26 October 2016

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

Getting away from it all.

It's been a little while since I've posted! So hello guys. I've actually been filming on a really exciting project which I, unfortunately, can't tell you anything about. But let's just say that I've been getting up at silly times of the morning (3:30am was definitely the worst), working all day, getting home about 8:30/9pm and having to go straight to bed to repeat it all the again. So you can see why I've not been very vocal on the internet. 


But I've started to recover from my lack of sleep, and have been able to sit down and get these holiday pictures up! I uploaded the vlog for this holiday at the start of the month, so if you want to take a look at that, you can find it at the bottom of this post. I wanted to share some of where we went and what we did in a bit more detail, so if any of you are looking at taking a little winter break, here's what Cyprus has in store!

Now to give you a quick summary, this was my fourth time going to Cyprus, and my third time staying in Paphos. Chris had never been before so I thought I'd show him around the sunny isle! We went at the end of August to beginning of September for 11 nights, and let's just say it was hotttt!!!!! I had previously been in October when the temperature drops to the mid twenties, but when we went this time it sometimes hit 35! So I suggest if you want to make the most of your days without melting into a little puddle, go around the autumn or spring. 

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

PAPHOS

Paphos is actually quite a large area, but we stayed near Kato Paphos. We were a short bus ride from the centre of town and the harbour which is lined with restaurants. Tucked away in little allies and courtyards are small boutiques and tourist shops so there's plenty of choice of souvenirs. Paphos has become a lot more touristy and expensive than I remember  from when I last went 6 years ago, but it's a great base for exploring the rest of the island, and the airport is 20 mins away from the town centre. It still retains it's culture and history, as you will see from some of the places we visited below. The harbour is so beautiful to walk along day or night (you can even go for a swim) with the lights across the water and the buzz from the restaurants. A couple of places we recommend to eat are:

Poseidon- best view of the harbour and lovely local wine. 
Pelican Restaurant- the best food we tried in Paphos, and live pelicans walking around!
Gelamo Gelato Cafe- had our dessert here every night. Beautifully rich flavours!

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

CORAL BAY

Believe the hype about this beach! The water is so clear and not as choppy as some of the other beaches on the west side. It is definitely worth getting a sun lounger for a day (€7.50 for two sunloungers and a parasol) but not worth getting food from the two bars at either end of the beach. The food is seriously overpriced for the quality, but I have to say their Cypriot coffee is gorgeous! You can drive there or get the bus for a euro or two.

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

AGIOS NEOFYTOS MONASTERY

This was a discovery that we made when travelling up the island on a whim. We'd decided to take the hire car around the places the tour buses would have gone, and this was first on the list. This is beautiful, and big enough so that the crowds don't swallow you. It is most famous for some of it's buildings being built into the mountainside, but we had to pay to have a look inside. There was a great little cafe where we had lunch, and a traditional shop, so the whole thing wasn't touristy. A great little stop!

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

POLI

We didn't stay here long but I wish we could have! We walked through the town to the gardens where the canopied walkways led to an amazing viewpoint of the landscape, from the mountains all the way down to the sea. This would probably be a great place to stay outside of the north town resorts while still being nearby. 

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

LATSI

This habour town is a 5-10 minute car ride from Poli, and its beautifully picturesque. You can walk along the seafront lined with restaurants and nip into small shopping malls. The beach is slightly stony but it has beautful views of the mountains.

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

BLUE LAGOON

This was one of the highlights of our trip, and very spontaneous! After exploring the Baths Of Aphrodite (another great places to visit) we found a board about jeep taxis to the Blue Lagoon which is a untouchded part of the coastline only accessible by offroad vehicles. As we were looking at it, the jeep taxi pulled up, and we hopped on! It's about €15 per person for a return and it takes you to the Fontana Amoroza viewpoint for pictures before dropping you off at the Blue Lagoon. They run back and forth throughout the day, so you can stay as long as you like (with that last one leaving the lagoon at 5). 

The lagoon itself is stunning! Warm, calm, clear water on white sand beaches; we could've stayed there all day! This was my favourite beach of the trip, and is a must see in my opinion!

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

OMODOS

We visited this village on a roadtrip to the Trodos Mountains, and it was my favourite place! This wine village is peaceful yet still with plenty to do. The small streets and allies were filled with cafe's and resturants, and little shops and food stores run by locals selling their homemade goods. The thing that summed it up for me was a little old lady sewing lace outside her shop. The town even has it's own monastery adorned with gold and chandeliers. 

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

KYKKOS MONASTERY

The richest monastery on the island, we managed to beat the crowds by going at around 5pm. This allowed us to really appreciate the tranquility of the place, letting us wonder around the many halls and courtyards in peace. The gold mosaics along the walls are pure works of art. The monks were praying while we were there, and the sound of them praying and chanting was magical. The views driving up to it are pretty spectacular too!

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

KOLOSSI CASTLE

Just outside Limassol, this castle has great views and ruins, and its huge walls and ceilings have art exhibitions hanging from them. Be prepared to climb the spiral staircases for the floors above and the roof. 

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

TOMB OF THE KINGS

I had to revisit this place when we went, as I had so many fun memories of it. The tombs are incredible to see, but the coolest thing is that you can actually walk in and around them, without being stuck behind barriers and glass. Health and safety would have a field day as the only protection you have at some points are bits of string, but that adds to the rustic charm. Again you can hop on the bus to Coral Bay from the harbour to get there. 

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus

What To Do In Cyprus


Let me know if any of you have been to Cyprus, and whether there are any places you would recommend! We're currently planning our next travel adventure to Asia next year, so I can't wait to be sharing more travel features with you all! 

Gx


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2 comments

  1. Lovely photos! I would love to visit Cyprus one day.

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