Where to stay in Cyprus: the best areas and hotels

Paphos wears its history lightly. The harbour, with its little medieval fort, is ringed by cafés; the Roman mosaics of the archaeological park and the rock-cut Tombs of the Kings are a short stroll away; and the ancient town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It faces west, so evenings end with the sun sinking into the sea.

The hotels are among the island's best, from a beachfront five-star beside the Tombs of the Kings to adults-only hideaways on Blue Flag beaches and an all-inclusive with its own adults-only wing. North of town, Coral Bay has the softest sand, while Minthis and the golf resorts sit in the hills inland. Paphos airport is only about 12 km from the seafront.

Ayia Napa made its name as the island's party town, and the bars around the main square and Bar Street still rage until sunrise in high summer. But the beaches are the real stars: Nissi Beach is a famously photogenic arc of white sand and shallow turquoise water, and the coast east of town runs out to the sea caves and cliffs of Cape Greco.

Choose carefully and you won't hear a beat. Five-stars on Nissi Bay and near the fishing harbour suit families and couples, and there's a growing crop of adults-only and couples-only hotels. Larnaca airport is about 45 km away.

Protaras is Ayia Napa's calmer sibling, just up the coast. Its beaches are small, sheltered and gorgeous, none more so than Fig Tree Bay, where the water is so clear the boats seem to hover, and Konnos Bay, tucked beneath the cliffs near Cape Greco. A coastal path links the coves.

It's the island's family favourite, with shallow water, low-key evenings and a strip of good resorts a short walk from the sand, plus adults-only options such as Sunrise Jade for couples. Pernera, to the north in Paralimni, adds a quieter run of beach hotels, and Ayia Napa's clubs are a short taxi ride away when you want them.

Limassol is Cyprus at its most cosmopolitan. A sleek marina and a long seafront promenade lead to an old town of tavernas, wine bars and a castle, and the restaurant scene is the island's best. West of the city lie the clifftop ruins of Kourion and the vineyards of the Troodos foothills.

Most of the big hotels sit along the coast east of the centre, around ancient Amathus, many with gardens running down to the shore. Stay closer to town for nightlife and walking, further out for space and calm. Larnaca and Paphos airports are both roughly 45 minutes away.

Larnaca is the island's most relaxed town and its main arrival point, with the airport a short drive from the centre. Life revolves around the Finikoudes promenade, a row of palms, cafés and bars facing a sandy town beach, with the medieval fort and the Church of Saint Lazarus close by. In winter, flamingos gather on the salt lake near the airport.

Hotels range from apartments a stroll from Finikoudes to five-star beach resorts such as Golden Bay outside town, on a long sandy shore. It's not the island's most beautiful resort, but it is a practical, good-value base for exploring both ends of Cyprus, with the capital and the eastern beaches within easy reach.

Nicosia is the island's capital and its most intriguing city. Venetian walls ring the old town, whose lanes are full of craft shops, coffee houses and churches, and a short walk through the checkpoint on Ledra Street takes you into the north of the divided city.

There's no beach, so it suits a city break or a few nights of culture rather than a holiday. Hotels are smart and central, from a big Hilton to small boutique places within walking distance of the old town and the Byzantine Museum.