Top 10 Reasons to Visit Cyprus

With its Mediterranean good looks, a sun-drenched climate and warm and inviting culture, there’s plenty to incentivise a stay in this European island. Here are some more reasons it’s the fourth most popular destination to visit in the world.

Tempting cuisine

Melding the best of Greek and Turkish cuisine with its own spin on Mediterranean delicacy, Cyprus boasts 24 hour bakeries, staggeringly fresh seafood and bountiful local produce including olives, goat’s cheese and capers. Delicious.

Ease of access

Given its location in the heart of the Med, Cyprus is the perfect spot for onward travel from Greece, Turkey or as a stop on a Mediterranean cruise itinerary. Book flights to Paphos, dock at Limassol or touch down in Larnaca: there are plenty of ways to arrive in style.

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Cyprus

Natural beauty

From its flamingo-strewn salt lakes to the elegant, bending trees of Alsos Forest in Nicosia, from the sparkling Caledonia Falls in the Troodos Mountains to the sea caves of Ayia Napa, there’s life beyond the beaches in Cyprus, and it begs to be explored.

Delicious tipple

One of the world’s oldest wine-producing regions, Cyprus has experience in producing some corking quaffs with its sun-fattened grapes. And if you’re not a wine-drinker, there’s always the promise of a chill craft beer in Aphrodite’s Rock Brewing Company in Paphos.

Friendly locals

Warm as a Cypriot sunbeam, the people of Cyprus are the main reason that so many people choose to make a return trip to this friendly isle. Whether you’re staying for a week or a month, you’re sure to be made to feel welcome every day of your trip.

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Cyprus

A beach for all seasons

From the quiet, clean sands of Pissouri Bay to the party atmosphere of Nissi Beach at Ayia Napa (now with bungee jump!), there’s a great mix of shingle, sand and pebble beach to choose from in Cyprus.

Superior diving opportunities

Plunge down through the warm blue waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, and you’ll discover an underwater landscape well worth further exploration. Ogle at the shipwrecked Zenobia, come nose to nose with an octopus or visit an underwater cave, and at an average temperature of 25 degrees, the water’salwayslovely.

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Cyprus

Ancient history

Not just a party destination, Cyprus has a rich and exciting history, with a number of unique and ancient attractions for visitors to explore. Visit the 2000 year old Tombs of the Kings or the amphitheatre in Paphos, and then learn about the island’s many, important archaeological discoveries in the museum in Nicosia.

Sophisticated culture

Spend some time indoors viewing the elegant statues and paintings housed in A. G. Leventis Gallery in Nicosia, wandering under the cool archways of the Ayia Napa monastery or exploring the Steni Museum of Village Life. Cyprus’s culture is rich, vibrant and relevant, and it’s well worth an afternoon of your trip.

Buzzing nightlife

Cyprus has a diverse menu of options in terms of nightlife, and you’ll never feel confined to the hotel bar. Chase beats in Ayia Napa, have a cinema night in Larnaca or dine on freshly-caught fish in Paphos.

Images by Evgeniy Isaev (with changes), Anthony Kelly, disparkeys, and Thulborn-Chapman Photography used under the Creative Commons license.