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While a week or two in Cyprus makes for a fine beach holiday, what’s so alluring about this sunny island, tucked up in the easternmost corner of the Mediterranean, is its many layers and complexities. Centuries of history, for a start, from ancient ruins such as the shell of medieval Limassol Castle to the clifftop archaeological site of Kourion, its graceful Greco-Roman amphitheatre an atmospheric venue for classical concerts. Along the coast at Paphos, you’ll find intricate, 1,800-year-old mosaics and a necropolis dating back to the 4th century BC.

Then there’s the island’s shimmering beauty, fitting for a goddess like Aphrodite, who, according to mythology, rose from the sea foam here. The Troodos mountain range, a craggy spine running through the centre of the island, is criss-crossed with hiking trails through cedar forests and alongside icy, tumbling rivers, while remote stretches of coast are pockmarked with sea caves and rock stacks. The craggy Akamas Peninsula in the west is one of Europe’s few remaining refuges for sea turtles.

The locals’ infectious love of life. Morning coffee is a time to chat, while meals are to be savoured

Cyprus is packed with political interest too. Nicosia is Europe’s last divided capital, the split demarcated by the “Green Line” established between the Greek and Turkish sides following the Turkish invasion of 1974.

What’s especially endearing about Cyprus, though, is the locals’ infectious love of life. Morning coffee is a time to chat, while meals are to be savoured — long, drawn-out affairs at vine-shaded tables, washed down with excellent local wines. Cypriots are genuinely hospitable and many feel a strong affinity with the UK; there’s nothing phoney about the welcome here.

Should you choose to stay in the north, the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, you’ll find a much quieter, more rustic scene, with mosques instead of Orthodox churches, Turkish coffee, magnificent mountain fortresses and quiet, sandy coves — but an equally enthusiastic welcome.

See the latest rules and restrictions for visiting Cyprus

Main photo: Petra tou Romiou, Cyprus (Getty Images)

The great appeal of Cyprus is that there’s masses to see. The easy, marked walking trails through the pine and cedar forests of the Troodos Massif are a refreshing change from the heat of the coast; the Caledonia Trail is one of the best, as it follows a tumbling river, spanned by stepping stones, and ends where the Caledonia River cascades into a bracing pool, in which you can swim.

The Greco-Roman Kurion theatre near Limassol (Lemesos, to use its Greek name), and the Tombs of the Kings and mosaics at Paphos, are part of a well-trodden trail, but you’d be mad to overlook the astonishing monasteries and painted Byzantine churches in the mountains. Kykkos Monastery is extraordinary, its interior festooned with gilt and precious icons. Meanwhile, ten stone-built churches, scattered across the Troodos and protected by Unesco, are unassuming until you get inside, their interiors brilliant with exquisite frescoes and icons.

You’d be mad to overlook the astonishing monasteries and painted Byzantine churches in the mountains

Provided you’re not travelling in the heat of summer, spend a day in Nicosia (Lefkosia), where the old city centre is encircled by chunky Venetian walls. Notable attractions include the Cyprus Museum, packed with archaeological finds dating back to the 7th century BC, and CVAR (Centre of Visual Arts and Research), a museum depicting the turbulent history of modern Cyprus. Take your passport and cross the checkpoint on the Green Line, a poignant reminder of the island’s division and the lives it has cost.

If the south is all about churches, northern Cyprus is where you’ll find castles. The honey-coloured ramparts of Kyrenia Castle, overlooking the town, and St Hilarion — its watchtowers and crenellated walls clinging to a jagged rock outcrop — are among the most dramatic.

Cyprus has always had a concentration of high-end hotels, which range from sprawling, all-inclusive resorts with lavish spas to cool, five-star boutique properties. Many of the top hotels have specific appeal; for example, Aphrodite Hills for golf, or Anassa and the Four Seasons for thalasso-therapy spa holidays.

Villa holidays are a great option, too — self-drive is easy here for the British, as driving is on the left — and some of the smartest rentals are around the Paphos area, in the hills outside the town, with magnificent sea views. Away from the coast there’s also a fabulous range of atmospheric, refurbished village stone houses to rent, thanks to grants made available to locals via a government agrotourism scheme. Some of these are simple, while others have private pools, wood-burning stoves and even air conditioning.

Away from the coast there’s a fabulous range of atmospheric, refurbished village stone houses to rent

The towns along the coast have individual character. The gently shelving sandy beaches of Ayia Napa and Protaras in the drier, almost desert-like east are a draw to families, while a young crowd comes for the club scene. Larnaca is grittier, with echoes of the Middle East, but has a lovely palm-lined seafront promenade lined with fish tavernas and a decent beach. Limassol has some of the swankiest hotels and a strong Russian following. Sleepy Pissouri, further west, is more family-orientated. Paphos is most popular with British visitors, its pretty harbour guarded by a chunky castle. On the north coast, close to the Turkish side, Polis is handy for hiking trails in the Paphos Forest and on the wild Akamas Peninsula.

In the north, stay at Kyrenia (Girne), the old town surrounding a pretty harbour bobbing with brightly painted wooden gulets, or the enchantingly crumbling Famagusta (Magusa), close to the sprawling Roman archaeological site of Salamis.

In summer (not winter, when the water is too high) hike the Avakas Gorge, near Peyia to the north of Paphos. Part of this short trail is more of a scramble than a hike, but the water-sculpted limestone cliffs and rock stacks, the trickling stream of the Avgas River and the dappled shade make for an impressive natural setting. Most people opt for a simple 45-minute out-and-back walk, but you can continue up a steep trail out of the head of the gorge, an 11km round trip, for stupendous views of the coast, often with only wild goats and griffon vultures wheeling overhead for company. An ice-cold Keo beer at Viklari taverna at the entrance to the gorge is your reward.

Another lesser-known walk is the 11-mile Enetika Gefyria nature trail, through dense pine forests, taking in three graceful Venetian bridges built in the 15th century and part of what was called the camel trail. This was the route from the copper mines to the coast, with the ore carried by, unsurprisingly, camels. The bridges don’t go anywhere as such but their height, simplicity and elegance are why you’re visiting this remote spot.

Cyprus offers a packed calendar of activities year round but you’ll find the best times to visit are during the shoulder seasons in terms of price and weather. Go between April and June for wildflowers, hiking and warm, sunny days. July to late September is best for beach holidays, although the heat can be intense. It’s also the most expensive time of the year to visit because of the school holidays. You can still swim in the sea until October. December and January are cool and wet; these are the months to visit if you want the novelty of skiing in the Troodos.

• Best time to visit Cyprus

How long do you need in Cyprus?
A week is fine if you’re simply after a beach break, but stretch this to 14 days if you want to combine beach time with exploring different areas — for example, Nicosia and the Troodos. The same applies to the north; a week for flopping on the beach, but longer if you want to tour — the north is peppered with magnificent crusader castles and wild, rugged scenery.

Self-drive is a good option in both; you can combine the two, but car hire will be complicated. You can take a car from the Republic of Cyprus (the south) to the north, with extra insurance, but not the other way around. Cars from the Turkish north have to be left at the border; check current travel advice for the latest situation.

Where is the most beautiful part of Cyprus?
In the south, the areas away from the coast are arguably among the most beautiful — the forested Troodos Mountains and the wine-growing villages on their slopes, for example. The coast itself is pretty developed, but the Akamas Peninsula, north of Paphos, is a protected area of bleached white cliffs and sandy beaches.

Cape Greco, near Ayia Napa, is another gorgeous stretch of coast, with the scent of wild herbs in the air and aquamarine water beckoning at the base of cave-riddled cliffs. In the north Kyrenia harbour is one of the prettiest spots, and is guarded by a Venetian castle. The skinny 70km finger of the Karpas Peninsula is as remote as it gets — just pine trees, rocky shores, meadows, tiny villages and wild donkeys.

Which dishes do the locals eat in Cyprus?
Cypriot cuisine includes influences from Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. Meals start with mezedes — sometimes dozens of small plates of hummus, tzatziki, spicy sausage and dolmades, or stuffed vine leaves. Kleftiko is slow-cooked lamb, fragrant with herbs and red wine; stifado is slow-cooked beef with cinnamon, cloves and tomatoes. Vegetarians will love salty, melt-in-the-mouth halloumi cheese, a staple of a Cypriot veggie breakfast, and gemista, peppers, courgettes, tomatoes and even onions stuffed with herby rice and roasted.

Currency
Euros in the south, Turkish lira in the north

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