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Ski one hour, sunbake the nextMount Olympus, Cyprus
If you decide to add Cyprus to your next itinerary, put a few days aside for some fun in the snow. That's right, in the heart of the Troodos Mountains, Mount Olympus has four ski slopes.
It’s a short season, from January to March, and it’s all pretty gentle, but it does have the honour of being one of the few places in the world where you can get your hit of snow-based action for part of the day then sunbake yourself silly at a beach resort just an hour later. Nearby Paphos has 27 beaches ranging from very popular to almost deserted, the perfect way to warm up after your unexpected snow experience.
get there
Qatar Airlines flies from Melbourne to Larnaca in Cyprus with a stop in Doha. You can also fly to Cyprus from many cities in Europe with easyJet.
qatarairways.com
easyJet.com
A lift pass and ski hire costs about US$15 and group ski lessons cost less than US$20.
It’s not an ideal set-up for beginners, so make sure you know what you’re doing on the slopes.
Cyprus Ski
cyprusski.com
It’s usually possible to ski from January to mid-March.
