Holidays with children all the time demand a unavoidable estimate of planning and juggling. Using a holiday villa as a base can be the perfect solution, providing more flexibility and independence than a hotel and letting kids rule into a homelike environment without the loud bars and parties of some resorts.
In coarse with most southern European and Mediterranean societies, children are immensely favorite with Cypriots and will commonly be welcome in most environments. Baby food, nappies and generic childhood medicines are as easy to come by as in any Western country, while in southern Cyprus organic and salt-free food and dairy products are increasingly available if you're trying to keep your kids on the healthiest possible diet.
Beach Bikes
Most car rental agencies in Cyprus can contribute child car seats, although it's often requisite to book in advance, and the majority of restaurants and hotels are now smoke-free, in anticipation of a recently-voted ban on social smoking which is due to be enforced from January 2010. The main dangers that young children are likely to face on Cyprus are sunburn, jellyfish or insect stings and sea urchin spines, but as with any destination allowable trip assurance and, for Eu citizens, an Ehic card are sound investments. Older children are perhaps most likely to be a cause for concern if they succumb to the lure of the island's nightclubs and bars.
Cyprus's expanses of sandy beach and warm sea are likely to be sufficient to keep most children entertained for most of the midpoint holiday, but if more diversions are needed there are plenty of options. Destination cities such as Paphos have outlets which hire out family-ready bikes and buggies and some also have go-kart tracks and other ways to fill an afternoon, while some diving and watersports outfits run snorkelling or windsurfing lessons tailored to older children.
Tourist areas are well-equipped with entertainments like crazy golf, bowling and paintball, while Limassol has a mini-zoo and Paphos offers a bird park and aquarium. There is also a donkey sanctuary at Vouni where children can go for rides on rescued donkeys while adults enjoy the surrounding countryside and tiny cobbled streets of this once-deserted antique village, now restored. For a small annual fee, children can even 'adopt' a donkey to hear about after they leave Cyprus.
Eating out abroad with kids can often be a challenge, especially if they're encountering new foods for the first time, and Cyprus is not necessarily an exception. Some children will see octopus or strange vegetables as an spicy part of the adventure, but more will be horrified and seek relax in familiarity.
But in up-to-date years many Cypriot eateries - either chains or independents - have made the endeavor to contribute child-friendly environments and some, like Sienna in Chrorakas near Paphos, are happy to contribute off-menu items to please fussy tastes. Sienna, along with Sophie's Theme in Peyia, Colosseum in Kato Paphos and the Marzano mini-chain in Larnaca, Nicosia and Limassol, also emphasises the fact that fun, accessible food can also be healthy, so finding food that the kids enjoy doesn't have to mean resorting to burgers and fries.
Top Tips For Taking Children to Cyprus