Cyprus' Hotel City of Dreams delivers 27C temperatures and showstopping room features
In early spring, the island is a rich green jewel in the turquoise sea – an impossibly lush landscape covered with beautiful wildflowers. By the end of May, temperatures will hit 27C and the grass will start to dry out, leaving the dry and yellow landscape the island is better known for. The cooler 18C weather is perfect for making the most of island life and exploring the history and myth of the birthplace of Aphrodite – the goddess of love and beauty.
With so much beauty around, it's fitting to arrive at the sweeping City of Dreams Mediterranean resort near Limassol with azure pools wrapping around a premium hotel and Europe 's grandest casino.
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STYLE: Elegance is the order of the day with 500 five-star rooms and world-class suites with walk-through wardrobes, dressing areas and showstopper bathrooms with huge tubs.
Every room has a large balcony where you can take in the citrus-fragranced breeze from nearby orange and lemon groves while gazing at the scenic views across Akrotiri Salt Lake where pink flamingos migrate from Africa and to the long sandy Lady's Mile beach and twinkling sea beyond. There are four different pools to enjoy whether you're after a relaxing day at the adults-only swim-up bar or couples with children will love the exciting water slides and playful fountains on offer.
After getting your vitamin D hit, a few hours of tranquillity can be found at the Renu Spa where the saunas, steam room and icy cold plunge pool will loosen you up just in time for a massage that will leave you on cloud nine.
After hours, be sure to dress up for dinner as Las Vegas-style glamour is abundant at the majestic open casino in the centre of the hotel. Grab a cocktail and soak in the atmosphere with high-stakes gaming tables and designer shopping on site – it's great for people-watching.
FOOD AND DRINK: You're spoilt for choice when it comes to elegant dining with four signature restaurants and three casual dining spots to enjoy. Amber Dragon offers Pan-Asian food for a very swanky night out indeed.
Start with sushi which the chef will prepare at the breathtaking sushi bar, where everything is created right in front of you. Next, select a delicacy from the open-view cooking area where a specialty wood-fired Peking duck oven is fuelled with local carob tree wood.
The wood oven barbecue also produces the best crispy pork belly – sweet, savoury and melt in the mouth. Elsewhere, the Prime Steakhouse is the jewel in the crown where sharing steaks are carved at your table with everything from tomahawk to porterhouse available served with classic sides including creamy spinach and truffled fries. Set aside a few hours to truly indulge and be sure to make the most of the in-house sommelier for the perfect wine pairing.
For a taste of Cyprus, head to Aura where both buffet and a la carte options are available all day. Enjoy a traditional mezze with tzatziki, houmous, halloumi and more served with warm pita bread before rounding off your meal with freshly caught sea bass seared to perfection.
WHILE YOU'RE THERE: After a few days luxuriating in a modern resort, it's easy to forget 13,000 years of history on the island. For a quick culture hit take a 20-minute drive to Ancient Kourion on a hilltop overlooking the sea to the south-west of the island where you'll find a glorious amphitheatre which dates back to the second-century BC.
The Greco Roman theatre played ancient Greek tragedies and comedies before later becoming home to Roman animal fighting and gladiator games. To this day, the theatre is one of the venues for the International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama every summer and has incredible acoustics – stand in the middle and speak at normal volume to hear your voice projected around a grand semicircle of stone seats.
Next to the theatre you can visit the ruins of a 5th-century AD villa with dazzling mosaics and Roman baths with a complicated network of 30 rooms dedicated to relaxation showing Cypriots have known how to enjoy the finer things in life for centuries.
A DAY OUT: For a taste of local life, the quaint village of Omodos is just a 40-minute drive away in the Troodos Mountains.
A traditional Cypriot town where you can wander the cobbled streets, taste local fine wines from the heart of the wine-producing region and visit the beautiful monastery founded in 1592. But the real draw is a traditional lunch at Katoi restaurant where Cypriot cuisine is served with a twist.
Food is served family style and expect to spend at least a couple of hours sampling mouth-wateringly fresh
local produce. Start off with a mix of mezze including Greek salad, kefalotyri cheese and loukaniko sausage served with olive oil and oregano pita along with Kalamata olives and fresh dips.
Grilled dishes follow, including octopus, pork Kontosouvli, chicken kebab and Cypriot lamb chops. My favourite included the beetroot and green apple salad with walnuts and fresh mint dressing. You won't leave empty-handed either, a doggy bag for leftovers is a must.
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