Larnaca

If you fancy a holiday that combines sun, sea, authentic local cuisine and a treasure trove of history, Larnaca could be just the ticket.

On top of its sociable Mediterranean lifestyle, modern infrastructure and traditional Cypriot charms, the surrounding area is heaving with archaeological sights.

Plus, for those who are partial to a spot of revelry, the clubbing capital of Ayia Napa is only a hop, skip and a podium-wiggle up the coast.

Larnaca itself is a pleasant resort town - predictably, hotels have sprouted all over, but it's still small enough to have retained plenty of traditional appeal.

There's a long beach at the centre, further sandy stretches to the south, and more along the curve of Larnaca Bay - a watersports haven - to the north.

Small shops, traditional tavernas and bars line the streets of the Old Town, beyond which the buzzing palm-fringed promenade of Finikoudes unfurls all the way from the harbour to a 17th-century Ottoman fort.

Plenty of pubs, restaurants and bouzouki bars make the promenade livelier still after sunset.

In between lounging on the beach or dallying in the warm waters, there are a host of historical diversions nearby. Take your pick from the 18th-century Kamares Aquaduct; an 11th-century Byzantine church in Kiti village; lofty Stavrovouni Monastery (still in business); excavations at the Neolithic settlement of Khirokitia; and Hala Sultan Tekke, one of the most important mosques in Muslim culture worldwide.

If you visit 50 days after Easter, you'll also be thrown headfirst into the town's annual five-day Cataclysmos festival, characterised by concerts, processions, and lots of cheerful friend-drenching at the local lake.