converted his home into a museum of his life. It's called Socrates. He took me on a tour of his abode - rustic, antique but full of character - a glorious shrine to a bygone era. If you're lucky, he'll pour you a small glass of the Cypriot delicacy Commandaria - a tasty, sweet wine.
In the Pollis and Latchi area, you could sample a traditional fish meze at Petros and Yiangos tavern by the sea. I'd never tasted such delicious seafood before. It was quite wondrous - swordfish, squid, octopus and countless other examples of marine cuisine, all utterly mouthwatering.
In Limassol, the trendy hotel to stay in was the Londa. It was beautifully designed with a lovely bar and romantic lighting. One could spend whole evenings simply having drinks on the white sofas. The large dining area was very attractive, the food splendid and there was a good pool if you wanted to take a swim.
Young urban professionals stay in the Londa, whereas in Paphos, the clientele were older.
On the strip outside the Londa Hotel were numerous clubs but these didn't fill up until about 3am. I ended up going to a little karaoke bar called The Nags Head. It was chock full of a jolly group from Sheffield. I ended up getting drunk and giving a tone deaf rendition of With A Little Help From My Friends. No, don't thank me, it was a pleasure.
* Between May 21-July 20, B&B prices at the Thalassa Hotel, Coral Bay for a double, sea view room, start from around £176 per room per night, based on two sharing. B&B prices for a double room in the Londa Hotel, Limassol, start from £170 per night in the summer.
Feeling inspired? Book a holiday
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Excellent for families
We went to Protaras a couple of years ago, a last minute decision and well worth it! I lived in Cyprus for three years in the early 70's, so I knew my way around, I have wanted to go back for ages.
The resort of Protaras is excellent for families etc, the water is shallow and clear, and the sand very clean and soft. The whole atmosphere in the resort is very friendly and relaxed.
We stayed at the Eyios Eylious holiday village, it is set out like a real Cypriot village and very pleasant. But, no matter where you stay I recommend it.
We are planning on going back to Cyprus this year, not to Protaras, but Limassol or Paphos. There is still so much I want to show my family, there is so much to see and do.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
They say 2089 BC was a good year for wine
From the Mail on Sunday
In Cyprus the past is literally bursting from the ground. A farmer, ploughing his land, is quite likely to turn up the face of a god and, dutifully taking the mosaic to the Department of Antiquities, is given profuse thanks and has his land taken from under his feet. It is cordoned off, excavated - and another amazing slice of history revealed.
Paphos, on the western edge of the island, has so many places now blinking in the sunlight after many centuries below ground that some of them have been buried again for future generations to delve.
Almost next to the exquisite House of Dionysos, a large car park has been laid above an area that is teeming with treasure. The place needs the car park now for all the people who come and wonder; the extra glories will have to wait. It is an embarrassment of riches.
They cannot decide which to show you first. The place where Venus emerged from the sea in the time of myth, an event commemorated a million times by the sale of pert little goddesses on plastic seashells in the souvenir shops. Or the catacomb of Agia Solomoni, where people hang handkerchiefs from a tree in hope of being cured of an illness. Or the column where St Paul was scourged somewhat ungratefully when he was bringing Christianity to Cyprus. Or the stones, the arches, the rooms, the floors; or the local Odeon, an ancient amphitheatre still used today.
The country at this extreme edge of the Mediterranean's third largest island is low and lush, where bananas grow beside the sea, but it gives way to the wild peninsula of Akamas, with its capes and gorges, and, to the east, the first slopes of the Troodos Mountains. In spring, when the snows have melted on Mount Olympus, rivers and cataracts clatter to the coast and the countryside is embroidered with the wildest and most vivid of flowers, acres of them.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
So good I'm going back
I stayed at the Hotel Episkopi in Episkopi Bay and had a fantastic time. The staff where excellent, the food very good and the four-star hotel lived up to its ranking.
A car was needed as it is about 20 minutes from the bay to the big towns of Limassol and Paphos.
Cyprus itself is such a fantastic place to visit. To be honest, I can't wait to go back next year.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
For families
Paphos is more for families not young people. Ayia Napa is for the young ones. It is a quiet place. But plenty to do on a night, plenty of bars and quizzes going on. I recommend it!!
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Visit mountain villages
I have visited Cyprus many times over the years, as some of my family have decided to move there.
I have visited many of the towns, like Paphos, Limassol and Nicosia, but to experience the 'real' Cyprus I like to visit the Troodos Mountains.
The villages offer a chance to sample village life. People will often welcome you to join them for a cup of Greek coffee or a game of black gammon.
You don't have to speak Greek although a few basic words can be useful as some of the village elders some times speak next to no English. But you will find people who will offer to translate for you.
The experience adds to the holiday.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Secrets of the North
From the Daily Mail
We awoke to the chatter of sparrows and sunlight streaming in through the windows. A glorious orange blossom perfume drenched the air. High above the citrus grove surrounding our villa, stone-topped mountains with wooded flanks stood sharp against a clear blue sky.
At last, the interminably grey drizzle of Britain was behind us.
In spring in the Mediterranean, we found the weather we were looking for: like England on a perfect summer's day when the thermometer touches the 80s and a dip in the pool or sea has a refreshingly cold tingle.
We had chosen Northern Cyprus by a haphazard process of elimination. With two children, Tom, aged four, and two-year-old Chloe, we wanted to avoid long flights and jetlag, which ruled out the Americas and the Caribbean.
We didn't want injections, inoculations or malaria pills, making most of Africa impossible. And yet we needed sun and the chance to splash about on a beach. Mauritius and the Seychelles would be too expensive, the Canary Islands too crowded and most of the Med too cold.
So we opted for Northern Cyprus, the Turkish part, because it's less developed and there are far fewer tourists than in Greek Cyprus.
Tourism all but ended here after the partition of Cyprus in 1974 when the Turks invaded and unilaterally claimed the north as their own independent state.
Since then, a few determined holidaymakers have returned, but it's just a handful compared with the millions who flock to the Greek south of the island.
To this day, not one nation other than Turkey officially recognises Northern Cyprus, so every flight there has to pass through the mother country.
It means a longer plane journey, because you touch down in Turkey and wait on the runway for 45 minutes before taking off again for the pariah state.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Out on a limb
Northern Cyprus is the invisible country. Just one government in the world has recognised it since it was formed in 1983 - nine years after Turkey invaded in response to a coup in the south. Two decades on, it still doesn't exist as far as the world is concerned. Even to get there you need to sneak in through the back door, flying in via mainland Turkey.
That adds an offputting two hours to the journey and perhaps explains why it is relatively undeveloped as a tourist resort. That lack of development is its greatest asset: few landscapes ruined by miles of monolithic hotel resorts, no hassle from every other restaurant to eat 16 meals a day, no drowning in a sea of tat and postcard racks.
Its natural beauty is unspoilt and its people genuinely kind and friendly. For a place crawling with soldiers, Northern Cyprus is surprisingly laid back. Any more and it would fall over.
Even the ongoing talks between the Greek and Turkish sides to bridge the divisions of decades seem to take place in a vacuum. They rarely make the headlines and locals seem almost indifferent to their progress or otherwise.
The north is tragically divided from the (Greek) south, the official Cyprus, by the Green Line, an arbitrary mark on a map which is easy to find on the ground. In the split capital city of Lefkosa (Nicosia), the Green Line is edged on the Turkish side by broken buildings - churches, shops and homes - left there as a testament to the partition that followed a short and vicious war.
In a corner near a building pockmarked with 30-year-old bullet holes, an ordinary-looking wall is topped by three feet of rusted barbed wire. A sign carries the figure of an armed soldier on a red background with "Forbidden Zone" printed underneath in four languages.
These ugly mementoes are as easy to avoid as they are to find. A short walk away is a thriving walled capital of mosques, markets, ancient buildings and tiny streets. On the 16th-century ramparts, a family, the women in headscarves, unpack a picnic lunch just to admire the view of the wealthier, tidier Greek side.
A short circuit around the walls and the view changes to a vast plain, carpeted in flowers through the spring and curtained from the coast by the Pentadaktylos or Five Fingers mountains. Painted defiantly on the mountainsides are the twin flags of Turkey and the Northern Republic of Cyprus.
Thirty minutes north over these mountains lies the coastal town of Girne (Kyrenia) which, along with Sydney, Hong Kong and Valletta, has one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.
Girne's harbour is dwarfed by these cities but what it lacks in scale it makes up for in its graceful sweep. It is lined with sophisticated but cheap restaurants and overlooked by a huge castle. In its backstreets you can buy a tailor-made suit for £200 or 20 types of Turkish delight, play the tables at a casino or relax with a thick black coffee and a local brandy.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
No-go zone
Forty million lire? I looked up at the waiter suspiciously. The meal had been good, but hey, 40 MILLION lire? OK, we'd had a bottle of delicious wine and something called 'the full kebab', which consisted of about a dozen little dishes of delicacies such as salads and stuffed vine leaves, with succulent meats on skewers, followed by coffee and a small bowl of Turkish delight.
Well, all right, I admit the meal was excellent. We were stuffed to the gills, but 40 million lire? What did these Turkish Cypriots think I was - a fool?
I glanced down at my calculator, then went through the figures again: the meal had cost us only £20. I blushed, paid the man with a pile of banknotes and slunk out.
Back down the road to our hotel, the Denizkizi Royal, a large, comfortable and friendly place with a casino at the back and a terrific swimming pool in the gardens.
It stands near what is called 'invasion beach'. A huge, modern memorial sculpture marks the spot where, in 1974, the Turks invaded to defend Turkish Cypriots living on the island from persecution by the Greeks.
Sadly, a no-go zone running from East to West now divides the island - a Mediterranean Berlin wall, topped with barbed wire and manned by UN soldiers.
The Turkish Cypriots living in the South had to abandon their homes and move to the North, while the Greek Cypriots in the North had to up sticks and move South.
There is talk now of trying to reach a settlement, which would mean free movement for all within the island.
This, it was pointed out to me, would cause problems galore. The main one being that one day, sitting in the home you've lived in for years, you could answer the door to someone from the other side demanding the return of the house his grandfather once owned.
This could be a bit annoying, especially if you've just decorated the bathroom.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Far from the tanning crowd
From the Mail on Sunday
Lunch had been enormous. Again. The afternoon sun was pleasantly hot and the waves made a gentle rhythm on the shore. In no time at all, I was peacefully dozing on the deserted sandy beach.
A sudden wet sniffling sound in front of my face woke me with a start. I don't know who was more shocked - the goat or me. He and the rest of the herd ran off in a panic. I jumped up as if I'd had an electric shock.
In the fields behind the beach, I saw an old man chuckling as he gathered up the goats with a walking stick. The goat-herder had a funny tale to tell at the taverna that night. And me . . . well, I'd found that if you head off the beaten track in Cyprus, you can find a lot more than solitude.
Away from the main resorts, you'll find an island full of ancient culture, rural traditions and friendly people. Armed with a good map and a decent guide book, I found wonderful churches crammed with so many icon paintings it seemed the inside of the building had been gold-plated.
I visited traditional tavernas where you could eat course after course of delicious local produce and drink as much local wine as you like for less than a fiver. And I discovered beautiful beaches that were completely empty.
But what is the best way to escape the island's crowded resorts? There are lots of coach trips, but they tend to visit the same places - the capital Nicosia, the Baths of Aphrodite or the lace town of Lefkara. I took several, only to find there were more tourists when I got there than I'd left on the beach.
The best way to see the unspoilt Cyprus is to hire a car, choosing a reputable company. It's fairly cheap and you won't need to spend much on petrol, although you will need insurance.
If you fancy getting off the beaten track, a four-wheel drive may be the best choice as many minor roads are unsurfaced and pot-holed.
But to where do you drive? If the information from your guidebook, tour operator or the Cypriot Tourist Board doesn't inspire you, simply ask a local.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Soft, white sand
I really enjoyed my stay at Larnaca. The sea was crystal clear and the beaches were soft white sand.
The atmosphere was uplifting and everybody was so friendly. There are many restaurants on the sea front and you are always guaranteed a good night's entertainment, whatever your age group.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Worth the long flight
I holidayed in Kyrenia in 2001 over the Christmas and New Year period. The weather was warm and sunny most of the time.
The Northern part of Cyprus is beautiful and the Turkish Cypriot people are so hospitable.
It is so cheap to eat out there. A five-course meal at the Bell Tower in Bellpais cost £8 each including drinks and a courtesy car from our hotel and back.
I am so keen to visit there again soon. It's the best place I have been to for a holiday and I have travelled the world. It's a long flight for a Med holiday but well worth it.
The harbour is beautiful, car hire really cheap and they drive on the left oo. And beaches to die for.
The property for sale is excellent value - a three-bedroomed villa with a shared pool and lots of land is only £65,000.
Visit the Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus soon - no crime, no hassle, no problems. Enjoy it now, before others find out about it.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Peaceful surroundings
We have been to Northern Cyprus three times in the last two years - twice in 1999 and once in 2001.
We stayed in Lapta and we really enjoyed the peaceful surroundings and the welcome we received from the people and we are thinking of going again this year.
We hired a car twice while we were there so managed to get around to places of interest like Bellapais Abbey and last year we drove all the way up the pan handle which had some beautiful beaches.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Not a hyped-up holiday place
This was our first time in the North, having spent several years enjoying the South. We only arrived back in the UK on 21 June so I am really still in holiday mode.
I can in all honesty say we probably had one of our greatest holidays ever. The area, people, food, scenery, accommodation were fabulous.
It just takes a couple of days to realise that this is not a hyped-up holiday place, but just a very relaxing and uncommercialised place, shops not staying open all evening.
Our hotel Oscar Resort, like many of the other resorts, had a casino, and for 10m lira, about £4 you could pass away a couple of fun filled hours - not Las Vegas, but still exciting.
We will certainly be returning to the North, and although I truly hope that one day the North and South will live in peaceful harmony, it concerns me that the North will lose it's 'magic' - I certainly hope not.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Enjoying the playground of Apollo
Socialite Tara Palmer-Tompkinson says she regularly has weekend breaks in Thailand.
For most of us a jaunt like that is completely out of the question.
But there are countries in Europe that make ideal three-day destinations. Cyprus is rarely visited by weekend visitors yet it is only a four-hour flight away and has the climate and culture to tempt anyone to visit.
With a population of only 780,000 and January temperatures of 18 celsius, Cyprus is a great winter break.
But is it any good for a weekend? The answer is a resounding yes.
My whistle-stop tour began with a visit to the ruined sanctuary of Apollo on the south coast of the republic. It has fabulous views over a sparkling blue sea. The Roman buildings were levelled by an earthquake in AD 365.
Plantations of orange and citrus fruit line the roads in Cyprus and although the landscape is sparse, there is rich vegetation everywhere in lower areas.
In the town of Pafos I visted the House of Dionysos. It was owned by a leading Roman, probably the governor.
On its floors are glorious mosaics, in good condition, that warned visitors to the house against excessive boozing. I should have taken heed!
Lemesos (we call it Limassol) was built rapidly in the 1970s and is not exactly an architectural wonder. In fact it sprawls for miles. But it is full of clubs, bars, tavernas and in June, July and August is a mecca for fun-loving Brits.
Eating in Cyprus is great fun. You don't have three formal courses rather it is done meze-style.
The waiters bring out courses on small plates at intervals for about an hour. Don't pig out at the start!
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Lots to see
I have been to Cyprus a couple of times. I have stayed in Nicosia and Protaras.
I think one of the best times of the year to go is the end of September and into October.
It is not so crowded then and there is still lots to do. There are lots of historical places to visit and I recommend that people try and see as much of the island as they can.
Even if they have to go back several times, it is worth it. The people are very friendly.
I still haven't been able to see everything and so I am planning on going back again very soon.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Fairway to heaven
Cyprus might not be the first name on the golf fanatic's card, but the island is putting that straight.
A new course has opened on the warm, dry Mediterranean island that was the mythical home to the daughter of Zeus.
The Aphrodite Hills course is set amidst a £150m resort complex and itself is an imposing 6,200m long. You need sun cream, a golf buggy and plenty of stamina to get round.
Golf has never come easily to me. I'm what's known as a military player. My progress is left, right, left, right all the way up the fairway.
The course will test the most proficient player. The seventh tee is the most intriguing. You must drive the ball 130 yards across a 70ft deep ravine. The green is - and I'm not joking - a five-minute buggy drive away.
I'm happy to say I passed the seventh tee test at the second time of asking.
The first ball will probably never be found. It landed in the dense gorse scrub that covers much of wild Cyprus. My second tee shot found the bunker.
But the course is truly idyllic. At several points one can see for 15 miles across the island. A cooling sea breeze blows in off the eastern Mediterranean.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Can't wait to go back
I have just returned from a one-week stay here. This was my first visit and it will not be my last. I loved every minute of my stay.
The accommodation was good, the location was excellent, I found the people very friendly and helpful and I really can't wait to go back there.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
All the charm in the world
With its bracing pine-scented air, Byzantine churches, stirring ancient ruins and pristine beaches, Cyprus ticks all the right holiday boxes with plenty to offer.
I had long wanted to visit this land of exotic fragrances and year-round sunshine, the Med's third largest island, and wasn't disappointed when I arrived.
The coastal resort of Paphos in the country's southwest is seeped in history. Despite its vulnerability to foreign incursions and raids throughout the centuries, it survived, retaining an indefinable, legendary charm. Remarkably, this tough little town, the ancient capital of Cyprus, even managed to survive a devastating earthquake in the 4th century AD.
In fact, Paphos bursts with so much historical and archaeological treasure that UNESCO decided the best thing was simply to add the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage list.
Well, it was the least they could do really, when you consider the acres of fabulous treasures which have been unearthed, including mysterious vaults and caves, the Pillar to which Saint Paul was allegedly tied and whipped and remarkable mosaics still beautifully preserved after languishing under the soil for 16 centuries. The town is also home to numerous catacomb sites with histories that pre-date your great-grandfather.
But of course it's not all history. Paphos which is divided into two parts, is a higgledy-piggledy town, down at heel in places, with a harbour, medieval fort and laid-back atmosphere.
Children of all ages love visiting the Paphos Bird Park complete with tinkly waterfalls where you can ooh and aah at the acrobatic antics of a variety of colourful species. Here in acres of parkland in an unspoiled natural environment you will see exotic parrots, toucans, eagles, ducks and swans.
Animal lovers may also like to visit the Paphiakos Animal Welfare centre in lower Paphos. As well as being home to an assortment of dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, farm animals and guinea pigs, the centre holds fetes, themed dinner dances, fashion shows, musical events, boot sales and runs educational programmes for schools.
Its coffee shop, 'The T – Room' is a great place to relax and enjoy a selection of tasty snacks and home-made produce at competitive prices. And, if you want to sight-see in style, the centre can also arrange to collect you from your hotel and take you to your chosen destinations by rickshaw.
I discovered this is a carefree country of old stone villages squirrelled away, particularly in the majestic Troodos mountains where sweet wine flows as freely as conversations. Time seems to have stood still and if you cannot find tranquility in the landscape and sheer centuries-old appeal, then you should probably stop trying. Apart from flocks of moufflons, mountain rams with thick, sinuous horns that live in protected reserves in the Troodos, you won't find much sign of life there besides perhaps a few hill walkers and geologists.
The food in Cyprus is satisfying and varied for carnivores and veggies alike. Many everyday Cypriot foods - figs, beans, chick peas, bitter herbs, olives, dates, almonds and nuts date back to the Bible. If you order 'meze' in a hotel or restaurant, you will be served an eye-popping collection of around 20 small dishes of salads, dips, beef, smoked ham, chicken, olives, cheeses like halloumi and feta, artichokes, houmous (ground chick peas with olives and garlic) and koupepia (stuffed vine leaves).
Remember to leave some room though, because you may also want to try some of the island's excellent fish - octopus, squid, red mullet and sea bream are tops. And no Cypriot meal would be complete without wrapping yourself round a dish of baklava – layers of puff pastry packed full of nuts, fruits and golden syrup.
Being small, Cyprus is an easy island to drive round, with the added bonus that locals drive on the left.
Cosmopolitan Limassol is the country's second largest city, at the heart of its wine country and a busy holiday resort. It's the location for the island's two top festivals, the pre-Lent Carnival with fancy dress balls, parades and festivities and the September Wine Festival, an extravaganza with plenty of free-flowing wine for everyone, courtesy of the local wineries.
It has another claim to fame too. In the Middle Ages, it hosted the marriage of Richard the Lionheart to Berengaria of Navarre whom he duly crowned Queen of England.
When your holiday is over, you'll find plenty of Cypriot handicrafts to bring back with you as gifts and souvenirs, from ceramic replicas of ancient pots, colourful basketware to lace, silver and copperware.
The sweet-toothed will probably opt for 'loukoumia' also known as 'Cyprus Delights'. These soft, chewy, sugar-covered sweets are available all over the island in every flavour imaginable including rose, lemon and ginger.
* Feeling inspired? Book a holiday.
* Prices for a week's half board stay at the four star Louis Phaethon Beach Club in Paphos starts from £359 per person with First Choice, including flights and transfers. For info, ring 0870 850 3938or see www.firstchoice.co.uk.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Music and atmosphere
This is by far the best place I have ever been to.
It turned out to be the dream I had of a perfect holiday. The music and atmosphere were fab, the beaches and sights were fantastic, the weather was boiling - what more can you ask for.
Im going back again this year.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
Clubs, culture and mountains
Had a great time there three years ago. The people are friendly, the beaches great, and even though everyone thinks of Ayia Napa as the clubbing capital (which it is) you can also find some nice local attractions.
There's Cape Greco, which is nice to watch the sun rise over. The Famagusta viewing point. You can get boat trips here from Ayia and you have a beautiful monastery in the middle of the town.
Try the local food, absolutely beautiful stews and lamb dishes and really cheap.
The clubs are great there's something for everyone. Black and White offers a good selection of rare-groove and the more up to date garage stuff. But my favourite was CARWASH, they play everything!
No one can not have a good time in Ayia. If you're not into clubs then go for the pub and restaurant scene. You don't have to want to get absolutely out of your skull to have a good time, although many do!
If you fancy travelling go off to Larnaca. Don't be put off by the beach area which is not that attractive, the town is a real look at Cypriot life.
If you are into history make a bee line for Kourion. This is an ancient roman city, with stadium (which we managed to miss) and various other places along the way. The view of the Mediterranean from the theatre is wonderful.
If you want to travel a bit further then make your way to Nicosia. The old town is absolutely wonderful, lovely shops and little tavernas.
The Troodos mountains are a nice natural feature and can still be reached in a few hours from Ayia Napa, but you need a few days to see all their natural beauty.
Paphos is the more up-market resort, this is also near the Tomb of the Kings, the burial place of the ancient kings of Cyprus.
No matter what, you'll have a great time!
Travel Guide: Cyprus
So nice I went back to get married
I have been to Cyprus twice. The first time was for a week in Larnaca. My fiance and I liked the island so much we decided to get married there.
So the second time was for two weeks in Paphos where we got hitched and honeymooned all in one.
We stayed in the fantastic Roman Hotel. The first thing I remember was being on the coach from the airport and the silence from our late night flight, and then arriving outside our hotel to cries of "Wow", "Aaaarrrrgh" and "coooooooooohhhhh"!
It was just as impressive on the inside and the family owners went out of their way to make sure that our stay with them would be remembered - and it was, every last bit of it.
I can't wait to go back there myself but my wife wants to do Turkey this year.
Travel Guide: Cyprus
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| | | | Ancient history meets the modern Mediterranean
Paphos for a long time was what the British liked to call 'our secret place'. During the colonial years they built decent suburban bungalows among the lemon trees and often remained there into fortunate retirement. It was difficult to reach then; the roads were high or rocky, or both, and they had the choicest sunsets against which to sip their gin and tonics.
The road is mostly motorway now, reaching 75 miles from Larnaca, the main airport, and so inevitably the outsiders came in. When I first went there 20 years ago, the local tourism authorities had imported a couple of large, white and extremely greedy pelicans as an attraction. Pelicans are still in residence but nobody seemed quite certain where. Paphos has become a metropolis.
The splendid thing about it, apart from its friendly seaside and nine months of sun, is that you can study ancient history almost without getting out of bed. From mine, I could look across the harbour to the broad fortress that defended the port from invaders and pirates. At one point the locals tried to blow it up to stop an occupying army using it. So much explosive was required that someone logically suggested they use the ammunition on the enemy instead.
So it is still there, sitting beside the harbour that remains as Mediterranean harbours should be - limpid, lazy and luminous, with decent cafes and not a lot else doing. The joy is that, scarcely a stroll away, are the houses of the ancients with their wondrous mosaics, the tints as vivid and warm as ever, the expressions on the faces of the gods all too human.
Here is Dionysos, the god of wine, tempting a nymph who is reclining before him and regarding him with extreme suspicion. Here is Apollo, out hunting with his bow and arrows, who has chanced upon not game, but a lady who wears nothing but stockings and a diaphanous scarf with which she makes no real attempt to cover herself.
Dionysos, with his vines, would doubtless recognise the wines of Cyprus today. The islanders claim to have the oldest grapes in the world, dating from 3000 BC. 'They say the 2089 BC vintage is a good year,' joked the wine waiter in the restaurant lapped by the sea at Lakki.
More Eastern than Mediterranean
But there are benefits - when you arrive, you come across one of the few truly unspoilt spots left in the Mediterranean. Where else can you find sandy beaches with a backdrop of lemon groves and flower-filled meadows as opposed to high-rise vulgarity?
In what other Mediterranean destination can you wander alone among the temples, amphitheatres and mosaics of Salamis, the most romantic ruined city left by ancient Rome?
Or spend a day on a golden crescent of a beach with only the proprietor of the seaside taverna and a deckchair attendant as company?
Visit the horseshoe-shaped harbour at Kyrenia, where ancient Venetian warehouses converted to restaurants spill tables on to the quayside and you can eat fresh fish and drink passable local wine at prices your grandfather would have jumped at.
Afterwards, explore the giant castle that guards the harbour entrance, fortified successively down the centuries by the ruling Byzantines, Franks, Venetians and Ottomans so its walls are thicker than whole houses.
From the top of the ramparts, where palm trees grow, look down on yachts, fishing boats and Turkish gullets and the minarets of mosques as the call of the muezzin drifts across the bay.
The scene is more Eastern than Mediterranean - Lebanon is but a few miles across the water - and Lawrence Durrell, who lived there in the Fifties, wrote repeatedly in his book Bitter Lemons Of Cyprus of encounters with camel trains.
Durrell's home was in the hillside village of Bellapais behind Kyrenia, looking down on the abbey of the same name.
'I was prepared for something beautiful and I already knew the ruined monastery of Bellapais was one of the loveliest Gothic survivals in the Levant,' he wrote.
'But I was not prepared for the breathtaking congruence of the little village which surrounded and cradled it against the side of the mountain.'
No end of the eras
A short and hair-raising drive from Girne is St Hilarion Castle, 1,000 years old and built into the almost sheer mountaintop 2,000 feet above sea level. It deserves a round of applause just for the nerve of those who built it.
You can easily spend hours here, wandering up and down the ruins scattered on three levels and partially reclaimed by flowers, ferns and firs. On a clear day (and Cyprus claims 340 of them a year) you can see the mountains of southern Turkey 60 miles away.
The visitor is literally tripping over the antiquities of civilisation, war and invasion wherever they go on this part of the island.
Vehbi Candas runs a small cafe near the unmarked ruins of a Byzantine town on the windswept northern shore at Kucukerenkoy. He says the few tourists who find his place scavenge on the beach nearby and bring back bits of broken Byzantine pottery, which they give to him. They are forbidden from taking these artefacts out of the country. Vehbi leaves the pots and shards in an untidy display on a table at the entrance to his cafe.
On a much grander scale is the lost city of Salamis, a sprawling city founded by a Trojan Wars hero 3,000 years ago, still only a quarter excavated and just a few miles north of the party town of Gazimagusa (Famagusta) on the east coast.
The site is so large, it's recommended exploration is by car rather than on foot. Even then, it can take a day to fully appreciate all Salamis has to offer: the royal tombs, the amphitheatre, the gymnasium, the baths and the traces of streets that once rang with a population of 100,000 people.
The whole countryside is dotted with relics, with ruined castles and churches and abandoned towns all the way to the wild and lonely Karpas pensinsula, the long panhandle pointing into the armpit of Turkey and Syria. It is here where you can leave your footprint on a sandy beach and find it a week later, say locals, where nature is given complete abandon and the turtles come ashore to nest in June and July.
More tourists, too, are coming ashore in Northern Cyprus - flights have just been added from Glasgow and Dublin - but there is a long way to go before this beautiful region succumbs to its last invasion: the mass-market package holiday. Until that day, its invisibility keeps it a special place.
Details from Jewels of the World, 020 8518 9730
http://http://www.jewelsoftheworld.com or http://http://www.northcyprus.net/kitob2001/index.php
Feeling totally unstressed
Northern Cyprus fairly bristles with soldiers. All along the coast road there are heavily guarded camps.
Men with rifles stand under concrete umbrellas to shield themselves from the hot sun. Notices warn you not to stop or take snapshots, so we saved our photography for some of the must-see sights of the region.
One of these is Bellapais Abbey, a wonderful old monastery in the hills above Kyrenia. This dates from 1198 and is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, full of ornate archways and cloisters with outstanding sea views.
The abbey is surrounded by restaurants and shops, and we sat beneath the Tree of Idleness enjoying a delicious lunch of meze (those little assorted dishes again) and Grouper fish.
It is said that the tree was given its name by Lawrence Durrell in one of his books, but it seemed to me, as I sat feeling totally unstressed with a glass of wine, that it had been named especially for me.
What a place to be idle. Down below in the hot street, some demented fool in running gear jogged past this paradise, his face gleaming with perspiration.
I watched him disappear and, when he'd gone, did my own form of exercise, leaning forward to pour another glass of wine, hardly even getting breathless with the effort.
Back into our battered old Renault hire car and down to the old coastal town of Kyrenia, now called Girne.
We strolled along the beautiful horseshoe-shaped harbour where restaurants sit shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the sea.
The waiters outnumbered diners by ten to one. They buzzed around the passers-by extolling the virtues of their own restaurant with the assurance that it was definitely the best in Cyprus.
Spectacular mountain scenery
Helena, the hotel receptionist, suggested the Troodos Mountains. Being just a few miles inland from Cyprus's biggest resort - Limassol - I was sceptical, but the scenery was spectacular and the roads empty.
I stopped for lunch in Lania. Dozens of craftworkers live and work along its winding alleys between whitewashed stone walls and flowery courtyards. It's a good place to buy presents.
That night I met a businessman called Sofronios at a taverna and told him I was looking for the unspoilt Cyprus. 'Right!' he announced. 'Tomorrow, I'll show you the White Rocks.' The next day he took me to the most undeveloped coastline I saw on the island - and it's only 15 miles from Limassol.
The White Rocks coast is a nature reserve, stretching between St George's Monastery and Governor's Beach. It's six miles of pure white smooth rocks, with scores of tiny beaches. There's only a rough track and no cafes, hotels, houses or even shade . . . so it's very important to take an umbrella and drinking water.
Sofronios told me he used to go there as a boy to fish for snappers.
'Listen to me,' he confided, 'The sunset is so beautiful here if you bring a girl you want to go out with, she's got no chance.' Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity.
But the next day Andreas the waiter recommended another route - to the coast north of Paphos, where he promised: 'You'll see only farmers.' So I took a drive along the east side of Chrysochou Bay. From the small, busy town of Polis to the border with the Turkish sector is a sequence of tiny villages with the steep, wooded mountains behind. In many places the fields of orange, banana and lemon trees reach down to the sandy beaches.
I stopped for coffee in the only cafe in Porto Pomos, next to a tiny fishing harbour. Lunch was in Pachyammos, where a fabulously decorated church sits on the cliff. Then I strolled down to the beach and decided Andreas was right - there were only farmers here. Oh . . . and the odd goat.
Wine and dine at a steady pace
Pace yourself and enjoy the live music that most tavernas offer. A lot of Cypriot wine comes from the Keo brewery and is cheap and light. Don't expect it to be up there with the best claret.
On my second day in Cyprus I visited the stunning Elysium Hotel at Pafos. It isn't cheap but unlike many five-star hotels on the island it has been built using Greek techniques - with no concrete visible.
It has a fabulous outdoor pool designed to look like Roman baths.
The terracotta rendering, airy rooms and beach location make it ideal for discerning guests with deeper pockets.
Cyprus has become a popular second home for British people.
About 50% of the population speaks English and there are several British army bases on the island.
It is an important strategic listening post for Nato. Cyprus was divided into two states in 1974 and the UN offers bus tours of the Green Line dividing them. Crossing to northern Cyprus is also legal and very easy.
I didn't get a chance to walk through the Troodos Mountains, but that is on my itinerary for next time.
Cyprus Air has just launched its new A330-200 plane to Cyprus and the second goes into service in May this year.
Cyprus Air flies daily from Heathrow at 9.45am and twice on Saturday. At the time of writing tickets started from £119 return. Call 020 8359 1333 or go to: http://www.cyprusairways.com
Location is a stroke of genius
It's easily accessible from most parts of the island. The site is about 12m from Paphos international airport, 10m from Paphos town and 31m from Limassol. It's also near some interesting historical and archaeological sites.
You need deep pockets to play, though. Green fees come in at £45 but that includes a buggy which you must use.
The course is far too long and has too many hills to negotiate on foot.
Each hole has multiple tee boxes over the par 71 course. Its architect says it has transformed a run-down area of subsistence farming into a well-maintained green zone.
Cyprus has three courses in all so it's not suitable for a golfer who wants to play every day for a fortnight.
But it's worth a try for a long weekend in virtually guaranteed sun and warmth.
The Secret Valley course is reasonably flat but at 6,120m still lengthy. It's near Paphos and offers wonderful panoramic views. Nearby is The Tsada. Both have restaurants, club shops, locker rooms and a 19th hole.
Golf widows will be pleased to know Cyprus has dozens of beaches and other places to see.
Cyprus Air flies daily to Cyprus from Heathrow at 9.45am and twice on Friday and Saturday. Its second new A330-200 plane comes into service on May 1. The first became operational in January.
Return tickets with Cyprus Air cost from £119 return in the winter. Book on 0208 359 1333.
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| | | | Starfishes and snakes
Across the harbour in the noon sun was a line of coloured boats, prows towards us. It was too hot for them even to rock. It was the birthday of Anna Achilleos, our guide, and she was telling the stories of her family. 'My grandfather worked for the British and was very proud of it,' she said. 'In 1945, at the end of the war, his wife gave him a daughter, my auntie, and they called her Nike. Her name means Victory.'
We went to the harbourside at Paphos where a fisherman was taking his time sorting through his small catch. He arranged the fish in a pattern and put a starfish on the top like a finial.
Anna said that we should eat the fish that night and pointed towards a restaurant owned by her mother. Her mother had been an ironmonger, a hotel cleaner, a waitress and now had the restaurant. 'I was never meant to be an ironmonger,' she said as she served us dinner. It was excellent.
Anna also has an aunt called Eftychia, who catches snakes. She lives in the countryside above Paphos and we drove up to see her. She not only caught snakes, she kept them and scorpions, what's more. 'I have only been doing this for a few years,' she said, rubbing her cheek against a dangerous-looking, but patently affectionate, black snake about three feet long.
'I would not kiss the Cyprus adder like this,' explained Eftychia. 'He would bite me and I would die. But I like them. People who see a snake in their house call me and I go and catch it in a bottle. I've got 14 now.'
Unsightly concrete additions
The abbey, with its cloisters and flower-filled gardens built precipitously into the hillside is, indeed, a wonderful sight in the mellow light of the afternoon sun, and it's well-preserved.
However, the little village has grown on the back of Durrell's legacy and acquired unsightly concrete additions.
The square where Durrell wrote of locals playing cards and smoking under an acacia tree - the Tree of Idleness, as he called it - is now full of restaurants and trinket shops. The tree is still there, although it is dead.
In one of the restaurants we had a foul, almost inedible meal - a disaster since it was my wife's birthday. This was hardly typical of the mezes of mint, yoghurt and fresh vegetables or the meat dishes of the area.
But we soon found our favourite restaurant, the Baspinar, where we sat in the dappled shade of a plane tree in the hills, with views to the north over the sea of snow-brushed mountains in Turkey.
It was run by Cella, a bear-like character with no front teeth and a showman's pride in his clay oven and the charcoal-baked lamb that emerged from it.
Along with the locals, his passing trade included hikers and botanists who chattered about the spring flowers discovered on their treks along the ridge of the mountains guarding the coast.
Many had walked from the haunting Crusader castle of St Hilarion, perched dizzily thousands of feet above the bay of Kyrenia, a clambering ruin which the Disney studio took as its inspiration for the castle in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.
High hills and hairpins
But it was too early to eat and besides, looming above the harbour was Kyrenia Castle, its towering walls dipping almost into the sea.
This vast fortress is thought to date back to the seventh century, built to defend the town from invading Arabs who didn't think to do what we did - buy a ticket at the door.
Thank heavens we did. The place was a joy: dark stairs descending to hidden dungeons and in one room a torture chamber! Other rooms house the remains of a spectacular ship dating from 300BC, with dozens of artefacts found on board.
Next day, we travelled along the coast road to the ruin of Kantara Castle.
Kantara means 'bridge' or 'arch' in Arabic. The castle bridges the range of mountains that run along the panhandle of Northern Cyprus, and it commands incredible views in all directions.
Halfway there, the road becomes a track only just the width of a car, which zig-zags over high hills and hairpin bends.
The land seems to be uninhabited, save for the occasional goatherd or hut posing as a restaurant. But it's a pleasant drive with masses of wild flowers.
From time to time huge lizards scuttle across the road wearing startled expressions at having seen a car.
Alas, I was given a strict limit to the number of words I could write here, so I haven't got room to describe the abandoned houses we saw on the other side of the wall when we peered over it in Nicosia; Efendi's House, a wonderful restaurant in Kyrenia run by a Welsh couple, Cliff and Kay Morgan; the medieval walled city of Famagusta; the beach where the turtles lay their eggs; and you really must see the ... DAMN!
TRAVEL DETAILS:
Jewels of the World features the Denizkizi Royal hotel. Details tel: 020 8518 9730. Brochure line: 020 8518 9731.
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| | | | The local body politic
There are small Greek islands almost against the Turkish shore, perhaps only a mile distant, where the Greeks, as a matter of course, go to the mainland for their shopping and the Turks chug over to the island for fish and to get their boats repaired. Whole families know each other and have done so for generations.
On Cyprus, matters are different. The ancient adversaries do some rather sad sabre rattling. The Turks, in the north of the divided island, say the Greek Cypriots are threatening them. The Greeks say they should not be there anyway, that they have removed tens of thousands of the original Turkish Cypriots and replaced them with mainlanders who are now ploughing Greek land and tending Greek vineyards.
While I was in Cyprus one of the occasional confrontations took place. The Greeks brought in some noisy jet fighters to Paphos because the Turks had brought some of theirs into their airfield. Then both sides flew away. Go into a placid harbour and there may well be a grey, small and somewhat elderly-looking warship there. I saw a holidaymaker parasailing and keeping a wary eye on the military helicopter that was cruising around him.
In Nicosia the inquisitive tourist can go through the United Nations barrier, the Green Line as they call it, into the northern, Turkish area, but only after two o'clock in the afternoon. And you have to be back by five or they close the gate. Famagusta, once one of the island's most thriving and interesting towns, is a ghost place. Set on the border, it has little but rats in its streets.
The rivalry has even got to the level of the visitor not being able to buy the deliciously cloying Turkish Delight. It is now called Greek or Cyprus Delight. 'We discovered it first anyway,' sniff the Greeks.
But there is still peace to be found. Away from the sun-basking coast around Paphos, up into the lower slopes of the Troodos, are roaming roads and charming, slightly ramshackle villages where the people are welcoming and will soon sit you at a table under a tree in the local square. It is a good place for sitting down. There are probably more wooden chairs in the streets than in the houses.
Outside each house there is a set of chairs and these are pulled around to join those of neighbours. Other chairs appear from down the street, and in no time the men of the village, in their waistcoats under their thick hats, are discussing matters of apparently global importance. One elder, I saw, had his own upholstered armchair on the pavement. They do everything but call for a vote. The women bring out their own chairs and sew and knit and talk.
If you do not need a gin and tonic before dinner and a hotel bed to recover from the hot day in Cyprus, you can take a different holiday - the tourist office calls it agro-tourism, which unfortunately sounds like something to attract certain English football supporters. This, however, is a calm pastime, living in village houses among rural people, sharing their food, wine and companionship and then moving on to another place. Years ago I would have enjoyed it. Now I have to settle for the gin and tonic.
The famous orange groves
Down the other side of the mountain, across a fertile agricultural plain, is the covered market of Nicosia, in the old quarter under the shadow of the wall which divides the capital and the island, north from south.
There, stallholders and butchers grabbed at our children, pinching their cheeks and cuddling them with unrestrained affection while welcoming us in English.
The Turkish Cypriots' love for Britain is matched only by their loathing for the Greeks.
They remember how the British Army protected the Turkish minority against Greek partisans and terrorists and how, before independence was granted in 1960, British colonial rulers refused to concede to Greek demands that Cyprus should be ruled from Athens.
The power- sharing regime Britain left behind was a disaster and led to the Turkish invasion in 1974, when some of the best attractions were grabbed for the north of the island - Kyrenia and its harbour, the Crusader castles, the Roman city of Salamis and the famous orange groves of Guzelyurt to the west.
Any Turkish Cypriot will tell you that spring is the best time to visit, before the island dries out in the summer heat, which reached 140f last year.
And of all British springs, this year's miserably cold, wet affair was the one to escape.
TRAVEL FACTS:
Details from Anatolian Sky Holidays, tel: 0121 325 5500.
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| | | | A skull in a silver holder
In the hills behind Paphos a young monk, in a hat like a black chimney, brushes the steps of his monastery. It is a quiet morning; the sort of quiet built into such places. You can see for miles, as far as the sea, but here in the home of Saint Neophytos the eye prefers not to wander, instead peering over a wall into a sunken garden where roses brighten the shade and there is an old well.
The monks seem to have a not-too-difficult life, although the hours may be long. 'Many of them come from countries in eastern Europe,' said the abbot, Father Alexious, a handsome man, willingly posing for a photograph. He is not unaware of the tourist, as well as the religious, function of his charge. He signed a note which allowed us into the chapel of St Neophytos, where the saint's skull is kept in a silver holder.
The monk who had been sweeping the stairs followed us around carefully. They are lucky to have the skull because the good saint's body was lost for years and was only rediscovered by a monk digging for relics late in the last century. How they came to it in the first place is a mystery, for the little saint went to be a recluse in the mountains and, as there was not a convenient church, he dug one out of the mountainside.
The monastery is graced with sumptuous Byzantine frescoes, whose colours are so sharp that they could have been painted yesterday. The New Testament story comes alive. Christ washing the feet of his disciples, each face worth a long study; The Last Supper, with Judas sitting opposite Jesus and stretching a crafty hand towards Christ's fish; the Agony In The Garden, another fascination of faces; and the Crucifixion, full of real sorrow.
The figures of David, Moses and Isaiah appear from the Old Testament but merely as bystanders, messengers carrying scrolls. However, marvellous as they are, these ceilings, these walls of saints, are upstaged by the cool and small stone cell where the saint lived. You need to crouch to enter it but it is most moving in its simplicity.
I sat on his stone bench behind his stone desk; behind me was the stone bed where he lay when his daily labours were done. You can feel that he was there. The monastery even has his signature on a 12th Century document. Saints rarely leave autographs behind. Getting out of the cell is more difficult than getting in. You need to bend rather than crouch to go through the slight door.
You leave the coolness of the little cell and once more you are in the brilliant sun, with the sea in the distance, the groves and the green slopes falling away. The small, good, man must have been very happy, as well as very busy there.
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| | Destination Guide : Cyprus |
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| | | Much more to sea |  | Why go on holiday to Cyprus?
Cyprus has so much more to offer than the sun, sea and sand for which it is famous. A history of colonisation has given the island a fascinating mix of architectural styles, matched only in variety by its natural delights.
The lifestyle is relaxed, food cheap and weather superb - all of which make Cyprus one of the most popular destinations with British holidaymakers.
How much does it cost?
It's a very popular destination so there are lots of bargains but as a guide, expect flights to Cyprus to cost from £150, a night in a three-star hotel from £30-£45 and a seven-day fly-drive package with B&B accommodation from £470.
When should I go?
July and August are incredibly busy and sizzlingly hot, with temperatures often well above 90F (35C+). April and May are particularly lovely with dry, sunny days in the mid-70s to 80Fs (23-30C) and citrus trees in blossom.
September to October is also a popular time to visit. Easter is the most important religious festival in the Republic and everything closes down.
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| | | A land steeped in history |  | What should I do when I'm there?
Don't pass up the capital. Away from the tourist atmosphere of the resorts, Lefkosia (previously Nicosia) is more truly Cypriot than the large towns on the coast.
It is known as "the last divided capital" and UN troops patrol the Green Line that separates the Republic from North Cyprus. Brush up on Cypriot history with a visit to the Cyprus Museum, then check out the wonderful frescoes at St John's Cathedral.
Where else is good for history?
Nine of the frescoed Byzantine churches in the peaceful Troodos mountains are on the World Heritage list, and are definitely worth the trip inland.
The Tombs of the Kings date back to the third century BC and can be combined with an excursion to see the famous Roman mosaics at Paphos.
According to legend, Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love; visit the Baths of Aphrodite nestled amongst the lush foliage of the Akamas Peninsula.
Where can I get away from it all?
Invaded by Turkey in 1974, Northern Cyprus has largely escaped the tourist development found on the south coast. Take a stroll along the waterfront at Kyrenia, one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean.
Indulge in a traditional Turkish bath at the world-famous Buyuk Hammam in North Lefkosia. In the Republic, head for the serene fishing village of Latchi on the north-west coast or the pine forests and walking trails of the Troodos Massif.
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| | | Warm family welcome | | Where's good for nightlife?
Once a small fishing port, the resort of Ayia Napa has shot up the clubbers' popularity charts in the past couple of years and is now something of a Mecca for those who like their nights to keep going until morning.
Lively bars and cafes can be found in all the major towns and resorts, with Paphos and Lemesos (Limassol) particularly popular.
What's the food like?
The island's mixed cultural heritage is highlighted by Cypriot cuisine. Dishes show the strong Middle Eastern influences of Turkey as well as elements from more traditional Greek cooking.
Try a meat or fish meze, a feast made up of about 20 different appetiser-sized dishes, or halloumi, the local cheese that is typically served grilled. Cypriot wine is excellent and Turkish coffee strong enough to wake even the Ayia Napa crowd.
What should I buy?
Bottles of ouzo, the local spirit, and regional wines make welcome gifts. Most villages specialise in some type of craft, whether it be pottery, silverware, basket-weaving or the famous lace from Lefkara. Find these at the Handicraft Centre in Lefkosia.
What is there for children to do?
Children are well catered-for in most resort hotels, with children's pools, games rooms and watersports programmes.
A little history is best introduced by a scramble around the ruins of one of the island's many castles, or with a visit to the medieval fort at Larnaca. Family is important to Cypriots and children are welcome in cafes and restaurants at all hours.
Tourist office
Cyprus Tourism Organisation, 17 Hanover Street, London, W1R 0AA. Tel. 020 7569-8800.
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| | Fact File : Cyprus |
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| | | Cyprus | | Did you know?
According to legend, Caesar gave the island to Cleopatra as a token of his love.
Language
Greek.
Visas
No visas required for stays of up to three months.
Getting there
Scheduled and charter flights are available direct from London and regional UK airports. Fly to Larnaca and Paphos airports.
Flying time from London
Between four and a half and five hours.
Getting around
The best way to travel around is by hiring a car or motorbike. It's fairly cheap and easy, with driving on the left and many road signs in English. Buses are efficient but the best way to explore locally is to rent a bike.
Currency
Cypriot pound.
Costs
Prices vary greatly, but as a rough guide: a meal for two with wine costs around £10; a bottle of wine is £2.50; a bottle of beer £1; local buses are 50p within resort, and a local taxi ride is 80p per kilometre.
Weather
Midsummer can be very hot so try to visit in April to May or September to October. Winter is intermittently wet but still pleasant.
Time difference
Two hours ahead of the UK.
International dialling code from the UK
00 357.
Voltage
240V, 50Hz AC. Plugs are square three-pin, the same as the UK.
Opening hours
Very relaxed — most shops are open 8am-7.30pm, with lunch from 1-4pm, and closing at 2pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Religion is important, so few businesses open on Sundays — but many cafes, restaurants and clubs are open until 2am or later during the week.
Health — before you go
No jabs are necessary. Though tourists receive free medical attention and treatment for emergencies at the Ambulatory and Emergency Department of government hospitals and institutions, adequate insurance should be taken to cover inpatient care and unexpected health costs.
Health — when you are there
The emergency number is 199. Tap water is safe to drink, but overexposure to the sun can cause sunstroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration, and sunburn. Take it easy, especially during the first few days. The embassy can recommend a doctor.
Warnings
Hire cars cannot be taken across the border between the Republic and the North. It is also advisable to get Immigration to stamp a separate piece of paper rather than your passport if you're visiting North Cyprus, for later ease of passage into the Republic or Greece.
Emergency
The emergency number is 199. British Embassy High Commission, Alexandrou Pallis St, PO Box 1978, Nicosia. Tel (00 357) 2 861100.
Customs
Family life and religion are central to Cypriot life. Though Cypriots on both sides of the border are friendly and easy-going, most are fiercely patriotic and passions can rise about partition.
Pets
Cyprus is now included in the Pets travel scheme, but be aware that organising the necessary vaccinations and documentation takes some months to set up. See your vet for details.
Tipping
A service charge of 10% is sometimes added to restaurant bills; if not, leave a similar amount. Taxi drivers and hotel porters appreciate a small tip.
Tourist office
Cyprus Tourism Organisation, 17 Hanover Street, London, W1R 0AA. Tel: 020 7569 8800.
Did you know?
According to legend, Caesar gave the island to Cleopatra as a token of his love.
Language
Greek in the Republic; Turkish in North Cyprus. English is widely spoken.
Visas
No visas required in either the Republic or the North for stays of up to three months.
Getting there
Scheduled and charter flights are available direct from London and regional UK airports. Fly to Larnaca and Paphos airports for the Republic and to Ercan Airport, via Turkey, for the North.
Flying time from London
Between 4 1/2 and 5 hours.
Getting around
The best way to travel around is by hiring a car or motorbike. It's fairly cheap and easy, with driving on the left and many road signs in English. Buses are efficient but the best way to explore locally is to rent a bike.
Currency
Cypriot pound in the Republic, Turkish lira in the North.
Costs
Bottle of beer 85p; roll of camera film £2.50; moderate restaurant meal £6-£7.50; litre of petrol 45p; four-mile taxi ride £2-£3. These prices are a rough guide as prices will vary around the island.
Weather
Cyprus is the sunniest island in the Mediterranean, with an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. April-May and September-October are the most pleasant months, dry with temperatures between 70F-85F(22C-30C). Summer temperatures can reach well above 90F(35C), and it can drop to around 50F(10C) in December and January.
Time difference
Two hours ahead of GMT
International dialling code from the UK
00 357 for the Republic. 00 90 392 for the North.
Voltage
240V, 50Hz AC. Plugs are square three-pin, the same as the UK.
Opening hours
Very relaxed - most shops are open 8am-7:30pm, with lunch from 1-4pm, and closing at 2pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Religion is important, so few businesses open on Sundays - but many cafes, restaurants and clubs are open until 2am or later during the week.
Health - Before you go
No jabs are necessary. Though tourists receive free medical attention and treatment for emergencies at the Ambulatory and Emergency Department of Government Hospitals and Institutions, adequate insurance should be taken to cover inpatient care and unexpected health costs.
Health - When you are there
The emergency number is 199. Tap water is safe to drink, but overexposure to the sun can cause sunstroke, heat exhaustion and dehydration, and sunburn. Take it easy, especially during the first few days. The embassy can recommend a doctor.
Warnings
Hire cars cannot be taken across the border between the Republic and the North. It is also advisable to get Immigration to stamp a separate piece of paper rather than your passport when entering North Cyprus, for later ease of passage into the Republic or Greece.
Emergency
The emergency number is 199. British Embassy High Commission, Alexandrou Pallis St, PO Box 1978, Nicosia. Tel (00 357) 2 861100.
Customs
Family life and religion are central to Cypriot life. Though Cypriots on both sides of the border are friendly and easy-going, most are fiercely patriotic and passions can rise about partition.
Pets
Cyprus is now included in the PETS Travel Scheme, but be aware that organising the necessary vaccinations and documentation takes some months to set up. See your vet for details.
Tipping
10% service charge is sometimes added to restaurant bills; if not, leave a similar amount. Taxi drivers and hotel porters appreciate a small tip.
Tourist office
Cyprus Tourism Organisation, 17 Hanover Street, London, W1R 0AA. Tel: 020 7569-8800.
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| | Available rental properties in Cyprus |
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| |  | | Paradise Gardens III
Discover that special Cyprus luxury in spacious 2 bedroom apartment. Ideally located minutes from Paphos town, beaches,shops, nightlife and harbour.
|  | | The Old Mill House
Villa rent Limassol Cyprus. Cheap prices. Beautiful tranquil walks, golf, birdwatching, beaches, mountains and much besides.
|  | | Villa Calista
New (2006) semi-detached, self-catering villa in Kato Paphos. Fully airconditioned. 20 - 30 Minutes walk from main tourist area, old harbour, historic sites and beaches.
|  | | Elena Court penthouse with spa
Luxury one bedroom penthouse in Kapparis with 72 square metre balcony, private spa, pergola, bbq, patio table & chairs, sun loungers, communal pool. Perfect summer or winter rental.
|  | | Mandria villa
3 bedroom (sleeps 8) luxury detached villa with private SOUTH facing pool. On double plot, so larger grounds, 10mins to beach, 5 minutes golf, 10mins airport. Child and family friendly accommodation
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Holiday Rentals in Cyprus |
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