Inhabited since Neolithic times, birthplace of Aphrodite and home to lively bar-filled sands and deserted expanses of beaches, the wildflower island of Cyprus is a dreamy escape of natural beauty, contemporary boltholes and the perfect smattering of Byzantine architecture.
Drench yourself in mythology and history, from the Hellonistic mosaics to the Tombs of
the Kings, before sunbathing on sandy Municipal Beach in ancient Paphos. Then follow the heady scents, sights and sounds towards Limassol’s ‘Little Miami,’ with its lively port and wide beaches, home to Limassol Castle where Richard the Lionheart married his Princess.
Head to Ladies Mile Beach for family-friendly swimming and windsurfing. Serene enough for the loggerhead turtles to come and lay their eggs, Pissouri will answer your holiday prayers with more than a dash of authentic Cypriot allure, a long stretch of beach plus sailing, diving and windsurfing.
More frenetic Protaras is just a short drive from vibrant Ayia Napa and is home to one of the island’s best beaches in Fig Tree Bay. Back to an emphatically slower pace of life on the unspoilt peninsula of Akamas, drink from the legendary Fountain of Aphrodite in the hope of love, and hike, scuba dive and horse-ride. Life in Polis is beautiful and sedate, gateway to the Akamas peninsula, it is a heavenly step away from the madding crowds and is an area known for its beaches and authentic fish taverns.