Arts trump clubs...

Whenever I mentioned our holiday destination – Ayia Napa – the response was always the same, "Oooh, going clubbing?"

But with my daughter, Lizzie, a tad too young at 16, and me, as she cruelly pointed out, far too old, our aims were slightly different.

Believe it or not, when you look closely at Ayia Napa, there is quite a cultured place lurking near to the surface.

While the clubbers may reign during peak season, there's a charm and style to this former fishing village in the south-eastern corner of Cyprus, which will appeal to other generations, too, especially if they head there later in the year.

In October, the above-average temperatures had us relaxing around the Napa Mermaid's hotel pool. Admittedly, the first plunge into unheated water took our breath away, but it was lovely once you were in.

Our visit coincided with the fourth annual Ayia Napa Medieval Festival,

with shows nightly in the square in front of the monastery.

On the last night, the main event was a spectacular affair. A troupe of entertainers from mainland Greece performed dances and other acrobatic feats on a cross between stilts and pogo sticks, to a background of traditional music. Against a backdrop of fireworks, the cast whirled and leapt into the air for the grand finale.

We also found plenty of local culture and history to explore. The centrepiece of Ayia Napa is the monastery – which gave the town its name. Local legend says the original icon of the Virgin Mary was accidentally discovered by a hunter in pursuit of his prey.

The present monastery, built in 1500, was centred around the cave where it was

found, which was converted into a church, and is a popular venue for weddings today.

The harbour, packed with boats, is worth a visit too. If you're feeling bold, take a voyage on the Black Pearl pirate ship with the crew in authentic pirate costumes. You can also venture further afield on mainland excursions.

One Sunday morning we headed for Larnaca market, further along the coast. Dozens of stalls sell everything from fresh fruit, clothes and jewellery, to rugs, electronic goods and car parts, in a curious cross between a traditional market and a modern car boot sale.

Lizzie liked a polo shirt and a faux-designer purse and we braced ourselves to haggle.

We decided to start at e25 for the pair – and were horrified when the stallholder accepted straight away. Too easy – we should have started much lower. After stocking up with bargains, our coach headed for the camel park at nearby Mazotos. This was fun for all the family, with camels eyeing the visitors as warily as the tourists looked at them. Besides feeding the camels – and riding one if you're brave enough – there is a restaurant and a swimming pool, as well as play facilities for younger children. Other optional excursions include jeep safaris into the Troodos mountains, and a visit to the "'ghost town" of Famagusta where you can learn all about the 1974 invasion by the Turks.

Or maybe you fancy a shopping trip to the divided capital, Nicosia, or a day at Waterworld, an aquatic theme park based around the legends of Ancient Greece?

Ayia Napa is hardly the place for a quiet holiday. Besides the clubs and bars in the town's centre, there's a small funfair which has the awesome Slingshot ride as its centrepiece.

Two people, strapped side by side into something resembling a giant hamster ball, are catapulted 65 metres into the air, where they are spun and bounced high above the town before being lowered back to earth.

A souvenir DVD, which captures every scream and facial contortion, means visitors can relive the thrill back home. But if, like me, being turned upside down or inside out is not your idea of a good time, there are more mature options.

The House of Holistics, run by ex-pat Cheryl, offered half-price treatments as an end-of-season special, so I surrendered to her colleague, Natalie's, expert touch for a blissful 30 minutes.

In the evening, we were happy to enjoy fantastic buffet dinners at the hotel. But when we fancied a change, the town has a great choice of places to eat. A Greek restaurant called Mastello's offers a huge choice of traditional fare, and a Chinese restaurant called the Petit Palace was also recommended to us for its superb food, wide choice and reasonable prices.

We were definitely sorry to leave Ayia Napa to return to chilly, autumnal England.

FACTFILE

Ginny Warner was a guest of Thomas Cook, which offers seven nights' half-board at the four-star-plus Napa Mermaid Hotels and Suites in Ayia Napa. In October, including return flights from Manchester, from 819.

Thomas Cook reservations: 0844 412 5970 and www.thomascookpublishing.com

YP MAG 18/9/10