Cyprus, Paphos + Limassol

Why Go Now: The prime Levantine location and sandy turquoise shores of this tiny island belie its complicated political past. But after decades spent divided between a Turkish-occupied north and Greek-speaking south, Cyprus is unifying, and international attention is now focused on its wildflower-covered hills and crystalline coastline.

Cyprus is changing dramatically around the port town of Paphos, the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite. During the Hellenistic period, Paphos was Cyprus’s capital, renowned for its temples and olive groves. Today, this unesco World Heritage site serves as an entry point to the island’s most exclusive resorts, and to tiny nearby crafts towns, like Omodos and Lefkara.

The Details: The chic Almyra (Doubles from $242) set the tone for Paphos’s resurgence when it debuted in 2004. Designed by one of Karl Lagerfeld’s favorite architects, Joëlle Pléot, and Tristan Auer, the centrally located hotel lures Europeans with its whitewashed bungalows and black-bottom pool. Down the coast at the mod-rustic Thalassa Boutique Hotel & Spa (Doubles from $453), the 58 suites—most with butlers and all named after a Greek god or goddess—are perched on a peninsula just above Coral Bay, overlooking 3,400-year-old Mycenaean ruins.

Although equally historic, Limassol, a harbor town on the southern coast, is more focused on its future than its past. Indeed, the marina of this commercial hub, home to the largest shipping port in the Mediterranean, is in the midst of a $265 million makeover. In the Old Town, cobblestoned Agiou Andreou Street houses many stylish shops: You’ll find Cavelliesque tunics and blouses from Cypriot designer Pantelis Mitsu at Mitsu Mitsu and handmade gold and enamel jewelry at the Precious Metal Gallery. The island’s only microbrewery, Draught Microbrewery Bar & Grill, is located nearby.

On the waterfront is Londa (Doubles from $425), a 68-room seafront retreat designed by the venerable Italian firm Caruzzo Rancati, also responsible for Milan’s Gianfranco Ferré flagship. A favorite of British fashion designer Julien Macdonald, the hotel has creamy marble and wood interiors, a mod restaurant, and an alfresco bar with a DJ and dancing. It adds just the right amount of gloss to the increasingly cosmopolitan city. —David Kaufman