DESTINATIONS AUTUMN/WINTER | GREECE & CYPRUS BEST OF THE REST


Syros, Greece: Pastel-hued villas, a picturesque harbour and steep, hilly slopes characterise the Cyclades’ capital, and it stays lively year-round thanks to its student population, with tavernas, live music and other festivities keeping locals as well as visitors entertained through to winter.


Pissouri Bay, Cyprus: Watersports are the order of the day in Pissouri Bay, with windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing and waterskiing all popular well into the autumn months, and diving available year-round.


Epirus, mainland Greece: This mountainous corner of Greece stays warm long after summer ends, making autumn one of the best times to explore its hiking trails and beaches, according to Sunvil’s Dudley der Parthog. “It’s particularly beautiful at this time of year,” he says. “The coastal resorts of Parga and Sivota are also quieter, allowing for more one-to-one interaction with local residents and providing an authentic view of the region.”


ABOVE: Paphos Castle, Cyprus FACING PAGE: (from top left) Knossos Palace, Crete; Kolymbia beach, Rhodes; the Acropolis, Athens; Paramonas beach, Corfu He suggests pairing the city with


a trip to Thessaloniki to extend the cultural musings and to explore the Unesco-listed churches, Byzantine architecture and postcard-pretty waterfront area of this charming, old-meets-new city – then adding a tailor-made day trip to the Second World War memorials or the Kilkis battlefields, if time allows. Stay: Recommend St George Lycabettus for clients after a suave, five-star stay in Athens, with shops, galleries and museums right on the doorstep – plus individually themed rooms, a rooftop pool and breakfast room overlooking the Acropolis. Book it: Planet Holidays offers seven nights at St George Lycabettus with breakfast from £705, including flights from Gatwick on December 4 and transfers. A seven-night twin- centre trip combining Athens with Thessaloniki is also available from £1,137, including domestic and international flights and transfers, departing February 18, 2021. planet-holidays.co.uk


travelweekly.co.uk


festivals in the autumn, including the two-day Apple Festival in Kyperounta, where you can try local produce


BEST FOR . . . WALKING Where: Corfu, Greece Why: With its distinctive formula of lush, rugged mountains, colourful Venetian architecture and opal- fringed coastline, Corfu is something of a magnet for walkers, and with averages of 18C in October and 14C in November, the off-season is an ideal time to explore its tracks. Stay: Clients wanting to base themselves in one place and throw in the odd day’s walking will find a handful of routes to explore. But for those keen to really embrace the hiking side, Inntravel has a seven-night, self-guided trip along the west coast, combining a section of the iconic Corfu Trail – an epic, 136-mile route through the heart of the island – with other scenic


ambles through ancient villages, rural settlements, Byzantine monuments and ancient monasteries aplenty. Book it: Inntravel’s Corfu’s West Coast costs from £845, including accommodation, some meals, luggage transfers and route notes. inntravel.co.uk


BEST FOR . . . CYPRIOT CHARM Where: Paphos, Cyprus Why: Cobbled streets lined with quaint tavernas, a bustling harbour flanked by fishing boats and calm, Blue Flag beaches come together in Cyprus’s best-known southerly city, and the shoulder seasons are the perfect time to enjoy them without too many others around. “Paphos has daily temperatures of up to 20C even in December,


In Cyprus, many villages host food


and the evenings are still very pleasant,” says Chris Yianni, head of product and purchasing at Mercury Holidays. Historic lures include the Kato


Paphos Archaeological Park – home to temple ruins, mosaics and an amphitheatre – and Paphos Castle, a Byzantine fortress by the sea. Outside the city there’s plenty more to explore, including Geroskipou, a town famous for its Cypriot sweets, and Aphrodite’s Rock, supposed birthplace of the goddess of love. Stay: Recommend the five-star, adult-only Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel on the edge of Kato Paphos for a beachside stay with several restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools (heated in winter), a spa, tennis and squash courts, plus watersports at the beach and nightly live music. Book it: A week’s half-board in a Twin Inland Room at Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris costs from £289, including flights from Stansted on January 31, 2021. mercuryholidays.co.uk


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PICTURES: Shutterstock; Inntravel


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