The beautiful Mediterranean island of Cyprus is becoming quite a popular destination with Maltese travellers.

Blessed with over 300 days of sunshine each year, natural beauty and friendly inhabitants, Cyprus is a great destination for winter visitors. Wherever you go, the Cypriots encourage you to explore their world and, in a short while, they make you feel like one of their own. The best way to discover Cyprus is by car; roads are very well sign-posted in English and driving is on the same left-hand side, as in Malta.

Petra tou Romiou

The island has over 400 miles of stunning coastline; however, its beyond-the-beach offering is worth discovering. No trip to Cyprus is complete without spending time touring the villages around the Troodos Mountains. The quiet pace will lure you towards all sorts of delightful sights – from the healing sulphur springs of Kalopanagiotis and the calm waters that gurgle beneath the arched Tzelefos Bridge, to the splendour of Kykkos Monastery.

Sprinkled across the rural landscape are a whole host of picture perfect villages, with welcoming inhabitants and excellent wine­ries. Just drop in and taste.

Sprinkled across the rural landscape are a whole host of picture perfect villages, with welcoming inhabitants and excellent wineries

Steeped in age-old customs, every area has its own secrets to tell. A real haven for archaeology lovers, countless days out can also be spent ogling ancient sites, from the awe inspiring Kourion Theatre to the intricate Unesco world heritage mosaics in Paphos. A visit to Petra tou Romiou will give you the chance to see the very spot where the goddess of love and beauty was born. Make a love wish.

Ancient Venetian bridge in the Troodos Mountains.

With a beautiful beachfront promenade lined with graceful palm trees that frame the entrances of dozens of cafes and bistros, Larnaca offers some fascinating historical attractions, such as the stunning Byzantine Agios Lazaros (Church of Saint Lazarus), a gorgeous 10th century stone church. Located next door is Saint Lazaros Byzantine Museum.

Larnaca is home to many mi­gratory birds, including some 10,000 pink flamingos that flock the coastline between February and April –  great sight to photograph.

But Cyprus isn’t just about the glories of the past, its pulsating contemporary towns offer all the excitement of glamorous restaurants sitting side by side with trendy boutiques, as well as winding old streets dotted with quaint taverns, buzzing cafés and cosy wine bars.

Paphos

The local cuisine is traditional and rich in fresh ingredients.

For a sumptuous meze of endless dips, halloumi, salads, stuffed vegetables, baked moussaka, lamb casseroles and warm atmosphere, you must head out to a village tavern where meals come at even more reasonable prices.

If you are looking for a countryside escape, one can enjoy a relaxing stay at a quaint hotel tucked away in one of the picturesque villages. There are rooms equipped with a fireplace and a Jacuzzi to really let the stress of weeks or months wash away.

Many villages are idyllic desti­nations for agrotourism, offering traditional houses and apartments with terraces, swimming pools, and modern comforts.

Getting there

Emirates recently announced its Economy Class low fare offer starting from €143 per person, inclusive of taxes. Tickets can be purchased by February 28 for outbound travel until December 31.

Kykkox Monastery

With Emirates daily scheduled flights between Malta and Larnaca, Cyprus is becoming more and more attractive for couples looking for a relaxing holiday. The flight duration is just over two hours and tra­vellers can enjoy Emirates world-class service and comfort onboard, gourmet cuisine and Ice inflight entertainment system with over 2,500 channels from movies, TV, music and games.

Passengers also enjoy baggage allowance of up to 35kg in Economy, 40kg in Business and 50kg in First Class.

The Malta-Larnaca-Dubai flight is operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class.

Further information and bookings are available online, from travel agencies or directly from the Emirates Sales Office at MIA (Departures Lounge) by calling on 2557 7255.

Select travel agencies are offering holiday packages starting from €253 per person inclusive of flights, taxes and three nights’ accommodation in a four-star hotel on bed and breakfast basis and in a twin-sharing room. Similar holiday packages in a five-star hotel start from €280 per person. These packages are valid for sales until February 28 for the travel period till March 31.

www.emirates.com/mt