Low Season Highs

Low season highs

text MICHAELA MOBLEY

Visit Cyprus during the low season – from November to April – and you will soon discover that our island is so much more than a summer holiday destination. In fact, the cooler months make Cyprus the perfect playground for all who enjoy fresh air and fun, with fitness mixed in according to taste.

As the warmest winter holiday destination in the Mediterranean, Cyprus promises mild and moderate months between one summer and the next – months that are ideal for activities involving more than stretching out on your sun lounger. This is the extended season to enjoy a little exercise or pursue sporting interests: walks along the beach, cycling in the mountains, diving in clear waters teeming with fish, kite-surfing the waves, sailing or exploring local sites. You can even trek in the footsteps of a goddess or track down the best wines on the island. Depending on your energy levels, Cyprus invites you to experience hints of adventure or heaps of excitement…

Cycling

In the mountains, along country lanes, or parallelto the coast, the cycling routes of Cyprus prove achallenge and a delight for every level including the relaxed Sunday cyclist.

Cycling with ease

Especially in autumn and spring, but even in winter, the clement weather, straight roads and mountain passes in Cyprus all provide the perfect bike ride. Christos Chartziotis from the Limassol Cycling Club says, “Every Sunday we organise a relaxed ride. Check the website for the monthly programme, as we often pass by the Four Seasons where you can join in.” If you’re just visiting Cyprus, it’s unlikely that you’ve packed a two-wheeler in your suitcase. Mike Hadjioannou at Bikin’ Cyprus Adventures provides rental bicycles and can organise a ride tailored to your ability and the intensity of your desire to escape from urban life. He says, “Having the right bike is essential. For beginners we bring mountain or road bikes and cycle along the coastal path from the Four Seasons to Kourion, stopping to see the ancient ruins on the way. For serious pedalling, we can supply Scott carbon frame bikes and maybe head to the wine villages.”

Cycle for a couple of hours to Zigi or dedicate a day to a 6-hour mountain tour. Either way, your cycling experience will put exercise in sync with holiday fun.

If a quick pedal into town is more appealing, Nextbike is the answer. This bike rental service with over twenty stops along the Limassol seafront allows you to pick up a bicycle and drop it off at any stop. At a charge of €2 an hour, it’s a cheap, easy and fun way to explore Limassol. All you have to do is register and get rolling.

Cycling challenge

If you keep your eyes focused on cyclists whizzing by, you can often spot some lycra-clad celebrities. Christos Chartziotis explains, “Cyprus is now the third most popular destination for professional annual training,” and the Sunshine Cup is the main event. Mike Hadjioannou, who is also the Race Organiser, says: “In the last four days of February, the Sunshine Cup draws over 200 participants from over 30 countries. And in 2014, for the first time, the field will be open to everyone – not just professionals.”

The routes take in the mountains, the forests and the country lanes. Some are technically challenging, others more relaxing. From the top 50 cyclists in the world, at least 30 race in the Sunshine Cup. Mike continues, “It’s a real attraction to watch, so come and cheer us on.” Limassol Cycling Club +357 9946 4463 www.limassolcycling.eu Bikin’ Cyprus +357 9770 2200 www.bikincyprusadventures.com Nextbike www.nextbike.com.cy

Walking

A brisk walk or an easy stroll, around town or along nature trails, in the company of a guide or simply with the sun. For many, this is the epitome of holiday relaxation and a way to discover the details of an area, from coloured pebbles on the beach to historical treasures.

Around town

At the Four Seasons, ‘Fun for Everyone’ Supervisor Heike Ioannou has taken practical steps – quite literally – to bring guests in touch with their surroundings. Every Monday at 11.00am, Heike invites you to join her for the Amathus Walk: approximately half an hour there and back, with an opportunity to visit the archaeological site. Heike says, “It’s meant to be a relaxing walk – not a race! So it’s up to the group to set the pace. All you need is some water and comfortable shoes.”

Heike’s favourite walks are along the Limassol shoreline, feeling the sea breeze. “This is especially beautiful in the winter months, early in the morning or at sunset,” she says. “The walk into Limassol city takes two hours, and we stop for a welldeserved refreshment. The Limassol Municipality’s organised walk through the Old Town every Monday morning is also very popular.”

Maria Stylianou Michaelidou, Manager at the Limassol Tourism Board, has joined many Old Town walks; it is her way of exploring her city. She says: “It’s amazing how much I’ve discovered about Limassol during these walks. I now know which flowers are in season at the market, who has the best souvlaki in town, and I’ve had a chance to explore the passageways under Ayia Anna Church.”

Nature walks

From the beach to the mountains, there are beautiful trails to explore, such as the Troodos nature walks, the hike up Caledonia Falls, and the E4 route. Germasogeia Municipality organises free weekly bus/walking trips in the winter and spring. ‘A village blessed by water’ takes you to the Elias Monastery excavations, an artist’s workshop, the reservoir and dam, while the ‘Natural Environment of Germasogeia’ explores the tranquil areas of Koryphi and Phinicaria.

Cyprus Tourism Organisation tourist guide, Rosemary Markari, often leads the Germasogeia walks and is a live source of relevant information. She says: “As well as pointing out the sites of interest, the churches, rivers and villages, we provide an introduction to the beautiful spring flowers,” – along with some of the myths and traditions associated with them. As you ride on an old Bedford bus to the starting point of the walk, you will pass giant fennel and oleander shrubs that line the road. During the walk, you will see the ground-hugging mandrake plant, the star-of-Bethlehem, and the tall white flowers of the asphodel, with its link to Greek mythology. Rosemary says: “We love to walk and share our culture; people are always surprised how much we can fit into two hours!”

Limassol Town Walks, Cyprus Tourism Organisation +357 2536 2756 Germasogeia Municipality Walks +357 2532 3211 www.yermasoyia.org

At Sea

In the winter months, the Mediterranean Sea can be calm for diving and roused for sailing, offering the right conditions for recreation above and below the water line.

Sailing

The winter Mediterranean weather is ideal for sailing; and with the new Limassol Marina near completion, there will be even more opportunity for life on the ocean wave Sophia Paraskeva, PR Executive at Limassol enismod Marina, points out, “The Cyprus Sailing Federation is responsible for promoting the sport, and there are ample places across our beautiful south coast for people to learn how to sail.” Limassol Marina recently sponsored the Famagusta Nautical Club’s ‘Andreas Ioannides’ offshore regatta in Limassol. Sophia says, “The Limassol-based Club has strong ties with Sail First who run monotypes J/80 yachts in Paphos, so they organise a lot of charters together.” Hiring a sailing dinghy and taking some lessons has never been easier; you may even bump into our very own 2012 Silver Olympic Champion Pavlos Kontides on the waves. www.sailfirst.com

Diving

The Dive-In centre at the Four Seasons is open all year round, and its owner, Jonathan Wilson, has exciting plans for 2014: “Just up the road at Dasoudi Beach, the Fisheries Department plan to sink two boats and a range of amphorae. Divers know what this means: it’s a unique opportunity to witness the birth of a brand new reef. Fish will just be starting to inhabit the pottery, and plant life will take hold. We will be running trips there as soon as it is completed.” If you can’t wait, The Akrotiri Fish Reserve by the Akrotiri British base is a fish finder’s delight. A helicopter, canons, and even a fire engine make up this artificial reef 9m down. With a ban on fishing in the area, the abundance of life is dramatic: zebra, bream, parrot fish and damsel fish, and as seen by Jonathan, flying fish and turtles.

Surf’s up

When the winds hit Cyprus’s southern coast particularly in winter and spring, the surfers relish every high wave. George Demetriou, owner of West Wind water sports next to the Four Seasons beach, says: “Surfing is even more popular in this season due to the removal of swimming boundaries and more shorelines being accessible. Episkopi, Kourion, Limassol and Avdimou are excellent; kite- and windsurfers from around the world come to train in the winter for the summer competitions,” such as the first Cyprus Kitesurfing Championships in 2013 for both Freestyle and Freeride races judged by World Kitesurfing Champion, Kevin Langeree. With light gusts for beginners rising up to winds of 22 knots for experts, we can only expect to welcome more surfers to this paradise. www.westwatersports.com, www.kitesurfingcyprus.com

Hit the Road

Out & About

Take a day trip to discover green landscapes, freshwines, historic churches and castles.You can even walk in the footsteps of a goddess:Cyprus in the springtime has so much to offer.

Wine

Over 50 boutique wineries line the foothills and mountains of Limassol and Paphos, offering tasting of different varietals and vintages. The easiest way to explore is by following the six routes laid out by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation. Each comes with a handbook and is signposted through the stunning countryside. A good place to start is the Cyprus Wine Museum for some historical insights, before heading off to sample Cyprus’s indigenous grape wines such as Xinisteri and Maratheftiko alongside favourites of Shiraz and Chardonnay.

Savvas Papathomas, Four Seasons Head Sommelier, points out: “In the winter months we enjoy the new wines bottled from the year before. The year 2012 was remarkable, with just the right amount of rain, and the heat made the grapes work hard. However, 2013 was even better and the results will be excellent, especially the Xinisteri and Maratheftiko so suited to these conditions. We are all looking forward to tasting the new wine harvests this year and the next.” The Cyprus Wine Museum Erimi: opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.:00 - 17:00

Churches

Celebrate the stunning architectural styles of Cyprus churches by visiting these hallowed sites, from the Byzantine to the Gothic, the simple chapel to the ornate monastery. Andreas Phillipos, architect and author of Byzantine Architecture in Cyprus, has dedicated his life to studying and painting churches on the island. He says: “When Christianity came to Cyprus, the people were poor from centuries of occupation, so churches were built on a budget – small but with exceptional design and construction. The geometry is technical perfection and every stone does its job, creating exquisite structures that sit like sculptures in their landscape, as a legacy to the Byzantine age, the most important legacy that Cyprus can give to the world.”

Out of the hundreds of churches in Cyprus, Andreas recommends five must-see sites easily accessible from the Four Seasons: the barrel-vaulted Agios Ermogenis nestled by the sea next to Kourion; Agioi Barnabas and Hilarion in Peristerona and Agia Paraskevi in Geroskipou are the only churches with 5 domes; Agios Efstathios with its cruciform and dome, just 100m from Kolossi Castle in Episkopi. Towards the Larnaca area, the last but equally important recommendation is Angeloktisti in Kiti – three churches in one, with a 6th century mosaic of Virgin Mary and Child attended by Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the only one left in situ in Cyprus.

Castles

The fascination for Cyprus castles is not based on majestic proportions, as they are all quite small. Instead, it is the fact that these forts track nearly a thousand years of war and peace in Western and Eastern civilisations – a feature that few countries can match.

Close by is Limassol Castle, first erected around 1000AD, with the later castle notably used as the wedding venue for Richard the Lionheart and Berengaria of Navarre in 1191. The castle’s present-day museum celebrates the medieval era where weaponry, coin and pottery collections and even tombstones fire your imagination back to these times.

Kolossi Castle stands facing the sea near Episkopi as a testament to the Middle Ages and the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus, the warring factions of the Knights Templar and the island’s burgeoning trade routes. Paphos Castle is equally important; originally a fort, and later used as a prison, it now welcomes visitors through its moated walls and serves as an impressive drama and opera backdrop.

Opening Hours: Limassol Castle: Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00, Sat: 9:00 - 17:00, Sun: 10:00 - 13:00 Kolossi Castle: Winter (16 Sept - 15 April) Mon - Sun: 8:30 - 17:00, Summer (16 April - 15 Sept), Mon - Sun: 8:30 - 19:30 Paphos Medieval Castle: Daily, Winter (1 Nov - 31 Mar): 8:00-17:00, Spring (1 April - 31 May): 8:00-18:00, Summer (1 June - 31 Aug ): 8:00-19:30

Meet the goddess

On the quest for Aphrodite, Cyprus’s very own deity, you can seek out the mysteries of this legend that left traces across the island. The official Aphrodite Walking Trail takes adventurers on an 8km circular track in the footsteps of the goddess and her lover Adonis through the Akamas, just west of Paphos. The Baths of Aphrodite and Aphrodite's sanctuary at Pyrgos tis Regainas are the dominant features of the trek. Driving from Paphos to Limassol you cannot miss Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite’s legendary birthplace. And just 2km from the Four Seasons explore the remains of her sanctuary at the famous Amathounda site.

Stories from Aphrodite’s life and her dedicated sites have infused the land with mythology and celebrations. Anna Marangou, archaeologist and art historian, says of Aphrodite: “She is the image of womanhood in Cyprus, representing nature, nurture and creation. The red anemones of Akamas represent the blood of her slain lover Adonis, while Limassol’s popular Carnival has its origins connected to ancient Amathounda, her sanctuary and temple.”

In her paper, Walking along History, Anna continues the story: “Amathus is tightly connected with the Cypriot version of the myth of Ariadne, the wife of Theseus who died while giving birth to her two sons, Stafylos and Oinopionas. This event supposedly happened at Aphrodite’s sanctuary at Amathus where Ariadne was buried in the adjacent sacred forest. To honour his wife and to give respect to Aphrodite, Theseus decided to organise in Amathus a celebration where men pretending they are pregnant give birth.” That celebration is today’s Carnival, an annual revival of the creative nature of Aphrodite, which lives on and endures to this day.

Amathounda Winter hours (1 Nov - 31 Mar) Daily: 8:00 - 17:00; Spring hours (1 April - 31 May) Daily: 8:00 - 18:00 Aphrodite Walking Trail: www.moa.gov.cy