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Cyprus > for the body and soul August 5, 2007

Take a trip to Cyprus where, legend has it, if you have a dip in the sea off Paphos where the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, rose from the waves the years will simply melt away.

Sound far-fetched? Well, a trip to the goddess’s reputed birthplace truly can be good for body and soul. Our trip to Cyprus, the third biggest island in the Med, began at the luxurious InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel at Kouklia just 15 minutes drive from Paphos airport.

This sprawling, yet stunning, 290-room resort with low-rise buildings and fabulous views of the sea to one side, and mountains to the other, has simply everything you could need, even its own wedding chapel. In between the golf course, the tennis academy and the Retreat spa, you could be tempted to spend your entire trip “on site”. And that would be a mistake. This island has lots more to offer.

We also visited the stylish Annabelle Hotel at Paphos and the Columbia Beach Resort at Pissouri, both the last word in luxury. Spa breaks seem to be flavour of the month, though, and where better to indulge yourself than a sunny Mediterranean island only a few hours flight away that offers not only pretty well all-year-round sunbathing weather but a wealth of culture.

Cyprus’ history, ancient and modern, is fascinating. The island, advantageously situated at the crossroads of east and west, has been invaded many times and the result is a blend of cultures. It’s predominantly Greek, but its north area is currently under Turkish military control and occupation, and as a former British colony, with RAF bases on the island, English is widely spoken. They also drive on the left.

And as the only divided country in the Western world, it’s culturally interesting in terms of 21st century European politics. Turkey are the last invaders in July 1974. A trip to the capital Nicosia underlines the split. The green line couldn’t be more defined > if you head for the 11th floor of the Hermes department store in Ledra Street, a glass-walled observatory offers superb, panoramic views of the entire city, including the occupied area of Nicosia, the last divided city in Europe. 

The capital, however, is at once cosmopolitan and traditional, high fashion stores next to traditional restaurants. We enjoyed a super lunch in one of the many tavernas. But if you opt for the meze, small dishes similar to tapas, be warned: the courses just kept coming.

Culture vultures won’t be disappointed. The island, which was part of the Byzantine Empire for 1,000 years, has a wealth of excavation sites, ancient monuments and fortifications, and splendid churches and monastries.

Kourion is the most important archaeological site on the island with excavations dating back 140 years. It is perched on the cliffs above Limassol and nowadays in its restored open air theatre, plays and concerts are performed against a stunning seascape backdrop. Nearby, at Kolossi, the medieval Castle of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem is also worth a visit. Younger members of the family will be enthralled to see where boiling oil was poured onto invading enemy soldiers.

And it’s not all sunbathing on one of Cyprus’ excellent beaches or hot, archaeological sites. In the cooler months there’s excellent walking to be had in the Troodos mountains and, in January and February, skiing too on Mount Olympus.

It’s in the mountain villages that the true taste of Cyprus can be experienced. We had lunch at a superb taverna in Omodhos village. Its rustic charm, home killed meat, carafes of pretty passable local wine and again a seemingly never-ending rolling meze menu meant it was the perfect place to while away an afternoon.

The experience of the stunning beauty of the scenery, the excellence of the food, and the friendliness of the people will be unique to you too!

Related Links >
http://www.aphroditehills.com

http://www.visitcyprus.org.cy

Agrotourism in Cyprus > Tochni steps you back in times July 29, 2007

Agrotourism in Cyprus can become a more important area of the economy. But what do the hills have to offer?

‘Discover the heart and soul of Cyprus’. I’m handed a colourful brochure with an enticing motto splashed across the front and told that what we have so far known about the beauty of the island is only half the story. So what’s the other half? A far cry from the sea and sun that are often praised as the true gems of the island, one word is about to change my perception of the place I’ve been discovering during my many trips to this magnificent island > agrotourism.

Allright, so the concept may be nothing new. After all, tourists have been encouraged to visit Lefkara, Troodos, Platres and Kakopetria for relaxation and tranquillity for more than a while. But the island has over 500 villages and only a handful of them are known to holidaymakers.

For this reason, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, CTO, has recently implemented an agrotourism programme, which aims to revive and preserve local traditions as special-interest tourism is developed in historically less popular areas. Agrotourism programmes are designed to give visitors the chance to become part of the rural community by living and working with its people, while still having the chance to enjoy the beauty and serenity the island has to offer. It’s a new and alternative holiday ideal that lets anyone slip into the true rhythm of country life.

Last March, during one of my short trips to Cyprus, I was lucky enough to be invited to stay the night in the village of Tochni, situated in the depths of the countryside between Limassol and Larnaca to see what the whole experience is all about. I was, however, unlucky enough to drive up to the village on one of the few days of the year that the skies decided to open. But what started off as bad luck actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. In a land where blue skies and warm weather are the norm, I approach a village covered in a blanket of mist where the sky couldn’t have been a deeper shade of grey and the whole feel couldn’t have been more ominous. The magic of it was that this is a part of Cypriot life that often goes unnoticed but can be just as enticing as all the hot weather and various activities associated with it.

Then came the second best thing, the accommodation. As we run through the rain, we’re shown to our studio room that is part of a renovated village house decorated with Cypriot antiques and artefacts. Even more impressive is that standing on the balcony gives a view over the whole village and surrounding mountains as they meet the sea. Strolling through the complex, we’re soon greeted by Sofronis Potamites who has taken the whole project under his belt, establishing Cyprus Villages in 1987 in an effort to revive rural communities and preserve the traditional houses from bygone days. The lodgings he has renovated are dispersed through different villages across the island, from those in the countryside just outside Limassol, to others in the Troodos, Paphos and Akamas regions.

As we walk through the picturesque village of Tochni, set on the slopes of two hills, we set our sights on stone-built houses that line the narrow streets winding their way up to the Church of Saint Constantinos and Eleni. We then reach the village square and have a drink in the ‘kafenion’, coffee shop, where old men playing tavli, backgammon, seem more than happy to accommodate us in the place that they’ve made their second home.

What strikes me most about the kafenion is that it looks like the kind of place that has just stepped out of a 1920s movie set, where every detail looks like it hasn’t changed for decades. The walls are thick and whitewashed, the wooden shutters are old but still retain their bright blue hue, and the paintings that hang proudly on the wall depict heroes from the 1950s EOKA struggle for independence. Even the men that chat and joke seem to have spent their whole lives here and are intent on sticking to their old ways. What worries me is that this generation will soon disappear and some of the island’s oldest rituals and pastimes will no doubt vanish. Who will go to a traditional kafenion when they can go to a trendy new cafe?

This is where the purpose of agrotourism comes in, as it’s all about making the most of traditional cuisine, taking part in various village activities and going on outdoor adventures in the depths of nature, like hiking and cycling. As the sun sets over the village, we prepare for a dinner that consists of local delicacies and traditional food cooked the way it has been for years. A band plays bouzouki, the wine flows, and it feels like we are a world away from city life.

“This kind of tourism, especially in more remote rural areas, is very important for both domestic and foreign visitors,” says the Cyprus Tourism Organisation’s Koulitsa Demetriou. “It provides a great alternative from the typical sun and sea holiday to show what the countryside has to offer, from the cute local tavern to the small museum tucked away in the village.”

When it comes to statistics and the numbers of tourists coming into the country, the attention now placed on alternative holidays is also crucial as new types of individuals are targeted. Those who come to Cyprus to follow their hobby, whether its hiking and trekking, or visiting quaint vineries and olive farms. “These people usually opt to come to the island off peak, from late autumn to spring, and that means they inevitably expand the tourist season. So it’s not just about having more numbers arriving to stay here, it’s about giving small hoteliers and enterprises that extra bit of income when times are slack,” says Demetriou.

The next day is probably the best part of the experience, a visit to ‘Mrs. Loula’s Halloumi Farm’. As we drive through winding countryside roads, our bus pulls up to a house that’s hidden in the middle of a striking valley. “This is Mrs. Loula’s place,” shouts our guide and out comes the halloumi lady herself to greet us with open arms. All this comes as a bit of shock for a number of reasons.

Firstly, I had never imagined people still engage in large-scale halloumi making in their own homes, always having known that the halloumi cheese I eat is mass-produced in some dairy factory. But this wasn’t your usual halloumi, it’s true village halloumi and people from nearby areas take the time to travel to Mrs. Loula’s house to pick it up. It all happens on such a personal level that sometimes goods are exchanged instead of money. If Mrs Loula wants meat and a passerby wants halloumi, it’s a sealed deal.

Then comes the second shock, the halloumi was made in a small storeroom that connected to the kitchen, that connected to the bedrooms, that connected to the outdoor living room, with couches gracing the length of the construction, made of aluminium. Do people still live this way? The answer was yes and yes again, as we’re then greeted by Mrs Loula’s ten children who love to help her with the cheese making. Outside in the yard, long tables are decorated with flowery tablecloths and what seemed like any random ornaments that could be found in the house, Mrs Loula is delighted to see us and some ornaments hold signs that read ‘welcome’.

As we huddle around to watch the cheese being made we’re soon handed thick, hot pieces of cheese that melt in our mouths. Any packet of halloumi you pick up in the supermarket cannot possibly compare. Everyone is in a hurry to buy bags of the stuff and Loula explains that tourists who visit the countryside flock to her place in the morning just to eat some fresh halloumi with tomatoes and cucumbers for breakfast. Now that’s really what I call living it up traditional Cypriot style! Certainly you have to be part of this experience!

Related Links >
www.agrotourism.com.cy

www.cyprusvillages.com.cy

http://www.visitcyprus.com