Image credit: Cyprus Tourism Organisation
Escape the sunbeds and sandy beaches to get to the heart of Cyprus, suggests Karl Cushing
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Pedalling along deserted country roads on a late September afternoon, en route to try halloumi-making at a local farm, I was getting well into the swing of this ‘authentic Cyprus’ away-from-the-beach malarkey.
Alongside affable guide Mike of Bikin’ Cyprus, thoughts of sand, sea and sunloungers had been replaced by a new-found appreciation for the surrounding scenery, and anticipation of my pending cheese-filled pit-stop.
With its sparse traffic and extensive range of well-surfaced roads, from easy rolling stretches to more challenging routes in the Troodos Mountains, Cyprus is a cycling paradise.
But whether on two wheels, two feet, in flippers or on a fly-drive, the island cries out for exploration.
From quaint villages with Byzantine churches and mountainside monasteries such as Ioannis Lambadistis, with its incredibly preserved frescos, to the stately ancient Greek city of Kourion and the neolithic sites at Tenta and Choirokoitia, there’s a lot to see and do.
The cooler shoulder seasons outside the sprawling April to October summer are perfect for active and cultural tours, bolstered by a growing calendar of low-season events and festivals, enabling agents to sell Cyprus year-round without deep discounting to snowbirds.
For its part, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation publishes handy Nature, Wine, Cycling and Cultural Routes and hiking guides, while its Larnaca office has created a Winter Experiences programme.
The latter, which runs from November 1 until April 30, 2016, offers guests in participating hotels free daily cultural and active excursions such as cooking classes in Lefkara village, with its museum, winemaking and lacemaking traditions.
visitcyprus.com
larnakaregion.com
Village people
Rural agrotourism continues to evolve with latest opening Palatakia in Kato Drys village near Larnaca.
This village-based model, with its restored stone buildings and focus on local food and activities, was pioneered by Cyprus Villages, which has 65 apartments around scenic Tochni and its environs.
Guests are encouraged to get active in the day, exploring the island or sampling activities such as yoga, spa treatments, horse riding, hiking and cooking classes.
Tochni-based Bikin’ Cyprus can take care of any two-wheeled needs with its range of quality road, mountain and electric bikes. Its guided tours swing by farms for olive-pressing demos and other activities, plus there are week-long tours, and yoga and cycling workshops available.
palatakia.com
cyprusvillages.com.cy
bikincyprusadventures.com
Rural doesn’t have to mean basic, as the past few years have seen more-luxurious offerings spring up, such as Arsorama in Arsos village. Available self-catered or with breakfast, it’s a lovely space with quality fittings in the rooms, a pretty courtyard and great food.
The owners’ aim was “to combine tradition with luxury”, having refurbished their old family homestead into this character-filled property. Weddings are a focus, catering for groups of up to 17.
Another fine example is Eveleos House, a collection of self-catering apartments around a pool area. Featured by Sunvil, it’s big on activities such as hiking, biking and cooking classes.
More impressive still is Casale Panayiotis. Its ‘rustic boutique’ apartments, with fireplaces for colder months, are scattered around the village where the owner was born, with a collection of buildings housing restaurants and other public areas.
The owner has spent £4 million on its vast new spa alone, and an infinity pool and gym are in the offing for 2016, with plans for spa suites and a high-end winery. Activities include fishing, quad bike safaris, yoga and bike tours, and non-guests can buy day packages for the spa.
For a larger, more affordable alternative edging the Troodos, Cyplon recommends the four-star Forest Park near Platres, which is still a world away from built-up beach resorts and offers easy access to this unspoilt region.
Action stations
The Troodos Mountains and Akamas Peninsula offer hiking opportunities aplenty. Autumn and spring are ideal, with the island coming alive with colour from February to April, and my hiking guide Zenonas Zenonos comes highly recommended (zenonljg@cytanet.com.cy).
Kitesurfing is the latest big thing for water babies, with a school and kitesurfing beach in Mazotos, near Larnaca.
Winter is also a great time for diving, as waters remain relatively warm and visibility is excellent.
Dive schools abound in resorts such as Limassol, with popular dive sites including the drop-offs near the Akamas Peninsula, while the annual Zenobia Week dive festival is centred on Cyprus’s most famous wreck site.
Golfers are very well catered-for with the courses at Elea, Minthis Hills, Secret Valley and Aphrodite Hills – now a Sensatori resort – all within striking distance of Paphos.
Birdwatchers aren’t short of options either, with top spots at Paphos Fort, the Akamas Peninsula and Oroklini Lake, while the salt lakes at Akrotiri and Larnaca are great for spotting migrant birds, including flamingos.
Image credit: Cyprus Tourism Organisation
Coastal capers
If mountain villages just won’t cut it, then Classic Collection, for example, has a range of self catering villas with pools around Polis. They include stone built Milos, which sleeps eight over two floors, and stays before December 31 receive a free night for every seven booked on selected dates.
Casale Panayiotis has an arrangement with the Almyra hotel in Paphos, offering guests the option of a sea and mountains twin centre.
Like Casale, the Almyra has a solid spa offering, and Paphos makes a good base for clients who want culture and activities, being near so many attractions both natural and archaeological.
Active types will appreciate the long promenade which runs outside the Almyra, and facilities such as its new bike station, run by Bikin’ Cyprus, and new free bike maps to complement its popular running maps. For less-sporty types, the six-hour, 50-mile electronic bike tours of the area are a nice compromise.
While staying there, I also met with coach and triathlon planner Simon Brierley, who is working with the Almyra and sister property Annabelle next door, offering guests sports coaching and setting up future events in a bid to grow sports tourism.
Regardless of the time of year, all those activities will work up an appetite. Thankfully, food is a highlight of any Cyprus trip, from sumptuous multi-dish mezze meals and seafood feasts to the fantastic dinner I had with the owner at Seven St Georges tavern in Paphos.
Wine is another highlight, with many tours taking in the wine village of Omodos. I can also thoroughly recommend the excellent, nearby award-winning Ktima Gerolemo winery.
Now I just need another cycling trip to shed the spare tyre I came home with.
Sample product
Sunvil offers seven nights’ self-catering at the Eveleos Apartments from £420 based on two sharing, with return easyJet flights from Gatwick to Larnaca, and car hire, for departures on January 17. sunvil.co.uk
A week at Cyprus Villages’ Danae Traditional Houses in Tochni starts at £535 per adult and £345 per child with Olympic Holidays, based on three sharing a one-bedroom apartment with shared pool in October 2016, including Gatwick flights, breakfasts and car hire. olympicholidays.com
