Get to Know The Other Cyprus – The Little Known, Old, and The Romantic

Cyprus, especially Nissi Beach is well-known for its Irish Pubs, English Fish & Chips and its Night Life! If this is your thing, then that is fine. However if this is not your thing, do not let these images put you off! You will just need to make a little effort to avoid the crowds, but it will be well worth it! Let me show you how!

South Cyprus, especially Nissi Beach at Agia Napa has the reputation that it is only for the young and people who want to party. Yes, the bars are there and the main beaches will be crowded in August. However, you can easily avoid them by taking a short drive or a bike ride to visit the small coves and beaches dotted along this clear, cobalt blue seashore. There is now good public transport system in Agia Napa.

If you are looking for a little bit of solitude, hire a scooter and visit Cape Greco, or Konnos. The swimming is good as the water is idyllic in these areas. Konnos being the best of them all, with a Caribbean-like sea, white sand and fantastic swimming. There are other numerous beaches dotted along the seashore you can visit. Having your own transport will be the best way to discover this island and it will feel like any luxurious get away to the Caribbean and such like!

However, the big advantage is that you do not need to fly ten hours to the Mauritius or the Seychelles to soak up the sun and experience white sandy beaches. Cyprus has half the flying time, and you can have the same thing. White sanded beaches with all the water sports, waterskiing, swimming with dolphins, sailing and surfing. Other benefits are the wonderful Mediterranean diet, waking in the mountains, looking at old monasteries and soaking up an old civilisation are all there to explore and enjoy!

Alternatively, you can also stay inside a resort, if you would prefer that. The newly completed Nissi Elena Court has many holiday apartments to choose from. Here you will enjoy a large cobalt-blue tiled swimming pool, a new, but spacious Mediterranean garden with small palm trees, and your very own terrace with the choice of your apartment. You need not go out from the resort apart from shopping for food and with the shops practically at your doorstep it will not be a hassle.

The furnishing of these apartments are to high standards. All fitted out with marble effect floors throughout, air con in each room and all the mod cons you would expect. Apartments which contrast the light floors with dark leather sofas and furniture give a luxurious Eastern-Balinese feeling and works well. You can take your drink on the top floor terrace and watch the surrounding area of garden and the far-reaching sea views beyond, giving you privacy and comfort. After you have checked out the bedrooms with their huge white linen draped bed you can have your first drink, especially if you were well organised and bought them on your way.

These amazing apartments are ideally located; five minutes walk from the sea. It has the great bonus of being set back from the main street, yet has the convenience of everything you need close by. They are furnished to a 5 star standard and are not your usual holiday accommodation. Owners want guests to feel the comfort of this 5 star accommodation while on holiday and enjoy everything this resort has to offer. The terraces are large and have seating for four to six people, the patio doors open directly from the master bedroom and the lounge so whether it is a fresh, ground coffee in a morning or alfresco dining in the evening, the terrace is fabulous. All the apartments are fitted with air-conditioning, which will keep you cool during those hot temperatures. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you need. Within a 5-10 minute walk, you will find excellent taverns, restaurants and supermarket’s. There is also a 24-hour bakery serving delicious breads and sweets! A flexible sleeping layout means that couple’s, families and small groups alike can be accommodated.

While we are talking about finding your ideal accommodation, it is important to note that you need to book your accommodation early. Especially if you want to have your holiday between mid-July and mid- August; otherwise, you may find yourself without a bed. I advise you to ask the owners as many questions as you can to make sure that you will be clear about locations, sizes and sleeping arrangements. Having an apartment is still the best option. You will have space, dictate your own schedule and best of all save money for activities rather than spend it on a hotel room. As everybody has different needs, it is important to spell out the advantages or the disadvantages of each. However, opinions differ, and what is an advantage for one guest, might be a disadvantage for another.

In addition, if lying the beach all day is not your thing, you do not need to! You will not be bored, I promise you! You will find the old and the romantic on this island. Old Harbours can be found all along the cost, where you will enjoy the quay-side taverns selling a colourful mixture of fish. Cyprus has some 200 species including parrot-fish, red and grey mullet, swordfish, sharks and rays. Fish can be an expensive choice in the restaurants, though not to be missed and you must try a Fish maze just once!

You can also find cool and inviting places in the monasteries during the hot mid-day sun, and Agia Napa has its very own Monastery to contemplate or just enjoy its fountain and cool air in the courtyard. For people who really want to cool down, the best place is the Trodos Massif. A popular get away place in the summer for the natives. Here you will have the opportunity to try local, simple dishes and soak up the atmosphere. One of the most notable is Vouni, an unspoiled village, which is partly deserted, and lies in the area with a long tradition of winemaking. The stone houses have mellow red-tiled roofs and yellow-brownish stonework showing old age, piled up onto one and other. They look like a Cezanne paining in their glorious yellow light at sunset. The vista is vast on this high point and you will be surprised to admit that it is not the Cyprus the brochures advertise! This area is ranked as some of the most impressive on the island. Welcome to the real Cyprus!