Cyprus is small enough that a single base works for the whole island, and the choice of base sets the tone: Ayia Napa for nightlife and beaches, Limassol for a working city with a seafront, Paphos for archaeology, Nicosia for the divided capital inland. Driving between them takes under two hours on good roads.
The guides here cover Paphos, Limassol, Ayia Napa, Nicosia and the island overall. The swimming season is unusually long — roughly April to November — while July and August are hot enough that inland sites and the Troodos mountains are more comfortable than the coast. Cyprus drives on the left, which surprises visitors arriving from mainland Europe and is worth factoring into car rental plans.