7 nights at the 4*Palm Beach Hotel from £538, including flights in May

Spring is one of the best times to visit Cyprus as the temperatures are not too hot and the island is in full bloom. The re-opening of the 4* Palm Beach Hotel (www.palmbeachhotel.com), one of the best hotels on the outskirts of Larnaka, earlier this month offers visitors the chance to stay in luxurious surroundings, whilst exploring this pretty region in all its springtime glory.

Here is a roundup of what to do and see over the coming months:

Super Spring Walks - Walking is a great way to explore and during the spring it's like walking through a carpet of colour with flowers everywhere. Visitors will be spoilt for choice with the many nature trails in the countryside and mountain areas, as well as the city and village walks that combine nature with culture. These are some of the best walks in the area:

• Kionia – Prophet Elias: A trail that is 7kms long and takes about three hours to complete, passing though the Prophet Elias Monastery with its natural spring.
• Larnaka – Voroklini Beach Trail: A long but comfortable walk of several kilometres, parallel to the coast of Larnaka towards Voroklini and Pyla, awarded an international architectural prize for its stone – cement - wood - pier construction.
• The Salt Lake Nature Trail: This 4km trail has two starting points; at the Kamares Aqueduct and the salt collection plateau and is part of the European Walking Route E4.
• The Pattichio Park Trail: A large natural park with an amphitheatre in the middle, which is part of the greater Salt Lake Park and lit in the evenings.

Donkey Festival – 9th and 10th May -Celebrating the humble donkey that has played a very significant role in the history of the island, the Donkey Festival is now in its second year, after the event was hugely popular when it launched last year. It takes place at Golden Donkey's Farm in Skarinou village and offers a mix of children's activities, stalls of traditional, homemade Cypriot food, and other donkey-related attractions, ideal for families to enjoy a great day out. The programme includes demonstrations of traditional professions (such as olive milling), the tasting of local products, a concert of music and dance, and of course, the opportunity to take a donkey ride. There is a gift shop with donkey-milk food and beauty products, a restaurant that will be serving traditional food, and stalls of homemade, traditional Cypriot food and drink, including halloumi cheese, biscuits and bread.

Golden Donkeys Farm is set across nine acres of countryside in Skarinou and is home to around 100 donkeys ranging from new-borns to 'pensioners' (50 years old), and takes in stray/abandoned donkeys, offering them a safe haven.

Beach Life – there are miles and miles of beautiful beaches that are a paradise for water lovers including the Yannathes Beach in Voroklini, which is a Blue Flag beach and the famous Foinikoudas seafront in the centre of Larnaka which has just had its promenade spruced up for spring. Improvements include the repaving and attractive new abstract-boat benches in Europe Square – located at the start of the strip by the old Colonial buildings, and new lighting along its length. The promenade is a great place for an evening stroll and also the place to catch many performances throughout the year on the new look Seafront Stage.

New Discoveries at the Ancient City of Kition -Kition is the oldest inhabited town in the island and the first organized settlement in the area dating back to the beginning of the 13th century BC. The archeological site is located just on the outskirts of Larnaka and it's a must-see for history lovers. New treasures have recently been discovered by a French archeological team and the findings unveiled in a lecture at the Pierides Museum. These include the presence of a Phoenician sanctuary and a military harbour, and at the site of Pervolia, work has concentrated on the exploration of Archaic and Classical tombs (8th-4th centuries B.C.). A second lecture will take place at the museum on 22nd April detailing the excavations, the exciting discoveries and the fascinating insight they offer into ancient Larnaka.

Factbox

To enjoy all that the Larnaka region has to offer stay at the 4* Palm Beach Hotel & Bungalows located on the coast just outside Larnaka. This popular hotel  has been extensively renovated and boasts exotic spacious gardens, offers five star facilities and services, including the Wellness Centre, where guests can recharge their batteries with a range of specialised massages and holistic therapies, plus sauna, Jacuzzi and steam bath.

A week's stay at the Palm Beach Hotel in May is from £735 per room based on two people sharing a garden room and including breakfast. To book the Palm Beach direct on T: +357 24846600 or log onto www.palmbeachhotel.com

Flights with Easyjet to Larnaka are from £170 return from London Gatwick in May. UK tour operator packages also available through: AITO specialists Classic Collection Holidays and Planet Holidays, as well as Thomas Cook and jet2holidays with a selection of regional airport departures including flights from Scotland, Olympic Holidays and Cyplon Holidays.

For more information on Larnaka visit larnakaregion.com

ENDS: Media enquiries to Marlen Taffarello on 01780 460145 or 07789533791 and email marlen@fcdcom.co.uk