A holiday villa in Latchi or Polis is the perfect place to relax and discover the gentle side of Cypriot life. Choose a hillside Latchi villa for rent for great views over lemon and olive groves to the sea, or to the rugged coastline of the Akamas peninsula. Or, opt for a Polis rental villa for the best of town and beach, and an exhilarating drive through the foothills of the Troodos Mountains to the bustle of Paphos, just 22 miles away.

From your Polis holiday villa, the town is a great place to stroll around, from the shady restaurants and cafés off the main square, to the surprisingly good jewellery shops selling bright Cypriot gold. Stock up on fresh fruit and veg for your holiday villa kitchen at the market hall, or at the open-air market held weekly. The small but charming museum has fascinating finds from the ancient town of Marion, now underneath modern Polis, some dating from 7th century BC. There's free parking under shady olive trees in Polis town centre, so it's easy to drive into town from your Latchi rented villa too. The streets north of the car park house a couple of excellent cafés with shady courtyards, perfect for a morning coffee and a slice of sticky baklava cake!

Latchi (sometimes shown on maps as Lakki) is a former sponge-diving village with a spanking new marina and lots of charm despite being just a long road along the coast. You can stock up on essential supplies for your Latchi holiday villa fridge at one of two small supermarkets, but you'll find it hard to resist the fish restaurants here, which are amongst the best in all Cyprus. Yiangos and Peter's has the best reputation for the freshest fish - and the tastiest chips!

Latchi's long beach may be pebbly, but it enjoys wonderful views of the Akamas Peninsula and you'll never have to fight for space to lie out and enjoy the sunshine. Just behind the beach is the Port Latchi taverna, which is divided by the main road. Dine in the old carob warehouse or join the locals in the outside section on the beach, watching the waiters dodge the occasional traffic with trays laden with food. Latchi also has a good jewelry shop that's well worth a browse for a special souvenir of your Cyprus villa holiday.

The real glory of a villa for rent in Latchi or Polis is the feeling of space, as you drive along near-deserted roads to the Baths of Aphrodite, a natural pool set in a shady glade where the goddess was said to bathe. Wander just beyond through the eucalyptus trees to discover walks along the shoreline into the Peninsula itself.

Discover traditional Greek village life amongst the tiny streets of hilltop Neo Choria, or drive along for the wide sweep of Chrysocou Bay from your villa rental in Polis to discover small beaches that can be yours all day long. This fascinating drive to the North Cyprus border at the seaside town of Kato Pyrgos takes you past the magnificent church at Pachyammos, its modern frescoes gleaming with gold, and on past the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Kokkina, marooned inside south Cyprus by the a twist of fate in the 1974 conflict.

Active types will adore a holiday villa at Latchi, as it is the gateway to three superb hiking trails through the Akamas Forest and across the Peninsula itself. 4x4 safaris into the Akamas Peninsula are incredibly bumpy but tremendous fun, as you drive across the ruts and rocks of this rugged wilderness. The scuba diving school at Latchi offers beginners the chance to learn in the shallow warm waters of the coastline itself - no boring swimming pool training here!

Spend quality time on the quiet side of Cyprus with a Polis villa or Latchi villa for rent from Amy Villas - book now and start relaxing!