Welcome to Cyprus, an island of legends that basks year-round in the light of the warm Mediterranean sun.
A storied past 10,000 years long has seen civilizations come and go and the likes of everyone from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra stake their claim here - but then, people do tend to get possessive when faced with such beauty. Aphrodite made her home in Cyprus, and travellers throughout antiquity came here just to pay her tribute.

Today Cyprus is a modern country that effortlessly marries European culture with ancient enchantment. Here you will discover a compact world of alluring beaches and fragrant mountain peaks, vineyards studded with olive trees and ancient ruins that stir the imagination, citrus groves and old stone villages where sweet wine flows as freely as conversations at the local cafe. A carefree place where a sense of timelessness is magnified by the kindness of the people.

Cyprus tucked away in the top right hand corner of the Mediterranean, is so close to Europe, Asia and Africa that it rightly, claims to be a stepping stone to three continents. An island whose rich dramatic history can be traced back over nine thousand years; an island so coveted over the centuries that it has been invaded and claimed by a fascinating mixture of civilizations from near and far all of which have left their culture and shaped its character. An island whose archaeology stems from the Neolithic Age, the Ancient Greeks and the Roman period; where churches and monasteries still stand from Byzantine times; castles and palaces from the days of Crusaders and Frankish Lusignans and splendid city walls from Venetian days. An island chosen by the mythical gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece who indulged themselves here in sport pleasure and tragedy; where Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty, emerged from the Paphos foam to become a famous cult figure - centre of attraction for the first visitors who flocked to the island to worship her. With such a historic and legendary background it is hardly surprising that Cyprus has developed a character that is quite unique. It is blessed with beauty, natural beauty that ranges from golden beaches. The Great Goddess of Cyprus may still be present all over "the Sweet Land of Cyprus" where love so easily springs up among the beauty of the landscape, the mildness of the climate and the charm of its people.

The third largest island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus stretches 150 miles (240 km) from the west coast to its easternmost tip and 60 miles (96 km) from north to south. Two imposing mountain ranges act as a dramatic backcloth to the sweeping central Mesaoria plain. There are six major towns Nicosia, the capital situated inland in the middle of the Mesaoria plain, and the 5 coastal towns of Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Kyrenia and Famagusta. The latter two, in the north and east respectively, have been under Turkish occupation since 1974 and are inaccessible to visitors. Cyprus's landscape is one of infinite contrasts, from its fertile central plain to the cool vine-clad foothills; the majesty of the cedar valley in which wild indigenous mouflon roam; mile after mile of sandy shores with secluded beaches to seek out, and hundreds of villages to explore each with its own tradition and charm. The climate of Cyprus never fails to delight her visitors, and every season has a charm and beauty of its own.