Cyprus is a deeply enjoyable holiday island that boasts myriad charms year round. Within one compact and sweepingly attractive island are a variety of rich landscapes and eclectic travel experiences. Cyprus as a destination is not just about its (admittedly very attractive and impressively clean) beaches, as it also offers skiing and hiking in its voluminous mountains, charming hilltop villages and vine-blessed slopes with nearby towns where you can sample the seriously underrated Cypriot wine. Then there is the sweep of Roman and Greek remnants that scatter the island and sit dramatically amongst its coast and mountains. Moving into the towns and cities, there is a dash of Mediterranean swagger to go with the bright lights and buzzing nightlife. The rich story of the island can be traced back over 10,000 years. Like many Mediterranean islands, Cyprus has long been seen as an important strategic base with various civilisations having swept through over the years from the Ottoman Turks to the British, the Greeks to the Romans.