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Cyprus tips please

(12 Posts)
grannyactivist Wed 21-Feb-18 00:40:33

I have a list of places that I have long wanted to visit, but The Wonderful Man has little interest in hotel holidays that don't involve cycling or windsurfing. So with his encouragement I'm going to start taking some holidays alone and my first of these trips is to Cyprus next month. I've wanted to visit this beautiful island since seeing some postcards of it in the early 70's and I am very, very excited.

I shall only be be staying for a week, at a resort in Kissonerga (north of Paphos and south of Coral Bay), but I do want to have a few trips out and about. I know I can book tours from the hotel, but these are often far more costly than going into the local town and booking direct - I was wondering if anyone has any experience of day trips they could share? Or any tips for making the most of my stay? If the buses start running early enough in the mornings I was thinking of heading into Paphos and picking up a day tour from the bus station maybe.

Marydoll Wed 21-Feb-18 07:30:38

We visited Cyprus many years ago, when our children were young. We always hired a car, as the roads were good and not to busy for a nervous driver like me.
A visit to Nicosia is a must. At that time there was a no man's land between the Turkish and Greek sides of the city. You could still see all the bullet holes on the walls from the fighting.
It was so poignant to see the photos of missing people on the walls near the border. I have never forgotten it.
We also used to visit a viewing point to observe the ghost town of Famagusta, abandoned during the contact. It was eerie to see an empty town, with unfinished hotels and cranes swinging in the breeze. I believe you can now go there again.
It is on our wish list to go back.
I hope you have a lovely holiday.smile

loopyloo Wed 21-Feb-18 07:42:01

There is a Roman villa near Paphos that is very interesting but you should try a trip up into the mountains as that is so different. Be careful as you cross roads the driving is chaotic. Eat lots of the delicious food and have space in your suitcase to bring home a selection of goodies.

Marmight Wed 21-Feb-18 08:31:18

Your best bet is car hire even just for a day. Can be done very cheaply at this time of the year through the hotel. Get up into the Troodos mountains but take warm clothes. Visit the Kykkos monastery.
Obviously do the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos. I stay with friends at the other end near Larnaca and always fit in a visit to Nicosia where you can cross into the Turkish sector. Worth doing if you can get there. Have a great trip

Stansgran Wed 21-Feb-18 10:17:43

The painted churches up in the hills are wonderful. Driving is the same as the uk . The cat monastery is very odd. We stayed in the Annabelle in Paphos and people were very friendly.

pollyperkins Wed 21-Feb-18 10:31:05

So did we Stansgran. I liked it but DH thought it was too full of elderly residents esp in the coffee lounge after dinner! But I loved being able to walk down to the harbour. We hired bikes and cycled along the coast to the Tomb of Kings. We also visited the famous mosaics (on foot.) We did a couple of tours too - the one to the monasteries in the mountains sticks in the mind. Really you need to hire a car to get about.

grannyactivist Wed 21-Feb-18 18:55:02

Don't think I'll have the bottle to hire a car Marmight - I've only driven ours about three times in the past couple of years, and unless they have tricycles I won't be hiring a bike either. (#scaredycat)
I do like the idea of taking a trip into the mountains and I'd almost decided a trip to Nicosia was a bit far, but am now rethinking that.
The weather is usually 18°-20° in March, but I can't think what that feels like. Is it dress and cardigan weather?

Blinko Wed 21-Feb-18 20:24:41

We haven't been for a few years now but when we went the last couple of times, we went to a local bucket shop and booked a day out on 'Nicks Tours'. Nick is/was a local married to a Brit who acted as tour manager. It's a mini bus tour of half a dozen local villages and churches. Great value and a brilliant way to see local people and their day to day lives. The trip ended with a three course meal with a Cypriot family in the mountains overlooking Paphos.

If Nicks Tours is still in business, I can heartily recommend them.

Blinko Wed 21-Feb-18 20:27:44

Oh, and the trip included a winery - I forgot...wine

NonnaW Wed 21-Feb-18 20:56:51

I would agree with a trip to the Troodos mountains, there is a town part way up called Platres that most trips would stop at, it is (or certainly was in the early 90’s) lovely. Pathos itself is a great place. I have a special fondness for Cyprus, as I spent 3 years there when married to the ex, and I loved it. Present DH and I went a couple of years ago and he lived it too.

silverlining48 Wed 21-Feb-18 22:34:14

We have been to cyprus fairly regularly over the years , it’s a wonderful place fir some off season sunshine. There are many places offering coach trips in the towns, less pricey than the hotels. I havnt heard of where you are staying but have stayed in both paphos and coral bay so have an idea. Its a good location.

troodos, kykkos, curium, fantastic roman amphitheatre, ommodos, an old village, Nicosia and the green line with a trip through to kyrenia is a nice day out. There is lots to see. They generally speak english, drive on the same side if the road as us, 3 pin plugs etc. Enjoy yourself and enjoy the weather. Probably cardigan and light jacket just in case, we were there in November last and I swam in the sea every day, it was lovely, we will return.

Jalima1108 Wed 21-Feb-18 23:31:42

We haven't been for a while but went twice and would love to go back again, perhaps visiting the Paphos area next time.

We went at the beginning of March and it was warm (not hot) and sunny on the coast but there was snow in the Troodos Mountains and people were skiing.
We did look across the no-man's land to Famagusta, very sad and I recently read a book about that by Victoria Hislop - I think it was called The Sunrise.
We visited Nicosia too and climbed the barrier to look across to the north as it was closed then.