Back to basics on a village retreat

Agro-tourism by Matthew Hampton

Back to basics on a village retreat

Better known for its luxury hotels, Cyprus is promoting a more rustic type of holiday away from its busy resorts

Rarely has a kitchen drawer said so much. Amid the scrawled messages, one stood out:”Tracey and Amy pulled all the blokes in the village – 29 – see if you can beat that!” Were they talking about Kalavassos?All of the blokes I’d seen looked about 80. Iwondered how old Tracey and Amy were …

I’d booked the holiday a while ago, and was looking forward to a bit of the quiet life. Was I in the right place?

Cyprus Villages has risen to prominence in the past couple of years, mostly advertised under the agro-tourism or village houses banner, but there is a little confusion as to what these terms actually mean. Are village houses just villas by another name?

Before booking my break, Ispoke to Cyprus Tourism Organisation director for UK and Ireland Orestis Rossides to set the record straight.

“Villa holidays are far more family orientated. Parents with young children like the fact the villa is self contained and away from the hustle and bustle of the main resorts, and that often there’s a pool.

“Cyprus Villages are more for independent couples, either before or after children.”

That settled it. Two weeks mixing with the villagers was on the cards.

Settling in to the local way of life is a selling point often made by the tourist office.

“Life revolves around the main square, where people sit and watch the world go by. It’s easy to participate in village life and make friends with the locals,” said Rossides.

Argo Holidays reservations manager Chris Constantinou confirmed Rossides’ view that the villages were a great place to go to de-stress.

“It’s upsetting that all the recent TV documentaries have focused only on the nightlife. You have the big resorts of course, but Cyprus has so much more to offer.”

I was sold on it, and not a bit worried when Constantinou hinted that it wasn’t for those who expected luxury accommodation.

We were greeted on arrival by Andreas, the Cyprus Villages rep, who showed us the house, and left us to get on with it. The approach is very hands off, and all the better for it.

We were based in Kalavassos, next door to the much larger Tochni.

In each village, you can arrange horse-riding, bike hire or swim in the shared pool.

As most packages come with car hire – including this one through Argo – you are likely to be off exploring the island.

You needn’t go far to find a beach. The nearest to Kalavassos, Governer’s beach, with its pretty white coves, was a 10-minute drive.

The houses though, are the point. Accommodation is pretty, but basic.

Anyone who needs creature comforts will be at odds with village houses.

Doorways are very low andnarrow, showers are quite erratic, double beds don’t come as standard and the odd insect isn’t unheard of.

But for me, they beat hotels hands down. A village square is more homely than a lobby and a rooftop terrace, shaded by grapevines, beats a balcony overlooking the beach any day.

Tracey and Amy must have thought the same – under their first message was another dated the following year: “Back again!”.

Did Kalavassos lock up its sons, I wonder?

Village houses: at a glance

what: the product stems from a government grant forvillagers to renovate their houses for touristaccommodation.

where:popular locations include Tochni, Kalavassos, Lefkara, Arsos, Kilarni and Omhodos.

pros: the houses have character and are all self-contained, giving space and privacy. Villagers are friendly and prices competitive compared with resorts.

cons: though most packages come with a car, those used to larger resorts may feelisolated. Houses can be short on luxuryfeatures.

suits: the sense of seclusion is a boon for independent types; couples and families with very young children are the main takers.

sample product: Argo offers two weeks’self-catering in Kalavassos in September from £659. Price includes charter flights and car hire.

Village people: mixing with the locals is an attraction for many

A room with a view: a typical village scene

Rustic charm: the village houses are perfect for couples who want to get away from the main resorts

Down on the farm

Drapia Farm, about a five-minute drive from Kalavassos and Tochni, features in a number of UK operators’ brochures. Run by a Swiss lady, Marisa Potaminou and an Englishwoman, Anne Kelly, it was to provide my first riding experience in over 15 years.

“Whatever riding you’ve done,” said Claire, my partner in crime, “just double it, otherwise they’ll stick you on a dobbin.”

I nodded nervously.

“Have you had much experience?” asked Anne, as we – rather she – saddled the horses.

“Oh, quite a bit,” I lied, remembering that the last Travel Weekly reporter to ride a horse ended up lying in the savannah, surrounded by zebra, with a significant portion of her memory missing. And she actually did have experience.

Once in the saddle though, everything seemed fine, despite feeling as though the ground was about 20 feet beneath me. An obedient steed, Dakota seemed to do most of the hard work, leaving me to admire the landscape.

After a couple of hours’ trotting and a few swift canters, I felt as though I’d found a niche, and was beginning to wonder whether I’d missed my calling as a western star. However, dismounting eradicated all suspicions. I’m pretty sure Clint never got off a horse complaining of a sore backside – at least not while the camera was rolling.

Sample product:One hour’s ride:£13; three hours,including breakfast at Tochni Taverna: £30.

Saddle up: horse riding is an ideal way to enjoy the scenery