Guides to Cyprus

Two days, one sea-facing base and roughly 180 km of driving: Limassol seafront, the Roman theatre at Kourion, the Paphos mosaics and a sunset at Aphrodite's Rock.

Seven days, three hotel bases and about 550 km of driving, from the Paphos mosaics and the Akamas to Troodos monasteries, Limassol wine villages and the divided capital.

Three days on the Cyprus coast for around €280 per person including a bed by the sea, using €1.50 city buses, €4 intercity coaches and archaeological sites that cost €2.50.

Three days on the sea done properly: a five-star beachfront base from €400 a night, a private Akamas boat day, Commandaria in the cellar and a tasting menu above the water.

A full day on the west coast for about €25 in entries and fares: UNESCO mosaics, rock-cut royal tombs, Coral Bay sand and Aphrodite's Rock on the way home.

The island's most confident city in a day: a €4.50 crusader castle, the 1.7 km Molos seafront, the Roman theatre at Kourion and wine villages 30 minutes uphill.

Europe's last divided capital in a day: Venetian walls, the €4.50 Cyprus Museum, the Ledra Street crossing and a 1572 caravanserai, all within a 5 km circle.

The north coast's horseshoe harbour, a castle with a 4th-century BC shipwreck inside, Bellapais Abbey and St Hilarion Castle, all within 40 minutes of the Nicosia crossing.

Escape the coast for a day at 1,952 m: ten UNESCO painted churches, the Caledonia Falls trail, Kykkos Monastery and villages ten degrees cooler than your beach.

Seven bases cover almost every version of a Cyprus trip, from the five-star Amathus strip in Limassol to the harbour hotels of Kyrenia. Expect €90 a night in Nicosia in winter and €500 on the Limassol seafront in August.

The sea holds above 22°C from June to November and the island claims around 320 sunny days a year. Here is what each month actually delivers, from €170 sea-view rooms in November to 40°C afternoons in Nicosia.

There are no trains, four motorways and a decent intercity bus network. Expect €30 to €50 a day for a hire car, €1.50 for a town bus ride and about 75 minutes from Paphos to Limassol.

Cyprus runs on the euro, cards work almost everywhere and a frappé on the Limassol seafront costs about €3.50. Budget €80 a day backpacking, €180 mid-range or €450 for a five-star sea-view stay.

Cyprus is one of the safest countries in the Mediterranean for visitors, with the real risks being the road, the sun and the sea rather than crime. Here are the 6 things that actually cause trouble, and the number to dial: 112.

A full Cypriot meze runs to more than 20 plates and costs €25 to €30 per person. Here are the dishes worth ordering, the ones worth travelling for, and where along the coast to find them.

From the covered municipal halls of Limassol and Nicosia to the fishing shelter at Potamos Liopetriou, these are the 8 markets worth setting an alarm for. Most trade before 1pm and almost all prefer cash.

You can eat extremely well here for under €10 a head: a loaded souvlaki pita is €5, a bakery breakfast €4 and a plate of home cooking in Nicosia's old town €8. Here are the 7 categories that deliver.

The sea is free, the walled towns are free, and the best gorge hike on the island costs nothing but petrol. Here are 30-plus ways to fill a week in Cyprus without paying admission.

Limassol runs the island's best night out, Nicosia has the smartest bars, and two famous strips are worth avoiding entirely. A candid guide to five nightlife scenes, with drink prices and closing times.

The west coast owns the sunset here — 12 places to watch it, from Aphrodite's Rock and the Akamas sea caves to Limassol rooftops and the Kyrenia harbour wall, with arrival times and parking notes.