• Golf. Cyprus may be a newcomer in the golf market but it is fast becoming a favourite with many travellers due to an improvement in facilities and, of course, its superb all-year round climate. The island now boasts three courses following the opening of Aphrodite Hills, without doubt the jewel in the Cyprus golfing crown.
Aphrodite Golf Club www.aphroditehills.com Aphrodire is a luxurious and casually elegant resort near Paphos. 18-hole Championship course Handicap certificate required; max 28 for men, 36 for Ladies. Carved out of groves of carob and olive trees on two high plateaux divided by a ravine, the course overlooks the Mediterranean with all but a few holes enjoying superb sea views
Secret Valley Golf Club www.cyprusgolf.com/sv Secret Valley is located 18 km east of Paphos and 49 km west from Limassol. 18 hole championship standard course Yardage 6120 m Par 72. Visitors Handicap certificate required (Max 28 for Men and 36 for Ladies). This prestigious course lies in a scenic valley with beautiful natural rock formations all around and large trees adding maturity to a relatively new course.
Tsada Golf Course www.cyprusgolf.com/tsada This course is located 15 km north-east from the city of Paphos. Set in the grounds of a 12th century monastery which lies in a gentle picturesque valley 550m above sea level. The course offers superb variety as no two holes are the same and is suitable for players of all abilities. The faiways are lined with thousands of trees & scattered with sand bunkers, the undulating greens have perfect putting surfaces.
• Diving. Around Cape Gkreko, the coastline becomes indented with rocky coves and small sandy beaches, so it is possible to enjoy snorkelling and scuba-diving. The Cyprus Federation of Underwater Activities email: cypf00@cmas.org telephone (22) 754 647 and Cydive www.cydive.com can provide information.
• Skiing. The centre of interest for Cyprus skiing is the Troodos Skiing Centre. The Cyprus Ski Club runs and maintains the facilities. Obviously, the small size of the island, coupled with the fact that snow rarely occurs below 4,000 feet, means that Troodos is not Courchevel, Aspen, or Stowe. The resort would seem really tiny compared to the traditional destination resorts of the west; four T-bar lifts, X trails, and a tiny 600-foot vertical drop. But it offers a very welcome skiing oasis. The resort is divided into two major parts that are interconnected, each served by two lifts.
Depending on the weather the season usually starts sometime in January and usually lasts through the end of March, though in some rare occasions it has lasted well into April. Unfortunately, there are quite frequent droughts, and sometimes the season is short, in 1997 the lifts were open only between early February and early March.
• Watersports. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy watersports such as, windsurfing and paragliding
• Hiking. Hike through the many unspoilt areas in Cyprus. Recommended nature trails include Atalante, Kaledonia and Persephone in the Troodos area and Aphrodite and Adonis in the Akamas area, with other trails in the forests of Machairas and Limassol.
• Feast of Kataklysmos (the Greek Orthodox Whitsun). Although celebrated throughout Cyprus, there is special enthusiasm in Larnaca, where crowds throng the shore for watersports, singing, dancing, eating and drinking.
• Limassol Wine Festival. In September, enjoy free wine during Limassol’s wine festival. During the pre-Lenten Carnival, Limassol also bursts into celebration, with bands, gaily decorated floats and dancing.
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