Go Cyprus: It's not all foam parties in the afternoon and dancing until sunrise: Cyprus has a lot more to offer than pristine beaches, blue skies and discount drinks, writes ROSE COSTELLO
AFTER PADDING a little way along the fluffy pale sand of Nissi Beach, I sit on a rock near the turquoise sea to observe the mating habits of the gathered flocks. They look remarkably similar, though they are from all corners of the world: Russia, Germany, Spain, Brazil, America.
As the sun slides towards the horizon, plans are being made for later. "I meet you at 9pm?" says Giorgio from Lithuania. "No, 1am at the Flintstones," the blonde Liverpudlian counters. The Bedrock Inn, aka the Flintstones' bar, is in Ayia Napa proper and within a few hours the groups will have migrated there. By day, it has the feeling of the fishing village it once was, with tavernas by the shore serving up fresh seafood. By night, it is theme bar central, with such perfectly prescriptive public houses as Bedrock Inn, Havana and the Luke Kelly Irish bar. As Giorgio surely discovered, many of them don't really get going until midnight.
It's not all foam parties in the afternoon and dancing until sunrise, however. Yes, drink is temptingly cheap, with cocktails for €3 and pints for €2 in some bars, but those places are conveniently squashed together on a couple of strips in the resorts.
I had been in Cyprus for nearly a week before I stumbled onto those amateur hedonists on the beach. Even then, when I got tired of earwigging at Nissi, I found a quiet little cove where kids played happily beside their parents just about five minutes' walk along the strand past a tiny Greek orthodox church outside which a wedding was being held.
Avoiding the teenage throngs was easy enough and the Aeneas Hotel proved a welcome sanctuary. Cyprus has been popular with sun seekers, holiday-home buyers and British pensioners for so long it is easy to forget that it has a lot more to offer than sugary white beaches, clear water and endless blue skies.
When you walk along the seafront at Larnaca or drive past the estates of gleaming apartment complexes on its outskirts, it all seems very modern. It is not obvious but there is history at every turn. If you see what looks like a posh tepee in the middle of a vast tract of scrubland, it will be there to hide an archaeological excavation from the elements.
The island, which is less than half the size of Leinster, emerged from the sea millions of years ago and has been populated since long before Jesus was a lad.
Tucked away in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is just 110km from mainland Asia, but almost 300km from the closest Greek island. It has Syria at its back, Turkey looking down on it and Egypt gazing up. Over the centuries, Cyprus has been used as a pit stop by the Persians, Romans, Turks, Italians, French, Greeks and the British.
It lies in uneasy peace at the moment as much of the northern part of the island has been occupied by Turkey since 1974. In recent years, however, border controls have eased and tourists can pass over and back with little difficulty.
The division is most obvious in Nicosia (Lefkosia), which is divided by a wall built in the 16th century to keep the Ottomans back. Like Berlin before its wall came down, the city has leafy streets lined with coffee bars, department stores and designer boutiques on one side and a warren of tired-looking buildings on the other.
GOING NORTH is like going back in time or into the remoter parts of Turkey, the Cypriots say. A viewing platform on the 11th floor of Debenhams department store on Ledra Street looks northward and can help you get your bearing as it has a map with all of the points picked out.
The unobtrusive border crossing is just five minutes up the same pedestrianised street. Don't forget to fill in the form before going over or you may have trouble on the way back.
On our first full day in Cyprus we visited Limassol medieval castle, which is now a museum, complete with suits of armour. Walking past bloom-laden jacaranda trees into the square edifice was like going into the set of Kingdom of Heaven, which told the story of some of the many Christian crusades.
Cypriots say Richard the Lionheart was married here and toasted his new bride with Commandaria, a wine created by the Crusaders which is still made in Cyprus today. It tastes like sherry to this modern palate.
We travelled further back in time next to the ruins of the ancient city of Kourion, which is about 20km from Limassol. Perched high on a hillside overlooking Episkopi Bay, it has a natural amphitheatre from the 2nd century BC which is still in use today.
The Greeks built it to be a theatre, but the Romans modified it for use for gladiator games. The stone steps can seat 2,000, all of whom have sea views. Go there in the cool of the evening to catch a concert or a play.
We then headed inland past gardens dominated by fiery hibiscus, geraniums and a rainbow selection of roses to Omodos in the heart of the wine country.
As you walk through this pretty cobbled village, you will be offered samples of local wine, breads and roasted nuts. The shopkeepers know that if you try, you will want to buy.
BACK ON THE coast, Larnaca proved shinier than dusty Limassol. Even its old buildings, such as the medieval castle on the sea front and St Lazarus's church, look new as they are built of very pale sandstone. Lazarus lived out his days as a bishop here and the sarcophagus is believed to hold his body. It bears the inscription: "Friend of Jesus Christ."
The summer weather in Cyprus can last from May to November, with temperatures hitting 40 degrees or more along the coast. Respite is to be had, however, up in the Troodos mountains. In the winter, locals scale the 1,952m of Mount Olympus just to ski down it again.
There among the shady forests it can be 10 degrees cooler. That's where we headed on our third day, up steep, gently winding roads past Calabrian and European black pine trees and through Cedar Valley. The rocks tinged with blue and green come from the bottom of the sea, our guide tells us.
At Platres we join one of the many hiking trails marked out in the 90sq km forest park. Every type of herb, wildflower and fruit tree seems to line our path. There's garlic, thyme, sage as well as cherry, walnut and fig trees on the list of more than 200 known types of flora. "Geologists come here to study Troodos as it is like a slice of the ocean bed," she explains.
After a gentle walk, we drive for about an hour to get to Kykkos monastery, which is run by some very rich monks. The imposing building houses an icon of the Madonna that, bizarrely, may not be looked at directly. It is said the picture was created in her true image when she was still alive. So the faithful and unfaithful too queue up, heads covered modestly to make their requests.
The monastery also has a room full of relics, including "St Philip's head" encased in gold as well as bits of bones from other unfortunates in bejewelled boxes. It is a place of pilgrimage for Greek and Russian Orthodox believers, much like the island was for worshippers of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love who is said to have emerged from the sea near Paphos.
As we headed back down to Paphos past banana plantations, lemon and orange groves to kick back at a pristine beach, it was easy to believe that this might be home to some decadent gods and godesses.
Rose Costello travelled as a guest of the Cyprus Tourist Organisation, visitcyprus.com.
Cyprus where to . . .
Stay
Troodos Hotel, Troodos Square, Troodos, 00-357-25-420000, troodoshotel.com. This mountain lodge feels more like a posh youth hostel than a hotel but the prices are hard to beat. The views over the wooded valleys are breathtaking and strangely reminiscent of the Black Forest. This is where Cypriots go to get away from the heat in summer. The hotel has just been renovated, so check out the website to see exactly what you get for your money: pristine but somewhat functional rooms in calm shades of blue. It's an ideal base for those planning to do a little walking while there. B&B from €30 per person sharing.
Avanti Hotel and Holiday Village, Poseidon Avenue, Paphos, 00-357-26-965555 avantihotel.com. The well-equipped one-bedroom apartments can easily take two adults and three children, self-catering or BB. Facilities include a children's club, playground, games room and children's pool. The property is across the road from the beach, which has a walkway that seems to stretch for miles. From €499 per person per week.
Olympic Lagoon Resort,Xylofagou-Agia Napa Road, 00-357-23-722500. The address is Ayia Napa but this is far from the crowds on a quiet stretch outside the village. The newly-renovated low-rise resort has been created to feel like a set of luxury villages. Clusters of apartments are set around exotic gardens and many have their own pools. The hotel is about 100m from the beach. It is popular with wedding groups. The resort has an adult-only area too: the Olympic Lagoon Beach Club. About €1,500 per person per week full board.
Eat
Christos Fish Tavern, opposite St George's Chapel, Ayia Napa harbour, 00-237-23-723586. This big restaurant is perched right on the harbour. The menu is so large you could eat there every day of your stay. Be aware that, while the prices are not cheap, the portions are large and the fish is caught locally. Fish mezze costs €20 per person, but will leave you looking for a siesta.
Makrynari Restaurant,Omodos, 00-357-25-422151. This old village house has been a family restaurant for a few generations now. The whitewashed walls are decorated with brightly-painted plates, and the old-fashioned wooden chairs are so comfortable it makes it easy to pass an afternoon there gazing out on the Troodos mountains. A large selection of mezze including local wine costs €17. Make sure to have the stifado, a local beef stew flavoured with wine and delicate spices.
Vouni winery, 60 Archiepiskopou Makariou III Avenue, Panayia, Paphos, 00-357-26-722770, vounipanayiawinery.com. This winery has been in Andreas Kyriakides’s family for generations, producing some of the island’s best vintages. You can do a tour of the production facilities, walk past the bottles of wine being aged in the cellar and then sample wines with some nibbles. Or you can dine in the simple restaurant with spectacular views over the vineyards in the valleys that surround it. Lunch, with a wine to match each course, is about €20 per person. Expect Cypriot staples such as souvlaki (grilled meat), halloumi (grilled cheese) and salad from surrounding countryside, served with wines as subtle as anything the French could offer.
Go
Camel Park,Mazotos village, 00-357-24-991243, camel-park.com. This place is so much fun you could spend the whole day there, without burning too much cash. It has a petting zoo, camel rides, a swimming pool, a games room and a restaurant. The menagerie includes happy, healthy-looking ostriches, donkeys, goats and ponies. Camel rides last about 15 minutes and cost €6 for children and €9 for adults (the entrance fees of €2 and €3 is deducted from this price).
Mousio Theasis, 8 Louki Akrita, Larnaca, 00-357-9640-0752, mousiotheasis.com. How did Larnaca come to have an owl museum with an excellent restaurant, bar and gallery attached? It's a long story involving an owl, a bishop and a lot of generous parishioners. Even if you don't go inside to look at the thousands of owls in practically every material from wood to stone and gold, you can have cocktails on the terrace.
Kalliopi Travel Tours, PO Box 61036, Paphos, 00-357-26-818534, kalliopitravel.com. This agency, run by Giorgios Ioakim and his English wife Deborah, can take you to remote spots to go diving or just to cover some countryside before having a swim in such places as Lara Nature Reserve outside Pafos. Giorgios is fascinated by plants and can tell you what everything is before serving up a picnic he has prepared himself that morning. Trips include excursions to the other side of the island.
