Thomas Real Estate

CYPRUS Smell the wild Mediterranean or Taste history. Walk in pine scented forests, or ski on the snowy peaks in the morning. Take a dip in the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea in the afternoon. Play a round of golf, go cycling, or hiking round the countryside, or take up a new sport. Wonder the archeology or urban delights, this is Play and Feel in Cyprus, enjoy.

Situated in the middle of the island Lefkosia
(Nicosia) is a busy modern commercial and business
centre. The centre of the city is its old quarter
surrounded by a Venetian sandstone fortress wall
with a moat and heart-shaped bastions. Wander
round narrow streets with their overhanging
balconies and the beautifully restored pedestrian
precinct with craft shops, cafés and tavernas.
Mosques and palm trees give an oriental
atmosphere to the old city. Make sure you stop off
at St John's Cathedral with its frescoes and the
marvellous museum of Byzantine icons. In the
evening catch a concert in the moat or an exhibition
at the Famagusta Gate, one of the three original
entrances into the old city, which has now been
restored and is used as a cultural centre.
The Cyprus Museum houses the best collection of
archaeological artefacts on the island, including a
first century AD Roman statuette of Aphrodite of
Soli, while the Leventis Museum depicts the history
of the town.
Limassol (Lemesos) is a cosmopolitan destination for the multivariate taste of urbanites; with countless activities and a wide array of vibrant events, it offers the right mix of lively nightlife with endless possibilities for cultural explorations. The island's second largest city, it is the country's main port and spreads out between two ancient city-kingdoms, Amathous to the east and Kourion to the west, the two being the most spectacular archaeological sites in Cyprus. At the centre of the wine industry, it is also a bustling holiday resort that however remains a destination where one can still appreciate the cultural and hospitality of accessible wine villages.

In antiquity Paphos was the centre of the cult of
Aphrodite. Swim in the sea by the rocks known as
Petra tou Romiou where the goddess was believed to
have risen from the waves, make a pilgrimage to her
sanctuary at Kouklia, or visit the grotto near Polis
where she was supposed to have bathed.
Paphos, with its pleasant harbour and medieval fort,
combines a cosmopolitan holiday resort, spectacular
countryside and historical sites. It was the capital of
Cyprus for 600 years in ancient times and its
archaeological legacy is such that UNESCO put the
whole town on its World Cultural Heritage List. The
intricate floor mosaics in villas dating back to the
Roman period depicting scenes from Greek
mythology are considered among the finest in the
Eastern Mediterranean. Equally impressive are the
underground Tombs of the Kings carved out of solid
rock and decorated with Doric pillars. The museum
at Maa-Paleokastro near Coral Bay has an interesting
collection of artefacts from the period of Mycenean
Greek colonisation of Cyprus.
Byzantine treasures abound, such as the remarkable
five-domed church of Agia Paraskevi in Geroskipou,
or the ruins of two early Christian basilicas at Agios
Georgios in Pegeia.

Once sleepy fishing villages, Agia Napa on
the south-east coast with its fabulous
sandy beaches, and Protaras, the coastal
area of Paralimni, in the east with its
hundreds of windmills, nowadays buzz
with life.
Spend the day sunning yourself on the
beach, swimming in the warm turquoise
waters or taking a short cruise along the
coast. Some of the best snorkeling and
diving can be had off Cape Gkreko, the
eastern peninsula national forest park,
with its secluded coves and rocky
platforms, impressive cliff top views and
sea caves. In the evening dine at one of the
many restaurants, especially one of the
local ones in Paralimni, or jive to the latest
sounds at one of numerous nightclubs.
Drive through the main potato-growing
area of the island, known collectively as the
Kokkinochoria (red soil villages) because
of the rich red earth in which the crops are
grown. Stop off at the tiny estuary known
by the locals as Potamos and watch the
fishing boats haul in their catch in their
multicoloured baskets.
Culture lovers can explore the medieval
churches found in villages like Sotira or go
round the folk art museums displaying rural
artefacts in Deryneia and Avgorou. The
children will love the new Sea Museum,
“Thalassa”, in Agia Napa, which has an
amazing replica of a 4th century trading
ship which sunk off the coast of Kyrenia.

Take a trip into the mountains for a
refreshing break from the heat of the
central plains and the coast. Rising to
almost 2000 metres above sea level, the
Troodos peaks provide panoramic views
and a place to go skiing in winter.
Charming villages, some with cobbled
streets and preserved folk architecture,
nestle on terraced slopes amid vineyards
and orchards of almond, hazelnut and
cherry trees. Stop off at one of the cafés or
restaurants next to a burbling mountain
stream and try one of the preserved fruit
desserts served as a typical island
welcome, or dine on the locally produced
rainbow trout, a speciality in the region.
Spend the day walking along one of the
many nature trails, resting at a picnic site
along the way, or visit the Visitor Centre in
the Troodos forest park area. The Cedar
Valley is home to an unusually large number
of Cypriot cedars and so far from the
madding crowds that the only sounds you
will hear when you switch off the engine of
your car are those of nature. In the evening
nightingales songs will lull you to sleep.
The Troodos mountains are where the
painted churches of Cyprus, superb
examples of Byzantine art, can be found.
The church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis in
Kakopetria, together with those of Asinou
and of Panagia tou Araka in the village of
Lagoudera, are considered to be some of
the most outstanding on the island.
Kykkos Monastery, the largest on the
island, has an excellent Byzantine museum
and a golden icon of the Virgin Mary,
allegedly painted by St. Luke

Larnaca, remains in modern times, tied to the essence of the traveler, open to the world. Despite its adaptation to modern connectivity , it maintains strong ties with its glorious past as the ancient city-kingdom of Kition, The Mycenaean Greek fortified town with cyclopean walls dating to the 12th century which was also a stronghold for the Phoenicians who founded the powerful kingdom in the 9th century.

Kition in the 18th century was a commercial centre and held residence to the European consulates, in time it has maintained this international character, event to the migrant birds, tradition of flocking to Cyprus has the nearby salt lake as a favourite stop-over spot , popular even for Muslim pilgrimage.

Both Christianity and Islam have revered
religious sites in Larnaca.
Larnaca was the second home of St. Lazarus,
who lived here after his resurrection and later
became its first Bishop. The impressive 10th
century Church of St Lazarus in the centre of
the town was built over the saint's tomb and
is one of the finest examples of Byzantine
architecture in Cyprus.

The mosque of Hala Sultan Tekke, built in
honour of the Prophet Mohammed's aunt
who died here after falling from her horse, is
an important place of Moslem pilgrimage. Its
minaret rises up amidst a copse of tall palm
and cypress trees, shimmering like an oasis
mirage on the edge of the salt lake, a
favourite winter habitat for flamingoes and
other migratory birds.
The town is built over the ancient citykingdom
of Kition, a rich sea port and major
centre of the copper trade and later a
Phoenician stronghold. Its remains can be
seen today in its cyclopean walls made of
giant blocks of stone and a complex of 12th
century BC Mycenaean Greek temples.
Stroll along the palm-lined sea-front
promenade and indulge in some people
watching at one of the many cafés or
restaurants.

The nearby marina is a friendly
community of local yacht owners and a haunt
for yachtsmen from all over the world.
On the outskirts of town, the Angeloktisti
Church in the village of Kiti has rare 6th
century Byzantine mosaics. Solitary
Stavrovouni, dramatically perched on the
peak of a mountain top, is one of the oldest
monasteries in Cyprus.

The hills are dotted
with picturesque villages like Vavla or
Lefkara, famous for its local lace and its
filigree silver-ware. Choirokoitia with its
reconstructed round huts and Tents are
important Neolithic settlements, the former
being a world heritage site