Mix this in with some more modern attractions, such as water parks and nightclubs, and you’ll find that Cyprus provides a fun-loving party atmosphere for all kinds of tourists.

Whether you’re looking to relax by the beach, take in the sights of Cyprus or relax in your own villa during your holidays, Cyprus can be an ideal location if you’re looking for a holiday in the sun. Here are a few suggestions for things to do and places to visit during your time on the island:

• Explore Ayia Napa

The coastal town of Ayia Napa is famous for its white sandy beaches and energetic nightlife, and has become a popular holiday destination for revellers during the height of summer.

As well as the numerous nightclubs, the town also has a number of museums and ancient sites to explore – including the Thalassa museum and the tombs at Makronissos.

• Visit ancient sites

Cyprus has a number of monuments from the time of the ancient Greeks, and these make up some of the most popular tourist attractions on the island, giving tourists an insight into the times of the gods.

The city of Limassol has several ancient sites to explore, such as the ruins at Kourion – including amphitheatres, Roman bath houses and mosaics.

• Take a boat trip

The coastline of southern Cyprus is known for its blue waters and miles of sandy beaches. So why not spend a day on the water as part of your trip to the Paphos region?

Day cruises are available from the port town of Paphos, and many will offer the chance to relax and catch some rays during the trip, or you can take the plunge and have a swim in the waters of the Mediterranean.

If you want to explore beneath the surface, there are opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive along the coastline, so why not take the plunge and enjoy all that the island has to offer?

• Learn about Aphrodite in Paphos

Paphos is one of the largest cities on the island of Cyprus, and is popular amongst holidaymakers, attracted by the white sandy beaches and abundance of resorts.

Thought to have been the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, there are a number of monuments and remains of temples built by worshippers many years ago, many of which are popular tourist attractions for those visiting the region.

With a number of beach resorts, spas and attractions including wildlife parks and water parks, Paphos is a great location for family holidays as well as for those who are looking to relax in the Mediterranean sunshine.

Whether you’re looking to relax on the beach or explore ancient ruins, the island of Cyprus can provide the perfect opportunity for some rest and relaxation in a temperate Mediterranean climate that can be enjoyed for most of the year.

There are many places in Cyprus stay at, but a couple of places that really offer true luxury to their patrons are the Anassa, and the Almyra. Both of these amazing hotels have views which face the beaches, and are set in their own little oasis of calm and serenity.

From the outside, the Anassa is a veritable palace of marble. It looks out across the waters of one of Cyprus’ finest beaches to the Akamas peninsula and the baths of Aphrodite. It is surrounded by peaceful gardens and cool courtyards, and inside the classic interiors reflect the history of the island with many venetian frescoes and roman style mosaics. The hotel is designed with a byzantine village in mind, and combines traditional architecture with complete privacy. You can choose to stay in a guest villa with panoramic sea views, or perhaps a romantic suite with a private plunge pool facing the sea. Whatever you opt for, you will receive an excellent service in a setting of high luxury.

The Almyra is sister hotel to the Anassa and is a short walk from Paphos, and is set in eight acres of it’s own gardens all of which overlook a beautiful sandy beach that is ideal for swimming and sunbathing. There are many spacious rooms here, and the Almyra is a great choice for families as it is within easy walking distance of both the town and the castle. It also has a service called ‘Baby go lightly’ which allows parents to pre-order amenities for their baby making it extremely convenient as you can make sure you have what you want available before you get there. The Almyra also has the Kyma suites, these have a shared rooftop terrace which is candlelit at night and really is just the most perfect viewing point from which to enjoy the breathtaking views of Paphos’ fishing harbout and historical fort.
Whichever you choose, these two hotels really are set up to offer just that bit extra in terms of luxury, and each has lots of amenities from spas to dining, swimming pools to plunge pools and much more beyond.

For more details about Luxury holiday in Cyprus visit

Elegant Resorts

“This prestigious hotel is renowned for its 5 outdoor pools, award winning spa, extensive leisure facilities and excellent range of dining options. September is the perfect time to visit, with the combination of warm hospitality and tranquil surroundings.

Depart from Gatwick, Manchester, Bournemouth or Humberside. Choice of dates 9th, 12th, 16th, 23rd, 30th September.
Return taxi transfers from the airport to hotel are included.

Based on 2 sharing a large double bedded room for 7 nights with garden view. Fleuri Restaurant only.

Cyprus is split into many different regions, each with their own personalities and attractions. All of them are known for their wonderful beaches, hospitality and 5 star resorts and hotels that dot the coastlines. The beaches are well-kept and clean, usually with lifeguards on duty. Planning luxury vacation in Cyprus is very easy to do, and it is very tourist friendly.

One of the most well-known areas of Cyprus is the stunning Phinikoudes Beach in the Larnaca region. Surrounding the beach area are many different restaurants and shops that cater to the many different needs of the beach goers. Five star service is the norm at Phinikoudes Beach, and no where is that more evident than the Golden Bay Beach Hotel, an establishment that believes in pampering its guests so that they may truly relax during their stay. The amenities are abundant and the staff is meticulous about catering to the guests’ needs.

Paphos is another area of Cyprus that must be seen. Located on the eastern part of the island, this area is also known for its snorkeling and underwater diving activities. One of the finest places to stay on this part of the island is the finely appointed Elysium Beach Resort. Located directly on the beach, this hotel has much to offer guests, especially in the way of the deluxe accommodations and different types of food that are available in its many restaurants.

Another region that is a hotspot for those that want to take a vacation to Cyprus is Lemesos. Lemesos has many different beaches to choose from. The Aphrodite Beach is an appealing choice, as is the Onisilos Beach. Lemesos also offers luxury accommodations. The famed Four Seasons Hotel is located in Limassol will be sure to please. Newly renovated, this hotel boasts an exclusive spa, multiple restaurants and offers activities to please all ages.

One of the smaller 5 star hotels is in Ammochostos. The Alion Beach Hotel only has around 100 rooms, but its privacy and committment to superior service make it a notable place to stay in Cyprus. The views are wonderful, especially from the outdoor breakfast bar that is available for its guests. This small hotel proves that bigger isn’t always better in the name of luxury.

Cyprus is a world-renowned holiday spot that has it all. Historical landmarks, vibrant nightlife, great shopping and sunny weather are just some of the things that luxury holidays in Cyprus can offer.

The weather in Cyprus is sunny and pleasant about 8-9 months of the year. The short winter starts in October and will only last until about January. For those who are looking to arrive for ski vacations in Cyprus these are available between January and mid March and the Troodos mountains offer some fantastic ski resorts and great slopes.

Nicosia, the island capital, is a thriving town combining history and culture with modernity and advancement. The southern part of the city offers nightclubs and shopping while the northern part is more traditional with ancient ruins, galleries, museums and parks.

Limassol, the second largest city, lies along the Akrotiri bay in the southern parts. It has become a centre for tourists where one could find fantastic resorts, luxury hotels, festivals and archeological sites.

Aya Napa is perhaps the most popular resort town in Cyprus. Located in the south East, it attracts young tourists worldwide who come to lie in the magnificent sandy beaches, take part in water sports, and enjoy a vibrant night scene that includes clubs, bars and pubs. It is also a major site for festivals including the national festival in February, the Ocean festival in May and the Wine festival in September.

For a bit of outdoor activity, the Troodos Mountains, reaching 1952 meters in the highest point of the Olympus- the Chionistra, offer a fantastic getaway. This great national reserve offers hikes, ski, 4×4 driving and other activities. This can all be done between waterfalls, local churches and monasteries, and local villages that produce fantastic local red wines.

Thomas Cook offer great deals on holidays to Cyprus, this includes family holidays, all inclusive holidays and package holidays to the island.

You can get daily direct flights to Cyprus from most UK airports and with flight times at around 4 hours Cyprus makes for a great summer holiday destination.

Tourism, which accounts for about 10.9 percent of Cypriot gross domestic product, has suffered this year from the global downturn that has hit its key market Britain particularly hard and eroded the value of the pound against the euro, which Cyprus adopted in 2008.
Passenger survey data from January to April showed arrivals falling to 375,523 people compared with 411,054 holidaymakers visiting in the first four months of 2008, an 8.6 percent decrease.
Year on year for April alone, arrivals were down by 0.4 percent.

Tourists from Britain, who usually account for just over half of Cyprus’s annual tourism intake, totalled 84,526 in April compared with 93,862 in the corresponding period of 2008, a 9.9 percent drop.
Tourism arrivals from Russia — Cyprus’s second biggest market — fell 11.8 percent, while Swedish arrivals were down 15.6 percent.
However, there were more visitors from euro zone countries Germany and Greece. The number of German visitors increased by 56.5 percent in April and arrivals from Greece were up 23.7 percent.

As an example I did a search for a week in Ayia Napa, 25/04/09 – 02/05/09, and it came back with 5 holidays for £158.05, now I don’t know about you but for a week in Cyprus for £160 you can’t go wrong, I hadn’t been planning on going but at that price I think I will be booking a week away now!

When I did a search for just 1 week from 3rd September the price came in at £346, you’d be mad not to go for two weeks, just looking for flights individually seem to be around the £200 mark at the cheapest!

So once again Olympic Holidays seem to come out a winner for me!

I’d read beforehand that places had to show dual pricing, Cypriot Pounds and the new Euro rate so I didn’t think they would be able to profiteer.

It appeared though that instead of converting the old Cypriot pound to the new Euro amount, it was the other way round, deciding on a euro rate and working backwards to give the Cyprus pound figure.

A pint of local beer, KEO, Carlsberg or Leon was around 3 euros at most places in Napa which at the 1.18 rate worked out at £2.54 a pint, compared to last year when a lot of places were charging CYP1.50, approx £1.80.

I think the main influence on it seeming expensive is the fact the euro rate is rubbish at the moment, the same time in April 2007 the rate was 1.47, so there you see that lovely local pint would have still been more expensive (£2.04) but not as much as 40%!

It will be interesting to see how the euro affects Cyprus by way of Tourism considering over 3m people visit the island from the UK alone, I can imagine those living on a UK pension in Cyprus are feeling the pinch a bit with the rate as it is.

It could be that it’s just expensive like this in Ayia Napa, I will be visiting again in September so will have to venture out and see.

8 nights, mainly because the flight going out is late Saturday night, staying at Anthea Hotel Apartments in Ayia Napa, we were just looking for a very cheap break to get away from the English weather and get some sun, and at £162 this is a bargain considering some of the cheapest flights we looked at were around this price!

Now I just can’t wait to go, it will be interesting to see how the Euro has affected prices out there but with the Euro rate having dropped so much against the English Pound then it’s bound to seem expensive anyway, so maybe that cheap bottle of KEO or LEON isn’t going to be so cheap anymore