We're going to be in Limassol next month, and are interested in a "mountains and beaches" holiday around Cyprus. Can you suggest day trips offered by local travel companies?
Travel Tips&Advice
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There's plenty to choose from, if you know what you want to do. If you're looking to soak up culture, try the "Paphos and Kourion" tour by Cyprus Tours (www.toursincyprus.com). The eight-hour trip includes visits to the ancient city of Kourion and Aphrodite's Rock. In Paphos, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site, you'll explore the St Solomoni catacombs, the Pillar of St Paul and the House of Dionysus for its amazingly preserved mosaics depicting scenes from Greek mythology. The return journey winds through the village of Yeroskipou, stopping for a taste of traditional cuisine. The excursion costs from US$65 (Dh238) per adult and $36 (Dh132) per child, including transfers and taxes.
Cyprus Tours also organises cruises to Cape Gata, at the tip of Akrotiri peninsula - accessible only by sea - for snorkelling and majestic views of cliffs and sea caves.. The six-hour cruise costs $69 (Dh254) per adult and $34.5 (Dh127) per child, and includes lunch and transfers.
New Horizons (www.windowonscyprus.com) runs adventure trips right through the year to various places of interest around Cyprus; the most popular are Akamas Peninsula, the Troodos mountains and Kykkos Monastery. A "safari" from Limassol to Troodos and Kykkos costs around $85 (Dh313) per person, including lunch and transport.
Korona Tours & Travel (www.koronatours.com; 00 357 24 647 650) has a staggering number of expeditions on offer, both regular and off-beat, from sea safaris ($113; Dh415) per person to balloon flights over Paphos (price on request) and "clay-pigeon shooting" ($113 [Dh415], including 25 "birds"). There's also tuna fishing ($100 [Dh367]), an offer available until September.
For information on getting around Cyprus and important tourist sites, visit the Cyprus Tourist Organisation website, www.visitcyprus.com.