The south coast town of Limassol is regarded as the island’s largest seaside resort. The Troodos Mountains are considered to be a magnificent backdrop to the city that spread for ten miles along the coast and whose fertile foothills are filled with most of the island’s mouth-watering grapes. Since the Middle Ages, Limassol has been known to traders for its wine and sugar cane. At present, this second largest city of Cyprus, with a population of around 200.000 is the centre of Cyprus’s wine-making industry and an important commercial and tourist centre. The city’s carefree holiday atmosphere, with wide seafront promenades and bustling little shopping streets, is matched by the amusement and lively character of its people. By keeping hold of a fun-loving reputation and the best nightlife on the island, only Limassol stages some of the island’s best-known festivals: the annual Wine Festival, which takes place during the end of August beginning of September, when the various wineries offer free samples of their products for ten days, the ten day pre-Lenten Carnival with masquerade parties, balls and grand parades, the Limassol Festival in summer and the ancient Drama Festival at Kourion. Kourion or otherwise, Curium, was an ancient city with baths (fifth century BC), fine pavement mosaics and a theater (50 - 175 AD), where performances of music and drama took place. Nowadays, the theatre of Kourion is used for summer concerts and theatrical productions. Another archaeological site is the ancient city of Amathus, which was considered to be one of the most ancient royal cities in Cyprus. Amathus was built on the coastal cliffs with an amazing view to the sea. It flourished and became a rich kingdom since the early years of its settlement. During the Post Phoenician Era (800 BC) a port was also constructed there, which served the trade with the Greeks and the Levantines. High on the cliff a temple was built, this became a special worship site for Aphrodite, the
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Goddess of Beauty and Love. The excavators discovered the Temple of Aphrodite, which dates approximately to the first century BC. Presently, you may visit the remains of this ancient city on the southern coast of Limassol, in front of Agios Tychonas, but unfortunately they are not as wellpreserved as those of Kourion. On the eastern side of Limassol, all types of holiday accommodation have been built close to the sea. These range from luxury hotels, to delightful apartments and villas. Near them are a wide range of taverns, pubs, discos and nightclubs. There are numerous beaches to choose from, some very popular during midsummer with the convenience of changing rooms, showers, cafes and bars, others quite uncrowded, particularly those on the outskirts of the city, such as the sandy beach known as “Ladies Mile’, west of the new harbour. As an exceptional shopping centre, Limassol offers the full gamut from ultra-modern to traditional and handmade. At busy St. Andrew’s Street, not far from the seafront promenade, you may find traditional lace and souvenirs and enjoy a fascinating trip with quaint buildings and overhanging terraces. Other important shopping streets are Makarios Avenue and Anexartisias, where many prestigious boutiques and showrooms are located, as well as small shops of every type. Near the old port is the Limassol Castle, where Richard the Lionheart allegedly married Queen Berengaria of Navarre in 1191 and crowned her Queen of England - the first Coronation and Royal Marriage to take place outside England. Its grounds house the Medieval Museum of Cyprus with interesting pottery and tombstones amongst its numerous exhibits. Limassol also has an Archaeological Museum with fascinating statues and pottery findings, the Municipal Art Gallery, as well as a Folk Art Museum. The Municipal Gardens, which also include a small zoo, offer a pleasant stroll amidst lush trees, plants and shrubs.
The Kermia Beach is a tourist complex ideal for families and people looking for quiet, serene and holidays. It is located in a stunning location overlooking one of the most spectacular sunsets of Cyprus, away from noise, between the famous resort of Ayia Napa which lives in the pulse of the cosmopolitan life and Cape Cavo Greco, a park of natural beauty. The hotel is built in an area of 60,000 square metres directly by the sea, it looks like a small village with vast gardens that extend until the beach. It is one of the most beautiful coastal parts of the island and this “hotel village” respects perfectly the natural landscape that surrounds it. The earthen colours combine the green of nature and the blue sea that is made of crystal clear waters, a clean and protected sandy beach
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awarded with the blue flag, safe, even for young children. The hotel has 154 spacious, ground floor bungalows with a kitchenette (Studio, One-bedroom and Two-bedroom bungalows) all with a veranda and a garden, Cypriot Architecture, with all the modern comforts and the sweetness and warmth of the Cypriot hospitality. The harmonious combination of simplicity and luxury will charm the visitor. The recent renovation of the bungalows has given it a lighthearted island air feeling which relaxes you and makes you remember every minute that you are on vacation. The entrance and the gardens of the hotel welcome you with a newly renovated touch that extends parallel to the Superior Garden View and Superior Front Sea View Bungalows. The hotel’s gastronomy is based on quality levels. The visitor has a choice of dining in four Restaurants: In the “Cavo Greco” restaurant with a buffet and theme nights with live music and shows, in the “Alkion” a la carte grill restaurant for candle light dinner, in the Japanese “Kioku Sushi Bar” for fine Asian creations as well as in the traditional restaurant “Meze House” with Cypriot creative cuisine. The hotel has 2 bars. At the “Sunset Bar”, the visitor will enjoy hot and cold drinks as well as refreshing cocktails overlooking the blue Mediterranean sea and the “Albatross Pool Snack Bar” for light meals and cocktails next to the lagoon pool of the hotel. In the main building there is a minimarket, souvenir, conference room, gym and sauna. A coin operated laundry service is also vailable. There are a variety of services for athletes such as: – Tennis (5 courts) – Archery – Windsurfing – Mountain Bike Station – Mini-football – Diving centre – Water sports Also offered - Aerobics, Massage, Water polo, Volleyball, Basketball, Beach Volley and Minigolf. The umbrellas and the beds at the pool and at the beach are offered complimentary to our customers. In the specially built children’s club (4 - 12 years old), which operates under the supervision of multilingual speaking qualified staff weekly activity programmes are organised. There is a playground, children’s menus, as well as baby sitting. The friendly and discreet approach of the staff throughout the duration of the guest’s stay will remain unforgettable. Feel the ultimate in relaxation at the Kermia Beach Bungalow Hotel as you take a trip to the dream.
In the mountainous and picturesque village of Agros on the mountain that dominates the region, is built in traditional architecture, the Rodon Hotel. Rodon is known for its superb combination of comfortable accommodation, stunning panoramic views, warm Cypriot hospitality and a good homemade cuisine. In the decade of the 80s, the residents and friends of the village of Agros proceeded to the ambitious reconstruction project of the Rodon Hotel, which aimed on the tourism development of the village. The hotel owes its name to the small fragrant roses that abound in the area, making Agros Pancyprian as the first village in the production of rosewater, but also of dishes, beverages and products from rose. The hotel was launched in 1986 keeping hold of its own story and currently, consists of fully renovated rooms and venues with an upgraded service in order to please all the demands of modern travellers. The hotel is offered for relaxation, education, good and traditional food, physical exercise, a healthy lifestyle and quality entertainment. It is ideal for events of every form and on every occasion (weddings, baptisms, gatherings). It is also ideal for visitors with special interests, who prefer hiking,
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climbing, cycling, walking in beautiful nature trails, studying the natural florafauna and built environment (stone houses) of the area, as well as the lifestyle of the residents of the Cypriot countryside. Rodon is also accessible for people with disabilities. Today, Agros, as a result of Rodon, composes one of the busiest tourist resorts of Cyprus. Locals and foreigners spend pleasant breaks from their everyday life in a village that consists of restaurants, cafes, small workshops of local traditional products and many interesting activities. The tourism development has helped to increase the number of residents and the expansion of the village, determining it as one of the largest villages in the Pitsilia region. By staying at the Rodon Hotel, which is positioned in the heart of mountainous Cyprus, an opportunity for experience evolves as you take an excursion in the surrounding area. Here, the nature lovers could enjoy great hiking trails and driving routes, meet neighbouring villages that are located just a few kilometres from Agros and live in the rhythms of rural Cyprus. The Byzantine churches of the Holy Cross of Agiasmati in close proximity to the village of Platanistasa, the Holy Cross in the village of Pelendri and Panagia tou Araka outside the villages of Saranti and Lagoudera will monopolise your interest as they are globally considered to be monuments of Orthodoxy with a great religious and historical value that are under the protection of UNESCO. Furthermore, in the village of Agros there are two historic churches, the church of Our Lady of Mercy, a former monastery of Great Agros in which the image of Our Lady of Great Agros (one of the 70 icons painted by Apostle and Evangelist, Luke) is found and the church of Saint John the Baptist. The small churches of Saint Kyriaki and Saints Gerasimon, as well as the museum of the artist and icon painter, Solon Frangoullides, are also worth a visit. By descending from Rodon towards the three neighbourhoods of Agros, you will discover the unique of their kind “traditional crafts� with delicious spoon sweets, the ancestral traditional desserts soutzouko and paluze, the pure and genuine honey from the bee, the rustic halloumi cheese and the traditional smoked and dipped into wine cold cuts. Additionally, you will find the pottery workshop and smell the wonderful aroma of the roses, from which, apart from the famous Agros rosewater, various other products such as tea, liqueurs, aperitifs, wines, aromatic candles and biological cosmetics are produced. Get to know the secrets of the evolutionary course of fine wines and make tastings at one of the local wineries. You will even discover the village’s fresh fruits and vegetables and the flower shop with its amazing flowers, aromatic plants and trees. In the historic centre of the village, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the digestive water of Agros, along with Cypriot coffee or a rustic hot tea, in one of the traditional cafes. The view of the surrounding greenery overwhelms the travellers as the colours and scents of nature form a breathtaking beauty due to the countless trees mainly, apple trees, cherry trees, peach trees, walnut trees, hazelnut trees, adventitious roots and ubiquitous roses. This astonishing and harmonious image that relaxes the eyes and calms the soul looks like a divine intervention, where one could feel complete peace and tranquility. If you are a sports fan and enjoy action such as climbing, cycling, hiking, walking in beautiful nature trails and visiting historical, religious and cultural sites in the area, you could ask for more information from the hotel reception for the planned activities that are organised for all kinds of tastes and ages. You could even be informed about the cultural events that take place in the village, which you should not hesitate to attend! What will surely remain in your memory as an unforgettable experience is the hospitality of the residents, the traditional dishes and the amusement accompanied with delightful music that lasts until the morning hours!
A paradisiacal land for vacation! The golden sandy beaches of Ayia Napa gently touch upon the east coast of the island of Cyprus. Once being a small picturesque fishing village, Ayia Napa with its stunning coasts of astonishing white sands, its wonderful beaches and beautiful blue waters, today is bustled with life and a cosmopolitan atmosphere and is regarded as the main and most popular summer resort of the Mediterranean. The shallow, calm and crystal clear waters have made this coastal area a heaven of extreme attraction for beach lovers. While you are there, spend the day by sunbathing on one of the many magical beaches, by swimming in the warm waters or by even taking a short cruise along the coast to observe from cosmopolitan beaches to secluded coves and incredible sea caves. Additionally, you could take another trip to Cape Greco, a place of an indescribable beauty, where you will obtain the opportunity to go for diving and enjoy the exceptionality of the seabed through underwater observations. At night, you could go out and dine at one of the many restaurants that serve international cuisine or at traditional taverns with delicious local dishes, while later on, you could enjoy every moment by dancing and having fun with the most modern rhythms in some of the many nightclubs that the area consists of. If you love being inspired with culture and tradition, then you will feel truly pleased by visiting this extraordinary destination as year round events and festivals are organised by its municipality that strongly express the island’s culture and traditions. Ayia Napa is a very famous destination for summer holidays. People from all over the world visit this amazing cosmopolitan resort to enjoy in particular, the sun and sea on its remarkable beaches that will surely not disappoint them. Come to Ayia Napa and discover a unique temptation within the crystal waters of the Mediterranean, take pleasure in having a peaceful walk across the shore, enjoy the excitement that the water sports have to offer and try to take upon new and unprecedented experiences hence, getting to know your strengths and weaknesses and even new abilities. Moreover, take a chance to relax in the spas of luxurious hotels that will unquestionably satisfy your highest expectations. Go for shopping in the trendiest stores you could ever imagine, take a walk or ride around the main busy streets that the
town keeps hold of, where you will find many restaurants, cafes and taverns to enjoy scrumptious international but also local delicacies, as well as pubs and nightclubs with Greek and foreign music. The nightlife in Ayia Napa is simply… incredible! For all kinds of tastes and all ages! Without doubt, in the town of Ayia Napa you will find an outstanding atmosphere and an excellent service and what makes this breathtaking place so unique is that everything is constantly provided with a smile. Therefore, what exactly prompts a contemporary traveller! The Monastery The medieval monastery located in the centre of Ayia Napa is dedicated to Our Lady of the Forests. The 16th century church is partly underground and carved into the rock. Undoubtedly, what will impress you the most is a century old sycamore in front of the south gate, which is believed that it is over 600 years old! Within the convent an ancient icon of the miraculous Virgin Mary of Napa is kept. The monastery is surrounded by a high wall with carved stones and the whole complex has a great medieval architecture. The Sea Museum What is remarkable is the Sea Museum situated at the municipality of Ayia Napa, where in a pleasant environment you could explore the role and importance of the sea in the history of Cyprus from antiquity until today. The exhibits of the museum include fossils of marine organisms and animals aged up to 100 million years old and stuffed sea animals and organisms like fish, turtles, seals, birds, starfish, sea urchins, sponges and corals. However, the most awe-inspiring exhibit of the museum is the life-size effigy of the ancient ship in the era of Alexander the Great that was found wrecked off the coast of Kyrenia. Apart from the exhibits, within the spaces of the museum a few shops, a cafe and a place for educational programs are also available. The Port Enjoy a coffee or lunch beside the waters of the Mediterranean at the port of Ayia Napa. Gaze upon the colours of the sea as they change in the sunlight and let the relaxing sounds to lure and accompany you to beautiful moments. The anchored boats and other vessels offer to the landscape a tranquil atmosphere that will undeniably calm your spirit. At the port, what will surely surprise you is the cosmopolitan aura that exists as there are so many people, who wish to visit and sit in its restaurants and cafes. Its location offers a special view to both foreign and local visitors alike and is regarded as an ornament to the town of Ayia Napa, by producing an exceptional sensation both during the day and night. The beaches of Ayia Napa The beaches of Ayia Napa are considered to be among the best that exist in Cyprus. The crystal blue waters and sandy beaches are what make each guest to adore them and become attracted to their beauty. From cosmopolitan beaches to almost empty ones, with white or golden sands, well organised to completely isolated ones, at either a green or deserted environment, with calm waters to large waves, with steep cliffs to remarkable caves, in this part of the world you could find any type of beach that would satisfy your needs without having to travel miles just to find it. If you are either an athletic or adventurous type of person and you like action, you will be impressed by the wide variety of water sports available on the beaches of Ayia Napa. Your adrenaline will reach its heights and will provide you with a unique experience. On the other hand, if you prefer to be in a calmer state then take a ride on a boat to which its bottom part is actually like a submarine! The windows that it consists of will let you observe throughout your journey the magnificence that the underwater life has to offer and when an anchor is casted, a diver feeds the fish in front of your eyes within the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea or even better why not dive for yourself and let them eat from your own hands?
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The place for prayer. The place for worshipping nature. For some, a place to escape from everyday life. For others, it is regarded as their daily lives. Moments of everydayness blended with moments of relaxation. Common denominators: experiences, satisfaction, peace and diversity of the ordinary. It is almost certain that whoever reaches or lives permanently in Cyprus will feel at least something of the above. The island is large and the options are countless. The time that is required is from an hour to unlimited in order for someone to live what would please him or her the most. Churches and monasteries The churches and monasteries in Cyprus are hospitable to visitors. From parish churches in towns to Byzantine churches on the Troodos Mountains, chapels but also monasteries offer tranquility to the visitor. Places of peace and communication with God boost human stamina for the hardship of our epoch. The religious heritage of Cyprus, rich in history and monuments, overwhelms any Christian visitor. Magnificent churches, small stone-built churches, Byzantine hagiography in churches and monasteries with ecclesiastical museums elicit admiration worthy of any space that houses the sublime faith to the Christ. The passage of time and the religious perception of the Christian Cypriots have given a large number of churches and a diversity in both architecture and the size of churches that someone could observe. Wine The wine records its own historical course on the island, which in recent years through the “Wine Routes” it highlights the particular characteristics of the Cypriot wine. Routes to the wine villages, visits to vineyards, wineries and local wine museums comprise for the visitor as sources that reveal the local wine. The journey with destination to wine is an experience of wine tastes combined with traditional dishes. The sun, the Mediterranean climate and the fertile soil are factors for the cultivation of vines on the island since antiquity, but also for the production of quality wines with the top being the sweet and fragrant Commandaria. The expansion of vineyards in
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some villages became the core, which around it rotate the daily lives of the residents. The wine as power became a tradition and a long-lasting history. It shaped the landscape, where the presence of vines dominates in plains and ridges of low mountains. Cypriot cuisine A unique and highly enjoyable pleasure for many! In Cyprus, as nowhere else, the great variety of food, the cleanliness and quality local ingredients play a vital role for someone to feel completely satisfied by the gastronomy of the place. Despite the plethora cuisine choices, the traditional Cypriot cuisine ranks first with its king being the well-known “Cyprus Meze”. The parade of the various appetisers, cooked and grilled dishes that will pass from the table tastefully compensate anyone who may think about his or her silhouette. Do not miss for any reason the experience of the Cyprus Meze, but also and of the other traditional dishes in a tavern, even if you escape for a while from your usual diet. It is no coincidence that the Cypriot cuisine gains more and more fans, who seek it in many parts of the earth! The acquaintance with tradition If you do not get to know the tradition of a place, then your tour is not yet complete. Cyprus, scattered with villages, divulges through these a more crystallised concept on hospitality, the beauties of nature and the joys of a more human everydayness. In the villages, the morals and customs are inherited from generation to generation. Many of these such as the traditional occupations that have been annihilated by the industry revive through small festivals that are mainly organised during the summer by each village. The architecture that characterises most of the villages in Cyprus is simple. It combines stone for building walls, tiled roofs and protruding chimneys, narrow streets and courtyards with every kind of container that has been made a flower pot. This simplicity is the characteristic beauty of the villages of Cyprus, which in combination with their rich cultural heritage and natural landscape are becoming interesting destinations for touring at any time of the year.
Evangelia Sakka’s Green Care Spa is a centre that offers beauty treatments combined with alternative therapies such as reflexology, sperotherapy, Indian head massage, manicure, pedicure, skintightening treatments, the moisturisation and regeneration of the face and body, waxing and makeup. It is a modern spa that could pamper you from head to toe. The Green Care Spa is an anti-aging centre of physical and mental uplift. Through many specialised treatments, you will be provided with immediate renewal results that will surely impress you. For more information, you could visit www.greencarespa.gr where you will be informed in detail on all the treatments and products offered. In the heart of the town of Chania, Evangelia Sakka, in 2004, launched the pharmacy named as My-Pharmacy, a modern space that aims the choice of the most appropriate products in order to satisfy each customer’s needs, placing as its priority in accomplishing demands and in informing its customers on each product that may be of interest on its proper use to maximise the desired effect. The cooperation between a pharmacist and a doctor is always sought for the selection of the right treatment and the cooperation between the patient and the pharmacist for the right use of each medication in order to produce more accurately and in a faster pace, the desired result in every treatment. Evangelia’s special love towards alternative forms of treatment such as homeopathy, aromatherapy and herbology have enabled her to generate a space with skills and knowledge and a detailed customer information desk, making the pharmacy a complete health care centre with a range of products that help in restoring peace of mind. You could visit the pharmacy on www.my-pharmacy.gr to see all the products that the pharmacy proposes and to order the products that may be of interest to you. The service includes and delivery.
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The Cypriot cuisine is one of the world’s most overabundant with strong effects of the Mediterranean diet. Who has not eaten at least once in his or her life seftalia and halloumi cheese? Apart from the wonderful flavours, however, what prospers on the island is the essence of these delicious tastes that are inextricably linked with a warm and unpretentious hospitality. Those who have visited Cyprus have already experienced the ‘Cyprus Meze’. These many, small dishes bring to the table a variety of flavours and options, while they simultaneously create to the diners a unique atmosphere of joy. The ‘Cyprus Meze’ has been devised to supplement and enrich the taste of drinking, which is usually wine, beer, ouzo or zivania. A good ‘Cyprus Meze’ travels you to traditional techniques, local ingredients and amazing aromas. As an original part of the meze are the appetisers, which are intended to whet your appetite prior the serving of the hot dishes. These dishes are considered to be a morsel and are served consecutively with friends and families enjoyably sharing their scrumptious taste. They are also regarded as an opportunity for us, Cypriots, to go out for a ‘meze’, having the chance to share and acquire with our own way – perhaps with a little sense of noise – a blend of tastes, drinks, conversations, unforgettable experiences and robust emotions. What is the philosophy of the meze? Cooking is a creation which needs the notion of passion, imagination, per-
severance and knowledge. Tastes should retain the strength to travel you through a rainbow of magical moments. Try tzatziki with mint and olive oil and you will feel that you are eating this refreshing ‘meze’ in a cool grove, in the summer season. It is unbelievable, but the power of just a mouthful can activate the infusion of imagination and travel you to the appropriate setting, thus, the meze cannot be put into molds. It could be said that it is a true culinary pandemonium of strong flavours that awakens the palate. Culture and tradition do not change, cannot be renewed, they both simply accept modern effects processing. The well-chosen ingredients and the spicy, pickled and salty tastes are the characteristic attributes of the meze, while as a main principle the chef should never deviate from the standard recipe. In order to satisfy all tastes and demands two kinds of meze exist, the well-known fish and meat meze. A significant requirement is that the fish meze should make you feel the sea salt and produce a sensation of a summer touch, while the meat meze should offer you a more wintry and mountainous feeling, for example, of smoked aromas and intense flavours. Which dishes of the meze are the most characteristic in the Cyprus cuisine? The meze is made up of cold and hot dishes. The cold dishes are the ones that reach first to the table and are accompanied with a salad and bread. Consequently, the hot dishes are followed cooked either in the pan, casserole, on the grill or in the oven. What are regarded as typical in the cold dishes are the green cracked olives with garlic and dry coriander, taramas and tahini. The hot dishes from the meat meze consist of the well-known Cypriot sieftalies, chicken or pork souvlaki served with plenty of parsley on top and chopped onion. Additionally, the rustic wine-sauced sausages, grilled halloumi, afelia, pork cooked with potatoes, wine and aromatic herbs in the casserole are a must that every visitor should try before leaving this astonishing island with agreeable scents. The traditional ravioli stuffed with grated halloumi and mint and meatballs that are juicy fried oval or round-shaped balls of grated potato kneaded with pork mince and parsley, onion and a touch of black pepper provide a homemade essence that one should definitely not miss to enjoy tasting! Depending on the season, the meze is also framed with a variety of vegetables such as squash blossoms stuffed with rice or cheese and fried spinach with egg and taro. The cold dishes of the fish meze are similar to the ones in the meat meze, but the most distinguishing features that the fish meze keeps hold of in its hot dishes are the fried squid rings and the small in size fried whitebait. The cuttlefish cooked in a casserole with plenty of onions, herbs and wine is equally very tasty, as well as the grilled octopus with olive oil and oregano, shrimp saganaki, which is made with fresh tomatoes and feta cheese and the fried fish balls from the lean dough of various fish. The variety of fish as well as their size varies depending on the season. The meze provides you with the chance to enjoy the Cypriot tradition, since, as you will notice it is not simply a meal, but a presentation of the local cuisine in small doses. Through their variety, you will enjoy a delicious trip to the coast and the highlands of the island.
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