A Cypriot Sojourn
It's very well served with regular low cost flights departing from across the UK and takes around 4 hrs to get to Paphos airport. Our home for the week, The Asimini Suites hotel, is only 15 minutes from the airport and we had a transfer in a Mercedes waiting for us outside when we arrived. It's a beautiful hotel with a wonderfully calm and cathartic atmosphere and truly excellent service. For example, as we didn't land until midnight we were taken straight up to our room where a platter of cold cuts, fruit and a bottle of wine were waiting for us. It was a lovely way to arrive and made us feel instantly at home. The hotel only has suites and is very much 5*. Our suite was stunning and the view out over the pool made us very excited about what the next 7 days had in store.
Cyprus quite literally has something for everyone. That might well be a well-trodden and slightly trite phrase but rarely is it more deserved than with Cyprus.
History-lovers will be in paradise with remains, some very well preserved, of the several civilisations to have variously called this island their home, scattered across the whole country. In Paphos town it seems they can't repair a pavement without uncovering an ancient tomb, the archeological park is like walking back in time and the world famous murals at the House of Dionysus are just breathtaking.
A short drive into the mountains will have you driving through picturesque stone villages and feels like stepping back in time. The cuisine retains a very traditional flavour and it feels very different from the coastal areas.
On your way back down you will see vineyards everywhere you look. The majority remain family owned small holdings so are all manually harvested and provide fantastic variety for the numerous wineries in the area. There are several wine routes you can follow and one of our trips took in Fikardos winery. It is still family owned and after a tour by the son we were treated to a tasting with the father and son together. Who could resist buying a few bottles after that? Most people gave in and there was a lot of pleasant glass clinking on the 10 minute drive back into Paphos.
Having dived around the world I was pleased to learn that the diving in Paphos is excellent with some world famous wrecks, great artificial reefs and crystal clear waters. We didn't have time to dive on this trip but there are several reputable and PADI certified dive shops in the town.
No reflection of time on Paphos would be complete without mentioning the food. I have truly fallen in love with Greek Cypriot fare. During the week we had some of the freshest tuna and swordfish I've had anywhere in the world and excellent steak dinners. The mezes are really large and filling but a great way to sample as many of the dishes as you can. We found Hondros and Fetta's Taverna really stood out for us.
I haven't even mentioned the stunning 10th century churches, visits to traditional hand made sweet shops, monasteries dug into caves in the cliff, mountain trekking, water sports, golf courses, handmade pottery factories and castles that have housed the knights templar. Cyprus is an island that would be absolutely impossible to be bored on.
Families are also brilliantly catered for; the Alexander The Great hotel is a plush, family friendly 4* property just a stone's throw from Paphos new town. A more boutique option would be the Annabelle Hotel which is next door to its sister hotel the Almyra again a short walk into the harbour area of Paphos. All along the coastal path there are accommodation options to suit every budget, taste and interest.
Perhaps the biggest recommendation I can give Cyprus is that we are planning on visiting again very soon and for us that's really saying something as we like to try to find new places but Cyprus somehow feels unfinished and I wouldn't be surprised if it takes quite a few more trips for us to drink our fill from this Mediterranean gem!