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The weekend has arrived, and Cyprus is offering a rather convincing argument for leaving the sofa behind. Whether your idea of a good time involves sailing into the sea, dancing until you forget what time it is, wandering through a village festival or sitting beneath a castle watching ballet, there is something for every kind of weekend warrior.
Here are five ways to make the most of it.
1. Saturday is for sailing, swimming and a very late lunch
If you are heading to Limassol, Saturday morning looks like the moment to make a beeline for the sea. Get out on the water early, enjoy a swim while the September sea is still holding on to its summer warmth, then reward yourself with a leisurely lunch around the marina or old port.
The trick is not to over-plan Sunday. With thunderstorms potentially making an appearance, keeping the second half of the weekend flexible could save you from having to negotiate with the weather.
2. Get gloriously loud at BEONIX
For anyone who thinks a relaxing weekend sounds suspiciously like a missed opportunity, BEONIX is taking over ETKO in Limassol from Friday to Sunday.
Friday's line-up includes Röyksopp, Benny Benassi and Adam Beyer, with several stages keeping the electronic music going well into the evening.
This is the big, noisy option. Bring sensible shoes, prepare to lose track of bedtime and perhaps accept that Sunday morning may involve some serious negotiations with your pillow.
3. Slow things down at the Esperides Festival
If your ideal weekend involves considerably less bass and considerably more village charm, head towards Pera Orinis for the free three-day Esperides Festival, running from Friday to Sunday.
Expect Cypriot music and dance, theatre, workshops, traditional flavours, and local stories, all wrapped up in a much calmer village atmosphere.
It is also a particularly easy outing from Nicosia, meaning you can enjoy a little cultural escape without turning the weekend into a cross-island expedition.
4. Give Ayia Napa a September encore
Ayia Napa International Festival is back from Friday to Sunday around the town's central square, bringing traditional music, dance, food, crafts and cultural performances to the heart of Ayia Napa.
Admission is free, so you can save your euros for something more important, such as dinner.
A good plan is to squeeze in a late-afternoon swim before heading towards the square for the evening festivities. September in Ayia Napa has a certain charm of its own, especially after making it through the August crowds.
5. Watch Don Quixote under the stars
For something a little more elegant, Don Quixote is getting the open-air treatment at Paphos Medieval Castle.
The Slovenian National Theatre Maribor will present the full three-act ballet on Friday and Saturday at 8pm, with tickets priced between €50 and €80.
There is something rather lovely about watching ballet outdoors with a medieval castle as your backdrop. Frankly, the setting is already doing quite a lot of the work before the curtain even rises.
So, what should your weekend look like?
If you want to squeeze the most out of Saturday, start with sailing and lunch in Limassol, then head to BEONIX if you still have enough energy to dance into the night.
If the answer is a firm "absolutely not" by Sunday, Esperides Festival in Pera Orinis offers a much gentler way to spend the day.
Just keep an eye on the skies. September may be feeling summery, but Cyprus is perfectly capable of adding a little thunderstorm-shaped plot twist.
