sunshine

IT WAS a classic case of Brits abroad. You and 10,000 mates go on a mission and end up on a party island in the Med.

Richard the Lionheart laid claim to the first sunlounger in Cyprus 800 years ago.

And while many travel trends have since passed, nothing tops the 340 days of sunshine this country sees per year.

My family and I were staying at Louis Phaethon Beach hotel, the last resort on the strip to the east of town, which is geared up for enjoying the endless rays.

The 4H hotel is a 400-plus rooms, all-inclusive mecca for families with children.

By the time we arrived gone 11pm the staff were still buzzing.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

We were greeted by huge smiles and cold beer, and escorted straight past reception and into the buffet area to check in and fuel our late-night hunger.

Kids’ corner covers all the pizza, pasta and nugget needs for less adventurous youngsters, while there’s a full selection of traditional Greek delights for seafood and meat-loving grown-ups.

And here was every beer fan’s dream, an unlimited supply of draught lager.

You could help yourself to as much Keo, the local brew, as you could handle.

Within moments, you’ll be showboating as you try to top off the perfect foaming pint.

Non-beer drinkers needn’t fret. They’ve got the all-inclusive cocktails nailed, too — and can knock up a round of pina coladas quicker than a racecar pitstop.

The 4-star hotel is a 400-plus rooms all-inclusive mecca for families with children

When it comes to getting some kip, the adjoining rooms are great for families in need of space.

Ours came with the usual mini-fridge, as well as balconies overlooking vast pool areas, a beach bar and the shimmering eastern Mediterranean.

Being right on the beach is a huge perk, and you can follow the coast all the way to the Paphos Promenade.

The stroll is 2.5 miles in total, taking you past neighbouring hotels and along the harbour to Paphos Castle. For 2.50 euros you can get an even better view.

Climbing to the rooftop of the Byzantine fortress, we were treated to impressive sights of the calm sea and Paphos Archaeological Park, with its ancient temples and sand-coloured pillars that date back to Roman times.

The UNESCO site is steeped in history, and you can actually walk inside the ruins in the footsteps of antiquity.

It’s made up of a huge collection of sites, from the Odeon amphitheatre and mosaics to Forty Columns castle, all set in a dusty landscape criss-crossed with boulders and crumbled city walls.

A relatively modern lighthouse shines from its centre, which overlooks the neighbouring Tombs of the Kings.

It wasn’t actually home to any kings, but you can certainly unleash your inner Indiana Jones exploring the 4th century crypts and tunnels carved out of rock.

If you’ve got the legs, walk up into Old Town Paphos.

It has been regenerated, with beautiful terracotta rooftops and terraces.

You’ll also get a better value bite to eat than down at the harbour.

Beach bar Karkoloues is owned by none other than Demetrios “Demi” Demetriou aka Stavros Flatley who handles much of the cocktail making

The kids discovered their favourite beach spot, which featured a celebrity guest star.

Beach bar Karkoloues is owned by none other than Demetrios “Demi” Demetriou, half of Britain’s Got Talent’s Stavros Flatley, who handles much of the cocktail making.

He’ll pose for a selfie in return for a small donation to charity.

The bar is worth a visit, with 300 loungers in a sheltered bay. There’s no better place to catch the sunset.

For something more energetic, head up the Trodos Mountains, Cyprus’s largest range. We’d booked a 4×4 tour through TUI Musement, with lunch included.

A specially extended 110 Defender takes ten passengers to places only a 25-year-old Land Rover with 1million km on the tacho can go.

Our driver Rickos roared the TD5 up to Dipotamos Dam — a sobering sight with its perilously low water levels after months of drought.

We then headed through a winding mountainside track into Mesa Potamos Forest to see its roaring waterfalls.

Lunch was in a gorgeous village taverna followed by a tasting at LionSpirit winery.

Try their Azure Lion blue special — it’s the new rose for Haribo lovers.

The final stop was a wander around the cobbled streets of Omodos village to marvel at its monastery.

If you’re looking for a place to fully unwind, the 5H Royal Apollonia in Limassol has less of a family atmosphere, but is a haven for grown-ups.

Part of the Louis Hotels’ elegant collection, it is about an hour’s drive east from Paphos.

It is one of the oldest in the city, a bustling Monaco-style metropolis.

Refurbished in 2023, the 204-room resort has as many business clients as tourists.

Refurbished in 2023, the 204-room resort has as many business clients as tourists.

But they all receive the same impeccable service.

It has pools, gym, spa, sauna — plus three restaurants and a poolside bar.

It also has its own private beach, with soft sands and crystal-clear waters.

Its manager, Dr Harry K Georgiou, began his career at Louis Hotels 25 years ago.

His philosophy has always been happy staff means happy guests.

And that’s why Louis guests keep coming back to the Island of the Lionheart.

LOUISE Redknapp sizzles in skimpy bikini as she soaks up some winter sun whilst relaxing on a lavish holiday.

The singer and TV presenter, 51, is seeing the new years in with a girls trip to Dubai ‘before getting back to business’.  

Louise stunned as she uploaded a series of sultry snaps to her Instagram page, stripping down to a mini black bikini, showing off her toned figure.

The mom-of-two wore a crochet cover-up with a plunging neckline which exposed her bikini top as she posed in various pics outside Summersalt Beach Club.

She accessorised her stunning look with a designer Prada handbag, a chic pair of black sunglasses and some brown sandals. 

In a clip posted along with the photo dump, Louise can be seen happily dancing up a path and beaming ear to ear. 

READ MORE ON LOUISE REDKNAPP

Undivided love

Louise Redknapp makes red carpet debut with her new boyfriend Drew Michael

red hot

Louise Redknapp shows off her amazing figure in red swimsuit

She captioned the post: “Loving a bit of Winter sun, soaking it in before getting back to business xxx”

Fans flooded the comments gushing over the star with a barrage of sweet compliments, one user said: “You look amazing (heart emoji).”

“Proving that winter still shines,” penned another, whilst a third added: ”Flawless (fire emoji)”

“You look stunning,” chimed a fourth.

A fifth penned: “Looking absolutely stunning Louise (heart emoji).”

The singer, once voted one of the sexiest women in the world during the 90s, stunned in her previous holiday posts. 

Sharing her incredible dining experiences at high-end restaurants KIRA and Nobu, she put on a gorgeous display in her evening outfits. 

As Louise showed off her expensive spread of food and cocktails, fans flooded the comments reeling over the star’s fashion. 

On both occasions she had opted for two eye-catching cardigans which she styled with trousers and heels.

But the former Eternal star hasn’t always been this confident, last year Louise opened up about how her appearance and confidence issues held her back during her career.

Like millions of other women, she has battled with skin conditions and worries about being photographed when she least expected it.

These concerns about how she looked left her struggling to live in the moment and enjoy things fully, with her confidence nose diving after having children once a skin issue flared up.

Louise said: “There’s been lots of times in life that maybe being worried of how I looked has held me back from really living in the moment and enjoying things.

“Every moment being on the beach, worrying that somebody might take a picture of you in an unflattering angle – I spent most of my holidays lying flat in the hope that no one would spot me.”

These feelings weren’t helped by her struggles with pigmentation in her skin tone, which was at its worst in her twenties, causing her confidence to plummet.

She said: “I said that I looked like I had the world map on my face.

“The pigmentation that I suffered with after having my first child saw one dermatologist say it was the worst they had seen in a really long time.

“And it really affected my confidence, because on one hand, I was so happy having this gorgeous baby, and on the other hand, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my face.”