DESTINATIONS CYPRUS | GREECE, CYPRUS & BALKANS


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A vineyard producing sweet wine Commandaria; Limassol Carnival; New Helvetia Hotel PICTURE: Shutterstock/KrakenPlaces


City STAYS


Amathus Residences, Limassol


This new annex of Amathus Beach Hotel comprises luxury suites and apartments along with family and fine-dining


restaurants, including seafood by the water in Limanaki.


Guests can use the resort’s swimming pools, spa and


fitness centre or book a suite with a private plunge pool. amathusresidences.com


Hotel Indigo, Larnaca This adult-only hotel


production of a sweet local wine that had been made there since 800BC, renaming it Commandaria. Recognised as one of the world’s oldest wines, it is still made today, although production is limited to 14 villages in the Troodos Mountains. One of those is Dhoros, where the family winery owned by Filippos Karseras is open for guided tours. Presiding over a tasting session, Filippos said: “Commandaria is in the Guinness World Records book as the oldest named wine in the world. Richard the Lionheart served it at his wedding to his royal guests, calling it ‘the wine of kings, and the king of wines’.”


COMING ROUND THE MOUNTAIN Ascending farther into the Troodos, the scenery changes. Gone are the sun-scorched olive groves, replaced by a verdant alpine landscape. The Troodos Unesco Global Geopark covers 15% of the land in Cyprus, giving clients free rein to ski in winter or hike one of many well-signposted trails throughout the year. I donned my boots for the two-mile Caledonia Trail (named by a visiting Scotsman who thought it reminded him of home), leading to one of the highest and most scenic waterfalls in the country, where sparkling waters cascade 12 metres onto giant boulders. The invigorating trail starts in Platres, which, in the


days before air conditioning, was where the great and good would come to seek out the cooler mountain air. They included Queen Victoria’s great-granddaughter Princess Mary and English novelist Daphne du Maurier


travelweekly.co.uk


Ascending into the Troodos, the scenery changes. Gone are sun-scorched olive groves, replaced by an alpine landscape


who found inspiration for her novel Rebecca while staying here in 1936. On the route to the falls, clients pass a mountain stream aptly called Cold River and flora endemic to Cyprus, such as fragrant Troodos sage and golden oak.


Hike completed, my bed for the night was at the oldest hotel in Platres, New Helvetia. A family-owned establishment since its construction in 1929, New Helvetia offers breathtaking views of the Troodos foothills. Fourth-generation proprietor Nikos Matthaiou explained the birdsong I could hear from the terrace, quoting a 1963 poem by Nobel prize-winner George Seferis. He wrote that ‘the nightingales won’t let you sleep in Platres’, and while I can’t say they kept me awake at night, they certainly provided a natural alarm call each morning.


CHEERS TO CYPRUS The final stop on my Cypriot odyssey was Larnaca, home to a picturesque salt lake where flamingos land during winter. A visit to the Pierides Museum and its ancient Cypriot artefacts was followed by a stroll along


²


combines character with a great location, offering a modern four-storey property built behind two traditional townhouses. A courtyard restaurant serves Cypriot and international dishes, and there’s a rooftop swimming pool and cocktail bar offering views of the city and sea. ihg.com


FESTIVALS IN CYPRUS


Cyprus celebrates any occasion – here are just some of the annual fixtures. Limassol Carnival: This early springtime bash fills Limassol’s streets with colour, costumes and caricatures. Bee festival: In late spring, the villages of Odou and Ora celebrate these prolific pollinators with talks, workshops and honey tastings. Cherry festival: In June, four Troodos villages celebrate the harvest with music, cookery and orchard tours. Medieval festival: Each October, Ayia Napa hosts five days of theatre, markets, dances and exhibitions. Christmas villages: Clients can hop around festive markets from late November to early January. visitcyprus.com heartlandoflegends.com


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