5 Best Sights in Cyprus

The closest beach to Limassol's cruise ship port, Lady's Mile is a 7-km (4-mile) hard sand and pebble beach about a 15-minute drive from the center of town. Its shallow waters are popular with locals, especially on weekends. Bring your own umbrella if you'd like some shade, as well as insect repellent in the evenings. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: swimming.

The Larnaca Fort was originally built in the late 1300s and then rebuilt in 1625; during British colonial rule, it was used as a prison. Today it's mainly worth visiting for the lovely views of the sea. The small Medieval Museum is inside the fort and has finds from Hala Sultan Tekke and Kition.

The zoo has modern enclosures that use only stone, glass, wood, and rope. Both kids and adults will enjoy the Asian otters, Cyprus oxen, Egyptian geese, and Cuban boa constrictors, among a good variety of other mammals, birds, and reptiles (though no lions, tigers, or elephants here). To see the animals in action, check the zoo's website for specific feeding times.

The lush Municipal Gardens are a well-maintained oasis of greenery in the city, across from the Cyprus Museum.

About 7 km (4 miles) southwest of Larnaca, near the airport, is the 6½-square-km (2½-square-mile) Larnaca Salt Lake. It is a complex system of four main lakes, the main salt lake Alyki, Orphani, Soros, and the small Airport lake. In winter it's a refuge for migrating birds, especially flamingoes, and in summer it dries up with salt deposits. Though you can't walk on the lake itself, there are plenty of nature trails and picnic spots around it.