Cyprus in your heart

Cyprus, the southernmost island in the Eastern Mediterranean, offers year-round sunshine. The island has established itself as a quality destination with constant investment in tourism, welcoming 2.44 million in 2014. It is an island of contrasts with a history dating back 10,000 years. The island offers a variety of attractive landscapes, including golden sandy beaches, pine-forested mountains and picturesque villages still carrying on ancient traditions. The island is the perfect holiday in any season and for a diversity of tastes and interests. These can range from pure rest and relaxation, to walking in the mountains, exploring the many cultural attractions, golf, diving or bird watching.
Spring is an ideal time to visit Cyprus if you like to play golf or take a walk in the Troodos Mountains in the centre of the island, or explore the Akamas Peninsula in the west or Cape Greco to the east. It is also a time for watching the migration of flamingos from Africa to Europe and to see the unique flora and fauna of Cyprus - there are more than 1,700 flower species.
Summer provides the opportunity for families to make the most of the beautiful beaches and warm sea. There is a wide range of water sports on offer as well as theme water parks for all to enjoy. During the warm summer evenings you can experience the delights of eating out al fresco at one of the many delightful restaurants.
Autumn in Cyprus is still warm enough to enjoy a late summer holiday as the sea is still warm. The climate is also perfect for exploring the island by car and visiting some of the interesting historical and cultural sites, with a backdrop of the beautiful changing colours of autumn. Visitors can enjoy a jeep safari to see places off the beaten track or try their hand at sub-aqua activities.
Winter is the season for those who enjoy tranquillity and want to take things at their own pace. Cyprus is the southern-most island in the Mediterranean with temperatures reaching the low 60s in December and January. Hotels in Cyprus are of a very high standard and in fact some of the best hotels in the region can be found in the country. You can expect a high level of quality and service with most offering great facilities such as indoor swimming pools, spas, health and beauty treatments and entertainment programmes. Visitors can choose from a variety of activities, such as walking, cycling and skiing. The unique advantage of Cyprus is its compact size, which offers a variety of experiences within easy reach. There is a wide range of special interest activities to cater for every taste and the friendliness and hospitality of the Cypriots enhances the holiday experience of visitors.
Nature: The environment has lent itself to the creation of a number of nature trails and cycling routes. Seven beverage routes have been developed in partnership with the EU to promote the island's long tradition on beverage production. In addition, the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative, set up in conjunction with the Travel Foundation, has organised a series of six village routes to encourage visitors to 'Discover the real Cyprus' and to promote the protection of the environment so that future holidaymakers can continue to enjoy the island.
Diving: Enthusiasts can enjoy spectacular sea caves and tunnels, a dazzling array of marine life, and the Zenobia, one of the top 10 wreck sites in the world. Five new marine parks have been created recently, to add to the existing 200 dive sites, offering more choice for divers to explore its marine life and wrecks.
Golf: The island boasts four first-class, 18-hole golf courses in the Pafos region. The island's mild year-round climate makes it an ideal golf destination, even during the winter months.
Conferences: Cyprus has gained a reputation as a first- class meetings destination. Hotels are constantly being upgraded to maintain their high standards. The Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia has been refurbished with capacity for 800 delegates, and boasts a modern media centre. Professional destination management companies (DMCs) are on hand to assist with every aspect of the organisation of meetings and events in Cyprus.
Sustainable Cyprus: The island continues to develop new ideas for sustainable tourism in partnership with the Travel Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative. Recent projects include the 'Greening Cyprus Beaches' project in Agia Napa and the sustainable Hotel Gardens programme. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) became the first organisation in the world to introduce mandatory sustainability standards for hotels. As part of an initiative, developed in partnership with the CSTI and The Travel Foundation, Cypriot hotels will need to meet minimum standards for waste production; energy, water and chemical saving.