Guardian Angel School's Cyprus tour

Guardian Angel School celebrated its 40th anmversary this year. During the summer holidays a group of parents, accompanied by their children, joined members of staff and their families on a tour to Cyprus.

We started with a sightseeing tour of Nicosia, the capital, where the Green Line (that divides the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities) meanders through a maze of old streets.

Venetian walls completely encircle the old city. There were only three gates to the city, one of which, Famagusta Gate, has been restored and is now a cultural centre.

We were based at Limassol, the second largest town in Cyprus and a major port and a popular tourist resort. In fact, here, one can walk along miles of beautiful beaches. We enjoyed ourselves on one of these lovely beaches swimming and/or lazing under umbrellas. A large area was reclaimed to widen the congested road and provide a promenade next to the sea. This promenade proved to be our favourite evening walk.

We also visited Paphos, in the western part of Cyprus. According to legend it was on Paphos' shoreline that the goddess Aphrodite was born. The view here is breathtaking. A third century Roman villa was discovered here in 1962, and one can admire some superb mosaics.

Stretching across most of western Cyprus is the impressive Troodos mountain range. Troodos itself is not a village but a collection of caves, shops and one or two hotels. It lies just below the island's highest peak, Mount Olympus, 1,950 metres above sea level.

All the year round Troodos is a pleasant spot for walks. The mountain villages are charming and the people friendly and hospitable. Nine of the Byzantine mountain churches are included in UNESCO's World Heritage list, thanks to their exquisite icons and frescoes.

Omodhos, one of the mountain villages, is famous for its vineyards. Shop owners encouraged us to taste their wine and to buy a bottle or two to take back with us.

Nestling in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains is Lefkara, a picturesque village famous for its local lace and for its silverware. One can find many shops here selling souvenirs as well as embroideries and silver jewellery.

Another excursion took us to Larnaka, the second port and also Cyprus's largest international airport. We started off by visiting the Church of the Angels which has one of the finest pieces of Byzantine art, a rare sixth century mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Child between the two Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

Another cherished site in Larnaka is the church of St Lazarus. Lazarus went to Cyprus after Christ raised him from the dead in Bethany. He lived in Cyprus for another 30 years and was consecrated Bishop of Kition (Larnaka's original name) by St Barnabas and St Mark. Lazarus is buried in a crypt under the main altar.

The highlight for our students was definitely Water World, a water mania park offering exciting rides and attractions. These included the wave pool, the activity pool, the bucket splasher and tube rides. But Lazy River was the one enjoyed by all, young and old. Just sit on an inflatable tube and let the water carry you along the river. Stay on the lookout for the water dragon that will shower anyone who dares go near him. Lifeguards can be seen all around the place and there are high standards of hygiene.

Our schedule was indeed full because even on our last day we agreed to use the free hours we had left to go and see the Time Elevator. Here you sit tight and while you relive the history of Cyprus you will experience a ride you will never forget.

And indeed we shall never forget these lovely experiences we shared. Cyprus may be a small country but it is an island with a big heart, that gives its visitors a genuine welcome and treats them as friends.

We thank our head of school, the Education Division, Air Malta and Wingate Travel (Cyprus) for giving us the opportunity to come together as one big family and enjoy a lovely, well-deserved holiday.