Cyprus - the island of love
By no means just a beach resort: with it’s colourful history it is a fascinating mix of cultures but with a strong and unique Cypriot character; and there are a wide range of attractions to tempt visitors of all kinds to the island.
We stayed first at the Dome Beach Hotel in Makronissos, Ayia Napa, set on a promontory with 2 beaches and 2 pools it’s a lovely hotel, perfect for families and those who don’t want to be in the heart of Ayia Napa, which can be a wee bit loud with it’s youth-culture bars and clubs - which the youngsters in our group thought were fantastic. We also visited Protaras just down the road: also a lively place but for a slightly older age group – lots of great bars and restaurants; and the area has some excellent hotels and attractions. We enjoyed the Magic Dancing Waters show – a spectacular sound and light show; the Thalassa Marine Museum where archaeological finds and ancient artefacts are displayed alongside contemporary artworks by local artists inspired by their history. A visit to the Agia Napia monastery – right in the heart of the town, then dining al fresco at the famous fish harbour.
Next stop was Larnaca to walk along the palm-fringed sea front and visit the church of St Lazarus: Cyprus was one of the first Christian enclaves, Lazarus ended his days there and the church is his final resting place. Travelling a short way up into the hills to Tochni to see some village houses that have been converted as holiday accommodation – I would have loved to stay and experience village life there, beautiful and simple and with walking tours, horse-riding and mountain biking on offer - quite a contrast with life on the coast such a short distance away. We also visited a small and exquisite spa hotel in one of the villages, where the most beautiful lunch was served in a small courtyard. Next stop Lemosos: we are staying at the excellent St. Raphael Hotel where we meet the local tourism officer and local hoteliers followed by dinner at a traditional taverna which got pretty lively as there was a hen party going on and all the locals were joining in with music and dancing. Jolly good fun!
Next day we travel into the Troodos Mountains: stopping at Omodos, a pretty village where we taste the unique local bread and visit the Church of the Holy Cross, then wander through the narrow lanes where locals are selling crafts and souvenirs; Lambouris winery follows to sample the local wines accompanied by wonderful storytelling from the owner, then we check into the Forest Park Hotel in Platres, a heritage hotel set amongst the trees. Later we visit a tiny Byzantine church with medieval frescos – Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis, then walk through Kakopetria village for coffee at Myloi restaurant – which looks like something out of the Adams Family! Next day we visit Kourion archaeological site and the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite before visiting Vouni Panagia winery to see how the wines and local sweetmeats are produced and to sample them. After lunch we travel to Polis to visit the Baths of Aphrodite and then call at the Anassa Hotel – a very beautiful property providing luxury holidays in this unspoilt region, then on to Paphos to stay at the Almyra Hotel, another excellent hotel, on the seafront just a short walk from the harbour. On our last day we visit Agios Neofytos monastery – still a working monastery - where you can go into the caves carved from the rock by the saint to live and to worship in. Returning to Paphos we visit the Tombs of the Kings and the archaeological park of Pafos where huge numbers of the most wonderful mosaics have been excavated, which were brought to life by the ancient myths told to us by our guide, Mary. After lunch in a harbourside taverna and a quick trip around the fort we return to the hotel to enjoy a couple of hours of sunshine by the pool – the first chance we’ve had in a very hectic, eye-opening, and very enjoyable concentrated tour of Cyprus., courtesy of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.