Measuring 150 miles across, Cyprus holds the title for the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Holidays in Cyprus offer a land of contrasts, with its white sandy beaches, snowy mountain peaks, lively tourist resorts, picturesque hilltop villages, ancient monuments, archaeological sites, and busy modern cities. Cyprus is split into the Turkish north and the Greek-Cypriot south. For many visitors, holidays in Cyprus centre round popular coastal resorts, such as Ayia Napa, Larnaca, Paphos and Protaras. Formerly a small fishing village, Ayia Napa has become the island's premier resort.

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More than 10,000 tourists a day flock to Ayia Napa's shores to bronze on the beaches and dance into the early hours in the scores of discos and nightclubs. Cyprus isn't just a haven for sun-worshippers and partygoers; the island offers an abundance of ancient monuments and archaeological riches too. The UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of Paphos , features a picturesque old harbour and charming hilltop town of Pano Paphos, with its maze of narrow streets. Other archaeological treasures can be found inland, such as crusaders castles, Roman ruins, Byzantine cathedrals and Greek temples.

Well worth a visit is the Cyprus Museum, with its fascinating collection of archaeological discoveries, the fortified Kolossi Castle, dating back to the Knights of St John in the 13th century, and the Tombs of the Kings, with its majestic splendour and Egyptian-style architecture. Holidays in Cyprus are also popular with keen walkers for its spectacular Akamas Peninsula. Set on the island's west coast, the peninsula offers numerous hiking paths surrounded by verdant meadows and sprinkled with a variety of flora and fauna.