5 Reasons Why Cyprus Is The Best Luxury Wine Vacay You Never Thought Of

It’s official. Winter is here.

Christmas has been awesome, and while we spent it carolling our way through mountains of snuggly scarves and medicinal (right?) mulled wine, we already have one eye on the horizon for our next sunny getaway.

If you also can’t wait to pack up and head somewhere hot, with crystal clear pools, amazing food, luxurious accommodation and a spa that will give your Insta feed LIFE, look no further than the newly launched wine package trip from the 5-star Elysium Hotel resort in stunning Paphos, Cyprus.

You won’t regret it, and here are five reasons why...

The city is LITERALLY the birthplace of love

Paphos is a coastal city in the southwest region of Cyprus, named as 2017’s European Capital of Culture, and is steeped in history and mythology.

Goddess of love Aphrodite is said to have been born in Old Paphos, and you can totally see why. With beaches primed for Insta-envy snaps and average daily temps of 25-26 degrees during the summer season, Paphos is the perfect place to relax and perfect your tan.

You can get educated and inebriated all at once!

The 'From Grape to Glass' wine package is an absolute must for wine-fans. You'll venture to vineyards to not only taste and learn about the wines, but soak in the culture, the knowledge and the incredible views.

Try wine tasting the incredible, carefully crafted, hand-picked options, relax on sun-drenched winery balconies overlooking lush green vineyards and stop off in small local villages to see the ancient architecture and enjoy the amazing Cypriot hospitality.

You’ll feel like a god(dess) in luxury accom

If you're gonna go full Luxe, The Elysium has 250 suites and rooms, ranging from stylish Deluxe Bedrooms, and Royal Garden Villas, to Royal Suites (ooooh). They also boast two tennis courts, several pools (including a private pool for Royal Villa residents, where you can sunbathe, sip a lemonade and feel like Queen Bey), a health spa, gym facilities, steam room, sauna, a library, early morning yoga classes, a swim-up bar and more restaurants than you can shake a chilled wine glass at.

You’ll try AMAZING wines and feel cultured AF

Wine is the go-to you can add to any meal to make you feel all kindsa fancy. Throw in an incredible sommelier to hand-select your specialist wines to compliment every meal, and you’ll be feeling cultured in no time.

Cyprus has a rich history with wine, and has been a vine-growing island for millennia, with wine production still derived from a handful of age-old local grape varieties, such as Xynisteri and Maratheftiko. Each wine is unique and is an important part of Cyprus’ culture, as evident by such events as the yearly Limassol wine festival and the Elysium really excel at capturing the culture and bringing it to life in their wine package.

There are literal MOUNTAINS of delicious food

Choose to eat any any of the five restaurants that The Elysium has to offer and you won't be disappointed.

From the in-house pastry chef who bakes fresh breads daily, and who can cater for intolerances and speciality diets, to the fantastical desserts that would make Willy Wonka envious, there truly is something for everyone. With ocean view dining, Japanese tapas, romantic intimate courtyard dining, buffet options, you're spoiled!

MTV Travelled With... Elysium. The Wine Package costs from €428.50 (£378) per person and includes five nights stay at Elysium, based on two people sharing a Double Room. The package includes buffet breakfast, picnic basket for wine tours, complimentary three-day hire car and a three-course dinner in Ristorante Bacco, bookable until 30th April, 2018 (elysium-hotel.com​​, +357 2684 4444​)​. Flights from London Gatwick and London Luton to Paphos start from £24.49 per person, one way with easyJet (easyjet.com)

By Kira Fitzpatrick