DESTINATIONS GREECE & CYPRUS | PAPHOS
TRIED & TESTED
cali resort & spa
Relaxation is key in this
adult-only five-star hotel set a 20-minute drive from the city of Paphos. The 47-metre freshwater outdoor pool is the jewel in its crown, where sunken loungers are coveted spots during the day and the poolside is the perfect backdrop for sunset snaps in the evening. Set in a quiet spot, it feels secluded but it’s only 300 metres from the Blue Flag Coral Bay beach and its strip of shops, bars and restaurants. The 201
rooms have a muted grey colour scheme, dark wood floors and angular balconies, with
statement wallpaper behind the beds. Unwind in the gym or the basement spa, with a sauna, steam room, indoor pool and
three treatment rooms. Clients can choose between half-
board or premium all-inclusive packages, eating in the main
restaurant Aria, where a varied buffet is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guests on an all-inclusive basis can dine at à la carte Japanese fusion restaurant Fiki once a week. Here, a selection of stir-fries, sushi, tempura and main
courses are served in an outside area next to the pool.
caliresortandspa.com
this app before a visit so they can download it in advance – it’s a good way to encourage little ones to engage with some of the myths and legends that inhabit this ancient isle.
ARTS AND EATS On our way to ‘eat where the locals do’ with Mary (aka Muse Cafe Kitchen Bar, which has gorgeous views overlooking Paphos) we explore the streets of the Old Town, where open- air art includes installations by Peace2Peace. The group includes women from different backgrounds who create crochet artworks for display in public places. The Windspinners, which hangs over a covered walkway, is a colourful piece that showcases traditional techniques being passed from one generation to the next. We stop at The Place, a craft
Cathy Toogood by the pool
centre where visitors can buy more authentic Cypriot products made on-site and even try making their own in workshops. We get a glimpse of a pottery class before admiring everything from jewellery made from silk cocoons and ceramics to local jams and ‘spoon sweets’ (preserved fruits and nuts).
48 5 SEPTEMBER 2024 insight INSIDER
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cabanas by the pool at Cali Resort & Spa; Coral Bay beach; Pyramus and Thisbe mosaic, House of Dionysus, Paphos PICTURES: Alexandros Ioannidis; Shutterstock/DedMityay, Sytilin Pavel
VIKTORIA MOLNAR guest relations manager, Cali Resort & Spa
E Recommend that clients visit the Edro III shipwreck and the Coral Bay Sea Caves. Both are about three miles north of the hotel and are excellent places to watch the sunset too.
E If guests don’t want to rent a car to explore the area, there’s a bus stop less than a five-minute walk from the hotel with services to Paphos town every 15 minutes.
E A good excursion to recommend is a Jeep safari to Akamas National Park, which can also include a boat trip to the Blue Lagoon and the Avakas Gorge.
NORTH STAR As a contrast to exploring the cultural treasures of Paphos, we head to Blue Lagoon bay on the Akamas Peninsula for a day of complete relaxation. The beauty spot is only accessible by boat or 4x4, so we opt to board a boat from the harbour town of Latchi. It’s a fantastic spot to swim or snorkel in the clear water before following Mary’s advice and ordering a mezze at Y&P Fish Tavern, which overlooks the boats in Latchi harbour. With the turquoise
waters as a backdrop – just a stone’s throw from the forested trails where Aphrodite and her lover Adonis were said to have met – it’s a scene as timeless as the tales of the gods themselves.
TW BOOK IT
EasyJet holidays offers seven nights’ premium all-inclusive at the Cali Resort & Spa by Louis Hotels for £1,316. Price includes luggage, transfers and flights from Gatwick departing on October 17.
easyjet.com
travelweekly.co.uk
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