• Take a walking tour of the capital Nicosia and visit the Cyprus Museum, a storehouse of the island's archaeological treasures, the Folk Art Museum, the new Archbishop's Palace, St John's Cathedral, Byzantine churches, the Byzantine Museum/Makarios Cultural Centre and the Ömeriye Mosque.

• From Nicosia, go on an excursion to the Royal Tombs and Agios Irakleidios Monastery at Tamassos, the five-dome church and the mosque in Peristerona, and the Panagia Chrysospiliotissa Church, in a cliff-side cave near Deftera.

• In the resort town of Larnaca, visit: the Agios Lazaros Church and its associated Byzantine Museum; Larnaca Fort; the District Archaeological Museum; the Pierides Museum (a private archaeological museum); the Natural History Museum; the Tornaritis-Pierides Palaeontology Museum; and the scant ruins of ancient Kition.

• Near Larnaca's airport enjoy the Hala Sultan Tekke, a historic mosque standing in beautiful gardens on the edge of Larnaca Salt Lake (dry in summer), a winter home of migratory flamingos.

• In the hills to the west venture to the village of Lefkara, famous for its handmade lace, and the Convent of Agios Minas. Off the Limassol-Nicosia road are the hilltop Stavrovouni Monastery, and the Crusader-era Chapelle Royal near Pyrga. 

• Head for Limassol Castle which stands guard over the old harbour and houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum. There is also a Folk Art Museum, the Limassol District Archaeological Museum and, in the Municipal Gardens, a small zoo.

• In the ancient city of Kourion, on a steep hillside near Episkopi, discover a superbly sited Graeco-Roman theatre where concerts and Shakespearean plays are performed in summer. See also the House of Eustolios, which has beautiful mosaics; the Acropolis; the ruins of the Roman-era forum; and the Christian Basilica.

• Beyond Kourion to the west are the city's ancient stadium and the Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis. All of these sites lie within the Akrotiri-Episkopi British Sovereign Base Area.

• Do not miss Pafos, the booming main town and year-round resort in the west. Pafos is rich in ancient sites, in particular a cluster of UNESCO-listed Roman villa remains near the harbour, among them the House of Dionysos and the Villa of Theseus, and the Tombs of the Kings.

• At the edge of the Akamas Peninsula, witness where, according to legend, the Greek goddess of love bathed at the Baths of Aphrodite, a grotto containing a freshwater pool.

• At Kouklia visit the ruins of ancient Palaia Pafos and the Temple of Aphrodite. At the coast is Petra tou Romiou (Rock of Aphrodite).

• Explore the scenery in the forested (or, more accurately, reforested) Troodos Mountains, which is spectacular. Platres, 1,200m (3,937ft) above sea level on the southern slopes, is the ideal base for excursions. It lies on the approaches to Mount Olympus, at 1,952m (6,404ft), the highest peak in Cyprus.

• Visit Omodos, a restored conservation village, which has the Stavros Monastery and a small Folk Art Museum. Foini is a centre of local craft pottery.

• Visit the nine Byzantine churches in the Troodos mountains listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites for their magnificently frescoed interiors. 

• In the north, visit the Venetian harbour town of Gime or the quaint harbour at Kyrenia lined with fish restaurants selling the catch of the day.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.