A month in Cyprus (3) - Paphos, Limassol, Nicosia and Troodos (West and Central)

Cyprus (1) Around Mazotos  
Cyprus (2): Larnaca and Ayia Napa

Aphrodite's Rocks

During the stay, we did a few trips around the island, to Limassol which was the largest tourist city closest to Larnaca, to Paphos which lay further west, towards the south west edge of the island, to the capital city of Nicosia in the centre, and to the Troodos mountains also in the central part. All were quite different in what they offered, and a pleasure to explore.


Paphos

Paphos is a major tourist hotspot in Cyprus, known as the cultural hub of the island. It's on the westernmost part of the island and was about 2 hours drive from Mazotos. So we drove there only once when I had to drop a friend at the airport.

The drive was mostly along the sea, with the Mediterranean blue being our constant companion. One highpoint of the drive was the patch past the British army base on the way. The houses were quite pretty, perched on top of small hills, all with orange roofs and a spectacular view of the sea from a height. The base looked quite charming because of its location.

In Paphos, we visited the Tombs of the Kings which are ruins from Greek times. There were a few tomb apparently of kings, with some interesting rock architecture, and located right on the beach. The tombs were ok but it was so hot, we couldn't really do justice to exploring them fully. But it was still interesting to see these tombs right next to new modern buildings on the beaches. The other thing I remember from this place was that the sound of crickets was very loud, like really loud.

Cabana beach bar

To cool off after the visit to the Tombs, we went to Cabana Beach Bar which was amazing. There was a beach party planned for that evening, and everyone was getting the place ready for it. The beach there looked quite gorgeous, and the beach bar had a lively vibe. Thereafter, I dropped my friend at the airport, which took a while to find! Google Maps kept taking us to the fence next the ATC tower 🤣. Am not sure if it's an exception but it was an unexpected surprise to get lost while going to an airport!


Limassol and around

Limassol town is the second largest city in Cyprus and you can notice it when driving on the highway, it just extends forever. It also has the most high-rises I saw in the country. We visited Limassol twice, once while driving back from the Troodos mountains in central Cyprus, and once to take a bus to Paphos. And twice we visited beaches and other places nearby.

Limassol Promenade

The city is huge, a bustling commercial and tourist centre. It also has a long promenade along the sea. The beaches in the city are ok for a city beach, but not a lot to write home about otherwise.

On our first trip, we had dinner at the La Caleta, a gorgeous rooftop restaurant. It had a stunning seaside view and was quite fancy. In fact, we felt out of place as we had turned up after a day of hiking in the Troodos mountains.

Sunset at Limassol

On the next trip, we walked along the promenade and ate at a beach restaurant. After dinner, we walked along the beach, which was full of people the whole evening, enjoying time in the water. We also saw a pretty sunset along the promenade that day. While leaving the city, we saw smoke and golden-orange colours in the sky. When we reached home, we read on the news that a huge forest fire had broken out in the area. So, we avoided Limassol for the next few days.

Greek ruins

Kourion Archaeological Site: We once visited the Greek ruins at Kourion, close to Limassol. They were a pleasure to explore. They had amphitheatres, baths, temple ruins and some remains of huge mansions from centuries ago. The ruins still looked impressive, even now. Some of the mansions that were excavated even had mosaics from that time still visible.

Amphitheatre

Sometimes they hold plays in the open amphitheatre and I tried to find tickets for it but was unable to. The ruins are located on top of a cliff overlooking the sea and a long gorgeous aquamarine beach, next to the sea. The beach looked so fabulous from the top, that even though I wasn't able to visit it the first time, I went back there a few weeks later.

Greek mosaics
(Kourion beach below)

Kourion beach: Kourion beach was a pebble beach in the Episkopi area, near Limassol. It had stunning blue green waters, one of the prettiest waters in Cyprus and was full of people every time I went there. It was also popular with the windsurfers and kitesurfers, as it had a lot of wind. The sound of the waves was quite loud thought, the day I went there. It had a few nice places to eat on the beach. The day I went, I spent a relaxing day on the beach, enjoying the beach environs all the way till sunset, which was stunning again. I don’t know if it was only that day or the beach is always windy. But yeah, a day when it isn’t windy, it would be the perfect place to spend a nice day on the beach.

Aphrodite's Rocks

Aphrodite’s Rocks: One afternoon, we visited the Aphrodite’s rocks near Limassol. Apparently, this is where, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love had walked out of the sea. There are some interesting rock formations in the water here. And the water was so pristine, so blue, so clear. The beach was also nice, though pebbly. This is quite a popular touristy place, and there were loads of people there. I missed swimming here that day though. We had lunch at the Marios fish taverna nearby, which had a magnificent view of the rocks from the top. It was quite breezy up there too, though the food was quite average.


Troodos mountains

Villages in Troodos mountains

The Troodos mountains are located in the central part of the island. They offer short hikes, gorgeous villages, churches and monasteries to visit. They are supposed to be cooler than the rest of the island but when we went, they were still hot. We visited the Troodos mountains twice, once for a hike and once for a monastery.

Milomeris waterfall

One of the days, we went hiking to the Milomeris waterfall, starting at the village of Pano Platres. The drive till Pano Platres was gorgeous, through rocky terrain and past some picturesque villages in the hills. There were many restaurants and trails starting from the village. It was quite hot but we still went for the hike. It was a short steep walk, through a shaded path, all the way down to the waterfall. The waterfall was a small one but still there were some people there.

Villages in Troodos mountains 

On the drive back from Troodos, we drove through Limassol. There were lots of vineyards on the hills all along. And we were accompanied by a full moon all through, high above the mountains. We had dinner at the La Caleta in Limassol while coming back.

Frescoes

On our next visit to Troodos mountains, we first went up to see the mythical Mount Olympus. But turns out that you can't go up all the way. The British setup some military radars and other installations on the top and it’s restricted to go there now. The forests up the drive felt like a good place to stop for a picnic though.

Kykkos monastery

We then drove to the Kykkos monastery. There were pine trees all around and no habitation all the way there. The location of the monastery felt quite isolated, with winding roads to get there. But once there, it was full of people. Given the huge crowds, it looked like the monastery was quite a popular spot with the locals, with a deep religious significance.

Frescoes and artwork

The monastery was gorgeous. It was huge, with some sections to stay, some offices and a huge cathedral inside. The main cathedral was stunning. It felt quite spiritual to be there. And there were loads of people who had come to pay their respects. It's the first time I had been inside an orthodox Christian place of worship and I was surprised how different it was. The rest of the monastery was beautiful too, decorated with vibrant frescos and religious artworks everywhere

During the drive back, we saw a few ski resorts here! That was quite a surprise. We also stopped at Troodos square, it had many restaurant options there and nice views of the plains. And the rest of the drive was as stunning as usual.


Nicosia

One of the days, we decided to do a city visit, and drove to the capital city, Nicosia. We left in the second half of the day as the afternoons were just too tough to get out and go anywhere. Nicosia was just a 50 mins drive from Mazotos. And after such a long time, I had seen a big city where people worked (and weren’t just on holiday), it felt like a different experience. It was huge, had so many high-rises, it felt like we had come to a completely different world. It was quite empty when we reached though as it was very hot. But it got lively and full at night, after 8 pm.

Buyuk Han

We drove to the main street, called Ledra street and mostly walked there among the shops. There were loads of tourists here. We walked into a church with prayers going on - it was so different than other churches I have been to. Then we crossed the border, in the centre of the city (!) to get to the Turkish side of Nicosia - Cyprus and Nicosia both have been divided into the Turkish controlled and Greek Cypriot parts (it’s a whole long story). Across the border, the food was different, and the feel was different too, it felt more run-down. We walked into the Buyuk Han caravanserai, which was an old building renovated to be a hangout place. It had many small cafes and shops selling handicrafts. We walked around for a bit and then came back to the Greek side. And within this 2 hour time frame, our passport had been stamped, twice!
One thing which quite surprised me was the number of Nepalis, Indians and African people on the streets of Nicosia. More than 50% of the people in the streets looked like they were from Asia - it felt unusual. And we found the answer during our dinner. We were eating at Fanous, when our Nepali waiter explained why that was the case. Apparently, many illegal immigrants from Asia come to Cyprus to cross over to Europe. They stay here for some time till they get an opportunity to cross over. And so the streets were full of all these people, waiting. It all felt very unsettling. We didn’t spend too much more time in Nicosia, and very soon were back in Mazotos. The ease of driving, and the completely different places we could get to so soon is something I will always remember about Cyprus.


Overall, I was able to visit most of the places I wanted to on the island, except Akamas park (and the Blue Lagoon within the park) and all the small local towns on the island, as it was just too hot to visit places during the day and walk around in the summer heat. Anyways, its always a good excuse to visit again 😁.

A month in Cyprus (2) – Larnaca and Ayia Napa (the East)

Cyprus (1): Around Mazotos

Green Bay near Ayia Napa

Larnaca was the closest city near Mazotos. So we ended up going there quite often, mostly for watersports stuff. And Ayia Napa lay further east, being the party capital of the island with some stunning beaches to boost too. 


Larnaca

Larnaca was a lazy coastal city, with two beaches, a promenade with loads of cafes and restaurants next to the beach, a marina with boats and boat tours and some places to visit. It was always empty in the afternoon. But one day when I was there late in the evening, it was buzzing with people. That day I realised people here slept in the afternoons and came out only after sunset.

The first time we went to Larnaca was for a massage, to Spa Bar and I will definitely recommend the place. The quality of the masseurs is outstanding. So much so that I went there again later! After the massage, we started walking towards the marina and saw a few boat tour booths. They mostly take tourists around to specific far off places. But we thought we should do something different - not go on any fixed route. So we walked to one of the booths and rented a huge yacht for a day, with a captain who would take us to some areas around, on the go.

So the next day, we had our own rented yacht to explore the waters around. We first went to the Zenobia shipwreck site and jumped into the open sea. We could make out the outlines of the wreck a bit but not too clearly. He then took us all the way to Pyros village beach and we swam there for a bit. It was too windy that day, so we couldn't stop at a lot of locations. But the best part of the day was just sitting on the front of the boat with the sun above and the wind blowing at you. And the breath-taking Mediterranean blue all around. The captain was very friendly, told us lot of stories and gave us local cut fruits to eat. It was pure heaven being there that day.

Planes above

As that boat ride had been lacking (according to the captain, not us 😁) because of the winds, the captain offered to take us on his touristy boat tour another day. So we went in his semi-submarine boat on a 2 hour tour to the same sites again. From the glass bottom of the ship, we could see the Zenobia shipwreck more clearly. And loads of colourful fishes swimming around it. He also took us around Larnaca old town and Mackenzie beach. The water was so green, so calm, so transparent here. We also floated for a bit as a few planes took over right above us. It was quite a sight to see. The captain also connected me to his friend for a diving trip another day.

Larnaca Salt Lake

Larnaca also had some other places to visit. One was a huge salt lake which we passed by every time we drove to the marina. It was pure white till where the eyes could see and it sparkled orange during sunset. Just next to it sat the Hala Sultan Tekkesi mosque which looked very picturesque next to the lake. I made it in time to see sunset on the lake only once. And it was a pretty sight.

There are two main beaches in town - Larnaca and Mackenzie. Larnaca beach is a city beach with lots of people and lot of sunbeds everywhere. The water was not very deep and comfortably warm - it was a pleasure to swim there. Mackenzie beach was bigger and had more activities to do there. It was also lined with great beach restaurants. The vibe there was just so much fun. I went there to windsurf one day. I found the beach too windy and tough fo windsurfing, but the restaurants and all looked so much fun.

Lazarus Church

One day I explored the old town and the promenade area. The Lazarus church was quite impressive inside and outside, and has a long history to read about. Then I walked past the Larnaca Castle along the promenade. Past it, I came to the old part of town, with very old buildings along the water and it was quite charming.

Larnaca promenade

I kept walking along the marina all the way to Mackenzie beach and it was so much fun. There were many restaurants on the way near Finikoudes beach. And it felt so serene to just walk along. As sunset happened, the weather got less hot, and suddenly the promenade filled with people. We saw so many indians too, for the first time. And from serene, it turned to being very active, full of people, music, restaurants and cars. We also found an Indian shop at Larnaca to buy Indian groceries. So this city was definitely a lifesaver (and the question to all answers) for us.

CTO Beach

In the other direction, past the city, there was a stretch of fancy resorts all along the road. And beyond that was CTO beach where I learnt windsurfing for a week. The windsurfing centre was run by Russians and Ukrainians. And most of the customers coming in were also from there. Apparently, the island is quite popular with Russians, as it is one of the few countries still allowing Russians to visit, since the war. The CTO beach was quite relaxed, it was fun to be there. The wind was enough to windsurf but not so much that as a beginner like me would have problems. And one day we ate at the restaurant there too, it was chill, and fun. All the beaches are so nice in Cyprus.


Ayia Napa

Ayia Napa was about a one hour drive from Mazotos, on the south eastern edge of the island. It was the party capital of the island and had a lot of things to do.

The drive there was interesting as there was a narrow pass to get there, bordering Turkish Cyprus. So there was a fence along the road at many places. Apparently there are a few ghost villages in this area as its inhabitants left during the split of the island. And never returned. There is also a village there which apparently is split into two between the two countries.

The entrance to Ayia Napa is quite grand. You suddenly see the huge resorts lining the beach. And the sparkling blue water extending till wherever the eyes can see. The roads are fancier too, with spectacular views of the Mediterranean blue. The vibe is definitely different than Larnaca which we frequented so much more.

Bridge of lovers

Ayia Napa is known as the crazy party city of the island but it always looked dead and empty the three times I went there. Apparently, the city wakes up at 2 am and I never stayed long enough to see it. But it also has some normal things to see and do during the day which we did 😊. And so many amazing beaches! I barely could visit only a few of them.

Sea caves

The bridge of lovers is a naturally formed rock structure which is always full of tourists, many of which are found jumping into the water from the top and swimming at the bottom. The water there was stunning. The same is true of the sea caves which are stunning structures formed when the limestone in the land is run over by water. And the water here was just stunning, a sparkling green.

Nissi Beach

I visited two beaches in Ayia Napa. One was Nissi beach, a recommendation from a colleague. And it was amazing. Shallow warm green waters to swim in. Lot of sun-beds on the beach. And restaurants to enjoy the view. After the beach we went to Isola bar which had a great location too. Interestingly, they didn't let some people in before us because of the dress code but they let us in 🤣. Clearly this was a fancy place we had turned up to.

Protaras Beach

Another beach I went to was the Protaras beach which was full of people that day. It had a rock formation in the centre where you could swim to and see fishes. In fact you could even see fishes near the beach! The waters were warm, the beach shallow and again had amazing restaurants next to it. I think all places in Ayia Napa are outstanding. There were a few more notable beaches in Ayia Napa which we couldn't visit, the Makronisos, Landa and Ziatzi beaches. For some other time I think 😊.

Blue Lagoon

One day, I went on a diving trip to Ayia Napa. We first drove to the Cavo Greco area. The area had a rocky landscape and no vegetation. It was stunning in a surprising way. We stopped at the Blue Lagoon which was full of tourist boats. And on the opposite coast, we dived. The site was full of caves, so we swam around, looking for fishes. The entry and exit to the dive site was also through a cave hole which was a new experience for me. I saw some trumpetfish, sea cucumbers, lionfish, and sea urchins along with the usual colourful fishes. After the dive, I just swam a bit more in the sea and it was such a gorgeous place to be, like being on Mars.

Near Ayioi Church

Before the next dive, we made a stop at Konnos beach and the Ayioi Anargiroi Church on the cliff. The lagoon there was gorgeous too. We had to wait for the instructor to refill some of the oxygen cylinders, so we swam in the bay for a bit and it was amazing to swim there in its crystal clear waters. The next dive site was Green Bay and we saw some Greek rock structures under water there. The sea bed had an interesting landscape and there were schools of fishes everywhere. The trip had been a bit of a mess with the empty oxygen cylinders, but the diver community is so chill, they just ignored it all 😁. While coming back, we had lunch at a completely local place which did not look appetising at all but had such tasty food. This was also the day I got a sunburn (I think) and was out of action for a week after.

Overall, I found Ayia Napa very pretty and full of action but I wouldn't stay here, as its not the kind of busy place I like. But it’s a nice place to visit for a bit, when looking for more activity.

A month in Cyprus (1): Around Mazotos

Cyprus - what do I say about this breathtakingly beautiful and relaxing island country, with friendly people, tasty food, loads to do and a cool vibe that's rare. I spent a month in Cyprus in the summer of 2023. And what a summer it was!

View of Mazotos

Cyprus had been an accidental pick for me but turned out to be such an amazing find. The perfect place to relax, reflect and rejuvenate. With gorgeous beaches, refreshing mountains and forests, picturesque towns, ancient history, and so much more. As I was there for a month, I explored it leisurely. Some days we went out, some days not. Sometimes to new places, sometimes to our old favourites. Sometimes I was working, sometimes exploring with friends. Taking each day as it comes. And Cyprus gave me as perfect a holiday as is possible.


Getting there

First view of Larnaca

Getting to Cyprus was a bit complicated. Flights there are expensive and a lot of them landed very late at night. That was definitely something we had to coordinate a bit about. The view from the flight was also entertaining. We flew over plains, mountains and lakes, then reached the sea. We flew over some Greek islands, with mountains and fields and beach resorts. And then everything vanished, there was only the fog. Everywhere. And water. It was like we were going through a different dimension to get to Cyprus😁. And just before landing, the sun also vanished. And suddenly Cyprus appeared. And all I could see were the lights of this spread out town, Larnaca where I landed. It gave me some comfort as we had not researched Cyprus much and just decided to go there. The fact that Larna seemed like a bigg-ish town was a big comfort to me. I rented a car from near the airport and was off to our accommodation.

Swimming at Hadjios Valley

I was staying in a holiday homes campus nearby, called Hadjios Valley. It was outside of Larnaca, in a village called Mazotos. The drive there at night felt mysterious. I couldn’t get much of a sense of the surroundings around, as it was pitch dark by then. And I had no clue on what to expect during the day. Thankfully even at 9 pm at night, the island was warm. And given how we were having a coolish summer back home in Amsterdam that year, it was a welcome change. When I reached Hadjios and started exploring the area, I saw people swimming at 10 pm at night! It was definitely a sign of things to come. And we weren't disappointed.


About Cyprus

Cyprus is a small island (relatively) as you can drive from one end to the other in 2-3 hours. Where I stayed was approximately in the centre and over the next one month I was able to easily explore the island all around. Cyprus has everything, stunning beaches, watersports, picturesque villages, monasteries, Greek and Roman ruins, Greek mythology, mountains with forests and wineyards, hiking, and even skiing. Everything is generally within 1-2 hours of driving and was easily accessible from where I stayed.

It is an ex-British colony (which I didn't know before landing). That made all our travels so much easier - the cars were left hand drive (I realised it when I rented the car!!!), the sockets were British style (and we all had landed up with European ones 🤣), there were loads of British residing there, all traffic signs were in English and everyone spoke English! All this made our vacation so much easier to enjoy.

Most of the island is bare and brown (at least in summer). Most houses are simple but grand, with very few apartments anywhere except in the cities. People are extremely friendly, like extremely. The food is tasty, with fish and Greek, sorry Cypriot salad being the most popular fare.

I stayed in the village of Mazotos, near Larnaca. Which was kind of in the centre of the island. Sometimes I drove east, to visit our neighbouring town of Larnaca with slow tourism options or to Ayia Napa, a famous partying spot. Sometimes I drove west, to Limassol, which is the main tourist hub and Paphos which is the cultural hub of Cyprus. And sometimes to the North, to the capital city of Nicosia and the Troodos mountains. It was such an amazing month on the island, and writing about it is making me nostalgic again.


About Hadjios Valley

Hadjios Valley

Hadjios Valley holiday homes are in the village of Mazotos, near Larnaca. And I absolutely loved living there. There were a row of houses, all either owned as holiday homes or rented out long term. Only a few of them were available to tourists like me.

Pool at Hadjios

Hadjios was a self -serve accommodation but there were some basic services provided centrally, e.g., a pool, a gym, a library, olive farms all around to walk around, the owners were always around and they had some people working there to help out whenever needed. There were olive farms and farm animals all around for entertainment. The pool was a pleasure to swim in, any time of the day or night. And could go for a swim even late at night, it was always so warm. It was so easy to drive everywhere from here - Larnaca was 15 mins away, the airport 10 mins away, countless beaches nearby and so on. The homes had a view of the village on one side, and the sea on the other. Every morning, I would see the sun rise over the homes in the village and it was a scene worth remembering forever. And the sunset over the pool were stunning. Most of the houses were occupied by long term dwellers, so they all chatted with the visitors making them feel at home. The owners also came sometimes and helped the visitors whenever needed. The homes were just perfect, I couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay.


About Mazotos

Church in Mazotos

Hadjios Valley was near the small non-descript village of Mazotos. It was a small cute little village with small hills and narrow winding roads, old houses, 2-3 eating places, some churches and views of the sea (which was a bit far off). And all around the village were either dried grasslands or fields, some of them with olive plantations. We went into town mostly for grocery shopping or eating at the local taverna. And it always felt so slow, so relaxed, so lazy.

Our favourite restaurant in town was the Mazotos taverna, always full with the locals, and a very friendly owner who chatted for long with us every time we visited. There was always some Cypriot music playing on the tv which added to the chill ambience. And it had such a rustic feel to it, it was open air, with fans blowing warm air, local music playing in the background and everyone talking loudly while enjoying their meals. Everyone always left by 10 pm though which felt quite early as we would end up staying till much later. There was also a big grocery store in town which had everything we needed.

A few times, I walked around the village and would see the locals chilling, living a simple slow life. We also ran into a few British people who had bought houses in the village and had settled there. There were loads of holiday homes nearby - apartments with pools etc. and though much newer, somehow they still fit in with the village as they were painted in the same orange and white colours as the old town.

Agios church

I once visited the old and new Agios Xenophontas churches in the village. They are located on top of a hill and tower above the village. Only the old church was open though, it was very old with only a few statues left.

Mazotos beach in the morning

Mazotos beach was nearby, about a 5 mins drive or 35 mins by foot. Once I walked there in the morning to see the sunrise. It was a nice walk, through fields and fruit trees. And then there wasn't a path to walk on! But it was still possible to get to the beach through the grasslands. In the morning, I saw loads of people camped right on the beach where it was a pebble beach. Some of them had woken up to swim in the morning, at 7am! As I walked along the beach, it changed from a pebble beach to a sandy one, with a beach bar and beach beds to sit under. The sunrise was magnificent that day. Though it became such a norm that it lost its novelty soon. Walking back to Hadjios got too hot though and I think therefore, this was one of the only times I walked so much in Cyprus 🤣.

Sunset at Mazotos beach

I went to Mazotos beach a few times after that morning walk. Once to eat at the Mazotos taverna on the beach. The food was average, but the setting next to the water was great. One day we went to the beach to see the sunset. The sun was setting behind the mountains towards the centre of the island but somehow when we got to the sunset point, we saw a stunning view. And the whole area around turned golden yellow making it a very alluring moment.

Mazotos beach

Once I also went to swim in the water. The water was warm as always but it wasn't as crystal clear as some of the other beaches I went to. In fact it was a bit muddy even. It was also a shallower beach with very few people around. But for the fact it was just 15 mins from our holiday home, it was an excellent option.


Restaurants and other places around Mazotos

Most of the restaurants we went to near Mazotos were on the coastal road as you drive towards Limassol. We would just drive on that road and stop at any place which caught our fancy. And most of them turned out to be quite good.

Akroyiali restaurant (Taverna) - This was a taverna kind of a restaurant next to Mazotos beach. The food there was quite average. But the setting was very relaxed and friendly, it looked like the kind of place locals would come to, to hangout with each other.

Mama's taverna

Mama’s fish taverna – Further along the beach road was Mama's taverna. And this was a favourite restaurant of ours. We went there on our first day in Cyprus, and then a few more times after. It was a 15 mins drive from our holiday home. It was an open restaurant, located on a pebble beach, with the waves crashing onto it the whole time. It used to be warm during the day but always windy which would make it fun to sit there. And the owner was quite chatty too. The food was tops. What's not to like? 😊. And somehow, every time on our way to Mama’s, we would stop on the way at a shop selling fresh strawberries and watermelon (being run by a Nepali woman)!

Along the same beach road

Akakia beach bar - One evening, we were driving along the coastal road and heard party music playing on the beach, close to Mama’s taverna. So we turned back and drove back to the beach bar. It was a full moon night and the beach party was full of some local teenagers celebrating their graduation. We were too lazy to join the dancing though but we sat next to it, enjoying a sushi dinner and the music. There were even some fireworks in the sea towards the end of the day. The food was ok though. And just as we were headed towards our car, they played two Bollywood songs! As we were tired, we didn’t turn back this time, but definitely enjoyed our find that day - a lovely place we just discovered by mistake!

Pentaschoinos Seafood experience – This was another find along the coastal road, close to Mama’s. It looked inviting while driving next to it, so we stopped there. It’s a gorgeous, open air restaurant right on the beach, next to the waves. The decorations were charming, with lots of lights and a cosy atmosphere. And the food was amazing. They mostly serve seafood, and it tasted so fresh, as if it was caught right next to the restaurant. That night, there was an orange moon and its reflection in the water while we were eating was just bewitching.

Zygi waterfront

Zygi and Archipelagos taverna - One day when it was a Cypriot holiday, we went out looking for food and realised that most places along the coast were closed! So we drove all the way till the coastal village of Zygi. It turned out to be a bigger village than ours, with a lot of shops and restaurant options along the marina. It was also quite pretty and nice to walk around. The day of the holiday though, we only found one restaurant open - the Archipelagos taverna. It was quite empty that day but the food was good.

I landed in Zygi another day though returning from somewhere, and there was a full mela going on. Apparently, every Saturday, they have events going on at the marina. That day, there was a concert going on and everyone was dancing on the streets. All around there were people playing music and eating and just hanging around, enjoying a nice summer evening outside. It had just such a great vibe to be there. I wish I had known about it sooner.

View from Kahuna surf house

Kahuna surf house - On my last day on the island, I had a few hours to kill before my flight. So I found this small kitesurfing beach and shack on the map and drove there. And for a few hours, I just sat there eating, reading and watching kitesurfers riding the waves! Everyone there was either sitting at the shack or kitesurfing in the water. It was the first time I was seeing kitesurfing and loved it. It was just so relaxing seeing them all do acrobatics in the air, sometimes struggling and sometimes challenging nature, enjoying themselves along the way. The colours were gorgeous, the sky was serene, the water was stunning. And the experience, very idyllic. I had a lovely afternoon lazing around there. And this was another example of how non touristy places can also sometimes be so interesting. Especially when you have a lot of time, it's possible to do such simple, meaningless things (like watching kitesurfers on the beach) which otherwise we never have the time to do.

Cyprus (2): Larnaca and Ayia Napa