Hoping to lure more vacationers to the island, the prestigious hotels of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) give their guests a dream-like vacation and treat them all as VIPs. The hotels are spread out around the beaches, allowing guests to enjoy the peace and quiet.

For those looking to mix fun-filled nights with relaxing days, KKTC's most popular hotels organize art events and night activities.
Hotel guests can attend some of these events free of charge. In the summer months, the beaches are as hot as Turkey's southern coast and they remain warm through the winter months too.

However, during all four seasons the air is clean and light. Kyrenia is a major center on the island, with a number of restaurants and bars dotting the Kyrenia Port. Shops are packed with visitors in the summer months, so best to head over in winter if you prefer the quiet.

It is impossible not to mention the shopping opportunities; one can find all the European and local brands alongside local handicrafts native to the island. No one should return home without picking up a nargile (water pipe) or tavla (backgammon) set. Gold jewelry, leather goods and silk are also sold at reasonable prices.

There are generally set prices and shopkeepers are not open to haggling. The silk and confectionaries, in particular, are of a high quality. If you want to take a journey to the past and acquaint yourself with the island's rich history, there are cultural tours designed especially for history buffs. Pick up a guide book and discover the beauty and culture the island has to offer.

Last year the largest haul of looted, centuries-old church icons, frescoes and mosaics ever repatriated to Cyprus were received after a nearly four-decade journey. The newly received antiquities make the historical sites and museums even more enticing.

In fact, Museum Director Ioannis Eliades told the Associated Press, "No monetary value can be put on the items, including fragments of a 1,500-year-old mosaic depicting a clean-shaven St. Thomas and 1,100-yearold frescoes of unidentified saints." If you want to have an unparalleled vacation without breaking the bank, you may want to make an early reservation where you can score a discount of up to 35 percent.