Cyprus is an almost perfect holiday for families. Small enough to get around easily, but densely packed with history, myth, legend and the fascinating influences of the many cultures who’ve called this lovely place home at one time or another.
It’s where Aphrodite was born (supposedly) has its own Mount Olympus. The city museums have collections which wouldn’t look out of place in Paris or Rome. Younger kids just love the beaches, the warm, friendly welcome-anywhere atmosphere and the general fuss that’s made of them everywhere. Teenagers get easily swept up in the rugged landscape, whether its walking behind waterfalls, climbing craggy peaks, delving deep into caves or biking for hours along the gorgeous and seemingly never-ending coast. Hot and dry in summer, warm and pleasant in winter, Cyprus is about the only European that can really guarantee December sunshine, so any time is a good time to go.
Temperatures between 75 and 85˚F from June to September. December temperatures of 68˚F.
Archaeologically Cyprus dates back 10,000 years.
The country was first settled by Mycenaean Greeks in the 2nd century BC and has strong legacies of Phoenician, Assyrian, Egyptian, Roman, Venetian, Ottoman and British.
Cyprus has three World Heritage sites: Choirokoitia, the Painted Churches in the Troodos Region and Paphos.
The largest and most visited national park is Troodos, covering over 20,000 acres, including the beautiful Troodos Mountains.
One of Europe’s top destinations for walking and biking, Cyprus is covered in well-marked, safe routes and most of them are helpfully themed for visitors.
Cyprus welcomes over 2 million visitors every year and places to stay cover all family budgets, from luxurious resorts with spas, golf courses and kids’ clubs to holiday villages, cozy apartments, charming traditional country houses and spacious family villas. The south coast from Larnaka to Paphos is best for beaches and family accommodation, within easy reach of the rest of the island, and close to both main airports.
Bicycle and walk as much as you can in Cyprus, nothing is more rewarding, especially with kids. Cities and towns are compact and easy to explore on foot. A car is an essential if you want to explore the interior of the country, travel to different beaches and see all the monuments and major attractions easily.