Cyprus travel guide

Ayia Napa is Cyprus' party and water fun holiday spot number one. Here are nothing more than sandy beaches, hotels, restaurants, and theme bars. It's one of those unstylish holiday destinations that you either love or hate – and judged by the hordes of tourists here (many from the UK and Russia), people love Ayia Napa.

Though the island of Cyprus is officially one nation, it has been divided since 1974 into two separate republics; the Republic of Cyprus (Southern Cyprus) and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, though the last one is not recognized. In 2003 the borders opened to everyone – both the Northern and Southern Cypriots, along with tourists. You still need to show your passport and if driving across, make sure you have insurance for both sides. No matter which side you stay on, a trip to the other side is highly recommended as the two sides are still very different – and not just geographical. The Northern side is like being in Turkey with mosques, great food, and herd of goats along the narrow potholed roads. The Southern side is more like Western Europe with wide highways and lots of tourist facilities at the many resort towns.

Cape Greco is a small peninsula which breaks off into the blue sea. It stands tall and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. There are magnificent views from the top over the rugged coastline towards Ayia Napa. Since Cape Greco is only 10 km away from the popular holiday town, it's favored destination for a quiet moment or a hike - there are several trails.

You have to very interested in history to find this sight exiting. Nevertheless, it is a fine collection of stone walls from a bronze-age town – about 1800-1000 BC. The evidence shows, that it was once a center for copper production and was connected to the sea. Then some major earthquake happened, the waterways got silted up, and that was the end of the town. Of course, all this is not apparent when walking around on the almost deserted site today. There haven't been any excavation going on since 1974, but maybe one day the site will be fully uncovered.

While Kyrenia has the pretty setting and cute harbour, Famagusta has the grand historical buildings. The city flourished in the early 14th century, when it suddenly became one of the most important city in the eastern Mediterranean. Since then it got sacked numerous times throughout history. Luckily, there are still some fine sights left, which include the ancient Venetian city wall and the cathedral-turned-mosque of Lala Mustafa Pasha. The cathedral was original built during Famagusta's heyday, but got damaged during the Ottoman invasion in 1571 and then right afterwards converted to a mosque by having a minaret added - all of which can be seen today.

Below pine covered hillsides lies the crescent-shaped Konnos Beach. Though it's a popular beach for locals, it is a great alternative to the even more crowded beaches in Ayia Napa.

The Kykkos Monastery in the Troodos Mountians is a working orthodox monastery with beautiful friscos and a fine icon museum. Though it looks very modern, it was founded in end of the 11th century, but has been burn down countless times throughout history. No structure of the current monastery predates the last fire in 1891. Beside being a popular pilgrim site for locals, it's also swarmed by resort tourists from the coast.

Picturesque Kyrenia (in Turkish Girne) is Northern Cyprus' little gem. It's an ancient town with a cute harbour on a backdrop of rugged mountains. Right next to the harbour rises the equal pretty 16th century castle of Kyrenia, which was built by the Venetians. Though the waterfront is Kyrenia's focal point, the maze of streets and back alleys in the Old Town is begging for a wander. As Kyrenia is the tourist capital of Northern Cyprus, there are plenty of hotels and restaurants.

Limassol is not only the second biggest city on Cyprus, but also a big resort town. Where Ayia Napa to the east is all about party, and Paphos to the west is more tranquil with great historical sights, Limassol is more cosmopolitan and classy. The long pretty waterfront is palm lined with bicycle tracks, playgrounds, and trendy cafes. The same classy renovation has Limassol's Old Town been through. For beaches, you need to head to the almost endless (at least if looking towards south) Lady's Mile Beach a few kilometres south of town, or Governor's Beach about 30 km to the east.

Built in 1750s as a monastery dedicated to St Barnabas, the Patron Saint of Cyprus, who was buried here. After the separation of the nation, the monastery was turned into an Icon museum, but the chapel with St. Barnabas grave is still here and is considered a pilgrimage site for Greek Orthodox.