Hestia Group News

Naturally a big concern or factor when deciding to move abroad or buy a holiday home in the sun is the medical service and Health Care in the Country… cyprus health care is of a high standard which is acknowledged by the World Health Organisation and because infectious diseases and epidemics throughout the country are so low, foreign nationals entering cyprus are not required to have any vaccinations.  Life expectancy for the population is around at 75 years for men and 80 years for women – that’s a bit higher than the UK?..

cyprus gives priority to its health care system and actively promotes preventive medicine. Many of the medical professionals have trained abroad, with a good number graduating from the UK.  The low cost of consultations and care, together with short waiting lists make cyprus an attractive destination for treatment.

State run hospitals are located in all the major cities, these ‘General Hospitals’ are in Polis, Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia and Paralimni… and smaller government-run hospitals and clinics are present in other areas of the country. There are also a large number of private hospitals and clinics most of which have excellent equipment and facilities.

Anyone who has paid regular social security contributions in another EU country for two full years prior to coming to cyprus is entitled to public health cover for a limited period from the date of their last contribution. Social security form E106 must be obtained from the social security authorities in your home country and presented to your local Social Insurance office in cyprus.  The European Health Insurance Card (E.H.I.C) is now being used throughout Europe for reciprocal health care. This is available free of charge from the NHS in the UK.

Retirees living in cyprus and receiving a state pension from another EU country are entitled to free or subsidised state healthcare (dependant upon income). You will need to obtain the necessary forms from your home country and submit them to any general hospital with your application for a cyprus medical card.  You should contact the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Medical Benefits Section to acquire the necessary forms.

If you are under state pension age you will need to take out private health insurance, which offers a wider choice of medical practitioners and hospitals. If you already have private health insurance in another country, you may be able to extend it to cover you in cyprus; however, this may not be the most economical alternative.  There are a great many insurance companies out there, both Cypriot and International and it pays to shop around and get at least three quotes.  Many schemes will have an excess and the amount should be carefully considered.  Check whether the insurance company will deal directly with the hospital when paying the fees and carefully scrutinize exactly what the insurance company will pay for and what is excluded.

The benefits of health care in cyprus can be great in that you may be able to walk in to a hospital or clinic and get a same day appointment to see a specialist and leave only around 35 euros worse off, but with a diagnosis and medication!

To the North of Paphos, just off the road to Polis, you can find Evretou; the valley, the village and the dam.  It is a place where you can easily while away several hours exploring and discovering an array of delights… 

There are two ways of reaching the dam; take a right turn signposted ‘Simou, Lasa & Fyti’ or just below the village of Simou there is a left turn signposted ‘Skarfos Bridge’ - follow the part concrete / part gravel road that winds down the valley and discover the remains of this lovely Venetian bridge.  Built in 1618, it is 2.75m wide and 8.5m long and was built with pebbles and limestone blocks hewn from the river bed.  The river has long been diverted but the road over the bridge was the main thoroughfare between Paphos and Polis in medieval times and was used for transporting copper after which cyprus is named.

If you traverse the modern bridge downstream, bear left and approx 200m further on you will come to the ancient watermill situated above a citrus grove – another beautiful photo opportunity!  Backtrack a little and look for the sign to the dam and follow the track until you see water.  It is best to park and wander to really discover things.  The abandoned Turkish Cypriot village of Evretou is now home to numerous goats but it still makes fascinating strolling.  To circumnavigate the dam would take several hours and you would need to ensure plentiful supplies of drinking water and sun protection. 

Many species of flowers & flora can be found around here including some of the more rare orchids.  It is also a bird watchers paradise and recent sightings have included Storks and Bonelli’s Eagles to name a couple.  If fishing is your thing, then grab a rod and a licence (obtainable from the Harbourmasters Office in Paphos or Latchi) and try your luck catching bass, zander, carp, roach, bream and catfish!

The other approach to the dam and one that gives a totally different perspective of the valley is a little further along the Polis road in the village of Skoulli.  Here, there is a right hand turn signposted ‘Peristerona and Lysos’. A kilometre or so up this road and you will see the Evretou Dam signpost.  Follow the road through to it’s end and you will find yourself at the dam wall.  Although you can’t wander very far unless you have rugged shoes on, it is very picturesque and worth the trip, especially if you are exploring the area.  Have fun and explore Evretou, valley, village and dam.

The 1929 Chrysler 75 Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton

The tradition of cyprus being home to classical artefacts from bygone days has taken a new twist with the discovery that the island is now home to one of only two vintage cars of its type left in the world - a 1929 Chrysler 75 Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton.

The Car is now making a rare appearance on the open market, having arrived in cyprus five years ago from the UK with its owner Pete Woodward.

Although the model is rare to the point of being on the brink of extinction, this example of the Chrysler 75 has an interesting pedigree as it approaches its 80th year.

From 1929, it was owned by the Mayor of New York - and is only one of 238 ever produced.

Mr Woodward bought the Car 20 years ago and had it shipped to the UK from New York.

What happened after the Mayor decided to sell is unknown - but when stripping the Car down to its chassis a theatre ticket to see Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour was discovered under the seats.

Restoration work took place across 14 years but Woodward has reluctantly decided that it’s time to let go.

“I’ve always liked working on vintage Chrysler cars because they were so advanced compared to other makes.

Ultimately the joy of motoring is about taking to the open road - and this Car doesn’t get used as much as it should so I’ve decided to put it on the market and can promise the new owner that it runs like new,“ he said.

The Car is being sold on the cyprus Car sales website: http://www.buysellcarscyprus.com/with a pricetag of 49,000 euros.

Are you fed up with waiting months to get an appointment with your dentist?  Do you feel you that you might have to take out a mortgage to pay for the cost of restorative treatment?  Would you like a brighter smile but just know that it isn’t in your budget?  Then consider dentistry in cyprus; some of the advantages are:
  
* Significant savings – pricing is a fraction of that in the UK
* Excellent high-tech treatment in superb facilities
* Combined with a vacation to allay any trauma and promote healing and a healthier, more beautiful smile.

cyprus is within easy reach of the UK and has an impressive number of quality dental facilities, making it an ideal destination for those seeking restorative or cosmetic dental treatments.  The huge difference in the cost of treatment is amazing; for example, Nicosia Dental Polyclinic charges around £150 for laser whitening, whereas in a British private clinic, the cost can vary between £300 and £700!  Many clinics offer treatment/holiday packages to really tailor to your needs.  Maintenance and restorative treatments are of course available throughout the country but some of the most popular procedures offered by the cosmetic dental clinics in cyprus include
  
* Teeth Bleaching
* Porcelain Laminate Veneers
* Porcelain Crowns
* Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns
* Inlay and Outlay

With all this on offer and a truly beautiful country to explore, try cyprus for your next holiday and consider some dental treatment?
Nicosia is the capital of cyprus and is home to some of the best dental practices in the country and Europe.  Popular cosmetic dental clinics are also situated in the other major towns of Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos.

cyprus does not have its own medical university, and a large proportion of Cypriot dentists qualify in Athens, UK or US after a 6 year degree course.  Many of the Athens graduates then choose to study in Europe or US for their 3 year post grad specialist courses. This ensures you’ll have no confusion over the work carried out as they all speak English very well.

The cyprus Ministry of Health is in charge of monitoring, assessing and approving all dental practices and clinics in cyprus and the rules and regulations are upheld by the two main member organisations, The cyprus Dental Council and The cyprus Dental Association.

Looking for some fun & excitement, or want to arrange some activities for the kids whilst you are on holiday in cyprus? If you are an adventure seeker and also enjoy natural surroundings and nature at it’s best, come and explore all the stunning scenery that cyprus has to offer and have fun at the same time with Zephyros Adventure Sports.

Established in 2001, this Paphos-based centre was the first of its kind in cyprus and offers year round adventure in the form of Climbing, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, scuba Diving, Skiing, Snorkeling and Trekking.  For those of you that don’t fancy scheduled biking, Zephyros also rent bikes to suit all ages and conditions and at extremely good rates…

Zephyros Adventure Sports offers very good value for money with their varied and exciting programme and with the minimum requirement for most activities being only two people, there’s no need to share, you can have a family trip while keeping it in the family! All the tuition and equipment is included in the prices, as is transport to the numerous locations across the island and in some cases, lunch is thrown in as well!

If the stunning Troodos Mountains are your thing, they can be explored on skis during the winter months of January, February and March, when there is often up to 2m of snow to enjoy.  Not a skier?  No worries, try snowboarding or tobogganing instead.  Excluding the water based activities for obvious reasons, all of the other adventures that are available with Zephyros can be done in this region.
If you are a water baby, try Diving or snorkeling around the beautiful Paphos coastline, taking in parts of the Akamas Peninsular with a vast array of Sea Caves and rock formations.  Some of these can only be reached from the sea and if you want to get up close and personal, a kayak trip is a must.  The Sea Caves Paddle takes you along the coastline where you can explore places that the ordinary holidaymaker will never see – paddling into various caves, all with their own names such as ‘Jonah’, ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Standing Room Only’.  Paddle around the uninhabited Yeronissos island and watch in wonder as various sea birds roost in the rocky crevices and outcrops.  Have a swim or relax on the beach afterwards for a truly lovely adventure. For the romantics among you, try the sunset paddle which takes in some of the Sea Caves trip and then heads out to sea a little way heading west, then stops as the sun settles on the horizon so that you can lie back, relax and take in the beautiful colours of a stunning sunset – it’s also a great photo opportunity before you paddle gently home as the orange and yellow hues change into lavender and blue.

Visit the website for Zephyros Adventure Sports for more information and bookings: http://www.enjoycyprus.com/

Flying to cyprus has never been easier, with a wide variety of flights to suit every budget and from many destinations in the UK and Europe.

Both the international airports at Larnaca (LCA) and Paphos (PFO) are getting a total revamp and being redesigned, rebuilt and offering many more and much better facilities than in the past. Visitors and residents experience of travel to and from cyprus should improve greatly.  A new passenger terminal at Paphos International Airport is scheduled to open in November 2008 and the new Larnaca Airport is due to open in November 2009 according to Hermes Airports Ltd, who now officially operates the two cyprus Airports.  The upgrade is being done under a rapid design and build contract and will offer “world class state-of-the-art facilities, with an emphasis on excellent customer services”.  Both airports are having runways extended and passenger capacity is expected to be around 2.7 million per annum for Paphos and 7.5 million initially at Larnaca, increasing with demand to 9 million by 2013.  Live flight information for both airports is now available on the Hermes official website.  This handy featured is greatly appreciated by residents awaiting guest arrivals, as is the recent addition of Park and Fly facilities at both Larnaca and Paphos Airports.

Easyjet have recently taken over the BA franchise, GB Airways and this offers travelers a budget option, while Monarch have also started regular flights.  Both Larnaca and Paphos are well served by a variety of charter  airlines including the big names such as Thomas Cook, Thompson, XL and Olympic to name a few, together with the scheduled carriers, British Airways and cyprus Airways.  For those travelling from Scotland, Globescan offer some very good deals from Glasgow to Paphos.

On the continent, Lufthansa started a new route from Munich to cyprus in March and Blue Air are now flying in from Romania.  These additions to the regular flights from other parts of Europe such as Belgium, Malta, Italy and France means that the unique charms that cyprus has to offer, are now even easier to reach.

For the regular traveller and those planning a holiday in cyprus who want the freedom and enjoyment of their own apartment or villa, the best way to source and arrange your flights is to simply set 1 or 2 hours aside and trawl through the many website available!.. You can find a useful list of various airlines, flight search engines and travel companies on the Hestia Holidays website, visit; http://www.hestia-holidays.com/info.cfm#flights. In todays competitive travel industry, most carriers have electronic tickets which make booking via the internet very convenient - we hope this might help save a few pounds on getting to cyprus, so you can come back more often or just have a bit more spending money!

LINKS;

(LCA) - to; http://www.hestia-group.com/news/2007/08/03/expansion-of-Larnaca-airport/
Easyjet - to; http://www.hestia-group.com/news/2008/02/11/easyjet-flying-to-cyprus-%e2%80%93-more-cheap-flights-to-Paphos/
Flying - to; http://www.hestia-holidays.com/info.cfm#flights

If you feel the need to get away from the stresses and strains of life, to ‘exit stage left’ and run far away from the daily grind, then come to cyprus for a well deserved relaxing holiday, find a spa and pamper yourself!

cyprus offers you a wonderful location for relaxation and rejuvenation and is host to a plethora of top class hotels with magnificent spas.  There is so much on offer in the variety of treatments available; you will be thoroughly spoilt for choice.

There are fabulous treatments to be had in most of the island’s resorts and below are some suggestions for you.  The toughest part will be deciding which one to go to or maybe try them all!

The Adams Beach Hotel in agia napa offers some unusual and enticing treatments such as a Deluxe Chocolate Body Wrap, a Deluxe Coffee Body Wrap, a Milk Bath and a Red Grape bath.  Or treat yourself to a massage in all its variations - you choose aromatherapy massage, asiaroma harmonizing massage, Indian head massage or the popular hot stone massage.

The St. Raphael Resort Spa in Limassol offers all types of spa treatments using Thalgo products. On the menu are the usual massages such as hot-stone and Indian head together with relaxing massages, luxury manicures and pedicures, facials and face treatments, body treatments, body wraps, eye treatments, reflexology, anti-cellulite treatments and ultra toning.  All these are available for men and women.

Between Limassol and Paphos you can find two excellent spa facilities.  The Columbia Beach Resort Spa at Pissouri offers you numerous therapies for relaxation and revitalisation using the ever popular Molton Brown products, together with Phytomer, a brand which uses plants and minerals from the ocean.  Among the myriad of available treatments, Columbia have developed specialist therapies for mothers-to-be and men so nobody need feel left out of a pampering session!

‘The Retreat’ at the Aphrodite Hills Resort, set in a stunning location overlooking Aphrodite’s Rock, has everything for total serenity and tranquility.  This includes a traditional Hammam or Turkish Bath and if you opt for the full Hammam experience you can expect steam bathing, a loofah scrub and a full body soap massage, performed on a heated marble plinth – guaranteed to give deep muscle relaxation.  Specialist services here offer a hair spa and a couples programme to enjoy with a friend or partner and performed in the Thai Suite.

In Paphos, The Amathus Beach Hotel seems to offer just about everything previously mentioned on this page and more.  Here you can receive Reiki Healing, have a Reflexology massage, try Shiatsu and experience a good range of treatments geared to sun exposure.  The Golden Dream tanning preparation treatment not only looks good but makes you feel good and also prepares the skin for further exposure to the sun.  In harmony with this is the Sunset Treatment which soothes away burning sensations and helps repair any damage.

Also in Paphos is the Thalassa Hotel with its’ wonderful sunset views over Coral Bay.  This delightfully intimate hotel houses the Anagenisis, the first holistic spa on magical cyprus.  The philosophy is to treat the person as a whole, with therapies that soothe the mind, body and soul.  This is achieved through the therapies, the wonderful cuisine and their health and fitness facilities, creating a complete haven of relaxation and rejuvenation.

For a get-away-from-it-all experience, your ideal destination would be The Anassa Hotel, quietly nestling below the Akamas just beyond Latchi on the way to Aphrodite’s Baths and in an exclusive and tranquil setting.  Anassa’s entirely upgraded, newly-designed lifestyle spa, Thalassa Spa, also involves a holistic approach to wellbeing, together with The Organic Pharmacy’s 100% natural product line.  Holistic and therapeutic lifestyle consulting, acupuncture, spa cuisine and natural treatments using local produce are all here fro you to enjoy. 

Go on, you know you want to – pamper yourself!..

cyprus is a great place to learn Diving and also has plenty to see for other members of the family who don’t dive.  It is blessed with around 340 days of sunshine a year and although you can dive throughout the year, May through to October is by far the best time.  During these months you probably only need a light wet suit to explore the many and varied dive sites around the island.

The best of these and indeed, voted one of the top ten wreck dives in the world, is the Zenobia, a Swedish ro-ro cargo ferry which sank off the coast of cyprus, on her maiden voyage.  She is approx 10,000 tonnes and well over 170m long but unfortunately developed a problem with the computerized ballast system while on her way to her destination in Syria.  The captain steered her toward Larnaca when he realised she was listing badly and it was here that she sunk with over 100 trucks and trailers on board.  It is generally thought that it needs at least two dives to explore this large wreck to fully appreciate it and probably shouldn’t be attempted as a novice.

There are plenty of other dives around the coast of cyprus suitable for all levels of experience and some of the more interesting ones can be found around Paphos, around The Akamas or off the East coast near ayia napa where simple wrecks and caves can be explored.  Although interesting artifacts can be found on the seabed, please be aware that it is strictly forbidden to remove any. The beautiful and rugged Sea Caves and St Georges areas of Paphos host some exciting dives sites along with Yeronissos Island which lies just of this coastline.

There are many differnet Dive Centres accros cyprus, with shops in Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, agia napa and a few others. One local company, Cydive was established in Paphos around 30 years ago and was the first scuba Diving centre in cyprus to achieve PADI IDC five star accreditation.  It also has a second Diving centre in Coral Bay and is the longest established dive school on the island.  With a whole host of courses run by fully qualified PADI instructors, from beginners and children’s courses, to accredited courses to further your Diving career, Cydive has something suitable for all the family if they wish to join in and if not, non-divers are most welcome on dive trips (space permitting).

What a great activity and experience to enjoy whilst on holiday, with one-off introductory dives to PADI ‘Open Water’ courses.

Take advantage of this great opportunity – FREE photos, upload your own images and have them professionally printed and posted to you the same day!

Perfect to order your holiday photos, wedding snaps, kid’s birthday pictures – simply anything… The process couldn’t be easier, just use the link below, log in and upload your photos and that’s it. 

Supplied by Photobox,

Europe’s leading online digital photo service with more than 5 million members… Photobox offers an easy to use website with a great selection of products and prints available.

 If you have a really good photo, one that stands out and ‘captures the moment’ or a great view, sunset etc, then why not have it enlarged or printed on canvas, or perhaps a fridge magnet! Below is a list of the services and options for printing; Prints, Standard Prints, Enlargement Prints, Print Credits, Framed Prints, Walbum, photo books, Classic A4 Photobook, Square Stylebook, Small Stylebook, Minibook, Personalised Cover Photobook, Wall décor, Poster Prints, Collage Prints, Canvas Prints, Framing Service, Cards and stationery, photo Greeting Cards, Designer greeting cards, Postcard, Calendars and Diaries, A3 Poster Calendar, home gifts, Mugs, Coasters, Placemats, Cushion, Mouse mats, Clothing and accessories, Bags, T-Shirts, photo Fashion, Fun stuff, Etched Glass, Fridge Magnet, Jigsaw, photo Stickers, Kids collection and much more… 

With bulk discounts available make the already good value for money – great value for money… PhotoBox offers their customers; 

Over 30 Free photo prints when you join.Free online album space for storing their photos.Free unlimited photo sharing services.Free photo eCard services.Great value prints as low as 4p each.Regular great value special offers.Superior quality - we’ve won more awards than any other photo site.Print orders placed before 4pm posted same working day.A vast and growing range of unique and personalised photo gifts and cards.Great customer service on the phone and by email. The company is

Europe’s largest online photo processing service. With state-of-the-art laboratories in London and

Paris boast the combined capacity to produce over a million prints per day! They pride themselves on offering customers high quality photographic prints at great value prices. Complete with fast turnaround times and a fantastic range of personalised photo gifts -something for everyone! 

 

Easter is the most important religious event in the Greek Orthodox calendar and if you are on holiday in cyprus or out and about in your Car, you will notice the huge effigies of rabbits, chicks and eggs that decorate most major roundabouts!

The season actually begins 50 days earlier on Green Monday, when Cypriot families head for the countryside to picnic on vegetarian food as they enter the period of fasting which will be broken at midnight on Easter Saturday. Green Monday, or as it’s also known, ‘Clean Monday’ also has a tradition for flying Kites…

Orthodox Easter, is a moveable feast, the same as the Christian Easter, however the date is always set on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.

The concentration of activity occurs in Holy Week, when housewives bake seasonal specialities in preparation for the feast on Easter Day.  The fasting enters an even stricter vegan phase during this week, when even olive oil is forbidden.  baking takes place with a strictly ‘no tasting’ rule which must be very hard indeed.  The most favourite delicacy is ‘Flaounes’, a pastry filled with a special cheese, eggs and mint.

Spring cleaning is also rife during this week as everything must be made clean and new to celebrate the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Houses are whitewashed and scrubbed from top to bottom and new clothes and shoes are an absolute must!

During Holy Week, the general mood becomes more solemn, especially on Good Friday as the death of Christ is mourned.  On this day, flowers are taken to the church to decorate the Holy Sepulcher.  Late Saturday evening, church bells will call the congregation to Mass which everyone in the village will attend and all will carry an unlit candle.  The priest will hold one lighted candle and deliver the sermon.  At midnight it will be declared “Christos anesti” (Christ has risen) and the congregation will reply “Alitho anesti” (Indeed He has risen).  Everyone then lights their candle from the priest’s and the celebrations begin.  Usually a bonfire will be built in the church yard and fireworks will be let off.  Hard boiled eggs that have been dyed red to represent the blood of Christ will be cracked open and eaten, but the real feasting begins on Sunday when Souvla (skewered barbecued pork or chicken) and whole roast lamb or goat will be enjoyed.  The celebrations generally continue for 3 days – yes, there is Easter Tuesday in cyprus!

If you want to experience Cypriot Easter for yourself, head for a rural village where you can witness traditions and celebrations which haven’t changed much in hundreds of years…

Easter is certainly a great time to visit cyprus on holiday, although certain shops and offices will be closed for the bank holidays, you will thoroughly enjoy the experience and want to return next year!