Hestia Group News

For the true afficiando, golf is not so much a sport as a way of life - and when you go on holiday, you certainly don’t stop living!  On the contrary, a welcome break from the normal workaday routine is a way of recharging your energy and doing more of what you would like to be doing back home – if only work and the pressures of daily life didn’t get in the way. So, a trip to cyprus is an excellent opportunity to make up for lost time in getting in some well deserved rest and recuperation – and doing what comes naturally to the instinctive golfer.

Although cyprus may not be a place that immediately springs to mind when thinking of golfing destinations in the Mediterranean, a little enquiry shows that there is an impressive choice to be had for the enthusiast prepared to break away from the more traditional tourist trails of Paphos, agia napa or the Troodos Mountains. Not that these places don’t have a lot to offer – far from it. There is a wealth of history, leisure and exploration to excite the curious spirit. But for golfers, knowing that their passion can be pursued in the glorious sunshine and tranquillity of an idyllic cyprus setting is a prize worth seeking out.

The Paphos area in the west of the country plays host to three well known golf courses – at Aphrodite Hills, Tsada and Secret Valley golf Course. There are plans for others courses on the island, including Tersefano which is close to Larnaca International Airport, between Paralimni and agia napa and more in the Limassol region. For those who are looking for something ‘midway’ and closer to Limassol, they don’t have to wait - there is already a club that provides a friendly welcome for the golfing enthusiast and their family. 
 
Vikla golf and Country Club is the only golf course in the Limassol area. It was founded in 1992 by Robin Houry near the village of Vikla and is only 20kms drive from the main Limassol tourist / residential area – pick up can be arranged. With its spectacular mountain views, its welcoming and informal atmosphere makes it an ideal place to play golf or simply relax!  The club boasts an 18 whole golf course with a par of 68 from the championship tees.

This is a great course for experienced golfers and beginners alike. No handicap certificate is required and tee-off times can be booked. The two par fives and six par threes offer a realistic challenge. Gross par is only ever broken once or twice a year, if that!

If value for money is important to you, give the club a call and check out their current rates for playing and hiring equipment - they claim to be about 75% cheaper than other courses on the island. The club is committed to making the golfing experience as enjoyable as possible. For some, the most convenient - and best time to play in the hot cyprus climate - may be towards the end of the day. So, whilst other courses close promptly at 5:30pm, Vikla remains open until the sun sets.
The facilities at Vikla are designed to be ‘family friendly’ - providing the true golfing enthusiast with some good reasons to visit the course whilst catering for non-golfers in the family with drinks and bar snacks at the Club House or dipping into the swimming pool with its outside terrace overlooking the course during summer months. Clubs and trolleys are available for hire from the PROSHOP, where there is also an excellent selection of golfing equipment for sale.
The accent is very much on friendly informality – so there is no course dress code and the practice ground helps you on the way to perfecting your game!

For further information, check out the Vikla golf Club website:
www.vikla-golf.com - or send an e-mail to: viklagolf@cytanet.com.cy
Telephone:  00357 99674218

The Republic of cyprus is set to become the next major location on the international golf scene – with an increasing impact on the local property market.

The government of cyprus is standing by its long-term commitment to make major improvements to the infrastructure of cyprus. golf courses have taken pride of place in the overall strategy to turn Aphrodite’s isle from one of the most popular Mediterranean destinations for European holidaymakers into a vacation paradise for visitors from around the globe. golf is still a relatively new sport here. However, Continue Reading »

In this modern era there is perhaps a tendency to believe that we have a monopoly on wisdom and an exclusive franchise on the ability to mould and shape the world in which we live. We may have inherited some knowledge from the past, but ‘now’ is what it’s all about? How many versions of the same ‘truth’ do we get from the various newspaper, radio and TV media that relate the news of the day? A brief look at time soon shows that we are merely the current inheritors of history – complete with religious traditions and time-honoured tales stretching back thousands of years telling it like it was. And nations, which today are seen almost as understudies on the world stage, were once in the ascendancy and reigned supreme in ‘their’ world.

One of the most influential and powerful nations the world has ever witnessed, Greece boasted an extensive, diverse, and polytheistic religion. Greek legends are (and were) so engaging and well-known that the actual word “mythology” is derived from their language, the world “mythologia” Continue Reading »

What makes a tourist attraction a tourist attraction? This question is possibly a permanent item on the agenda of national tourist organisations the world over – and in cyprus the issue is probably much the same.

The island’s very existence is rooted in ancient civilisation and mythology. Paphos is a prime example. St.Paul’s pillar within the compound of the church of Chrysopolitissa is where, by tradition, Saint Paul was flogged. A few kilometers from the main town is Aphrodite’s Rock, which juts out of the Mediterranean Sea at the spot where Aphrodite, the mythological goddess of love is said to have emerged from the sea in 1200BC.

People come from across the world to visit these locations – yet more recent events have added to the interest value of visiting Paphos. One such object - of nautical attention - can be seen whilst traveling along the main Paphos to Coral Bay Road.

On 23 March 1998, the Honduran-flagged M/V Demetrios II ran aground off Paphos Lighthouse, close to Chloraka Village, in heavy seas during a voyage from Greece to Syria with a cargo of timber.
When the accident took place, the ship had eight crew members - four Greeks, two Pakistanis and two Syrians. The crew were rescued and airlifted to the safety of Paphos by a British Military Helicopter.

At the time of the incident, reports in the English-language newspaper  ‘The cyprus Mail’ stated that seafarers certificates issued for some of the crew of the cargo ship were forged - confirmed in a report appearing in Lloyds List that the competency certificates issued for the Greek captain and the Pakistani first officer were “high-quality” Liberian fakes.
The Demetrios II was left stranded on rocks near the Paphos lighthouse, where it remains to this day – a fascinating landmark and an item of noteworthy interest!

Personal communication across the globe is comparatively easy these days – a mobile phone can connect you in seconds to virtually anywhere in the world. Although this is perhaps taken for granted, what is not so acceptable is the cost!

Recent moves by the European Union have placed strict controls on what the mobile phone companies can charge for making and receiving calls between countries – and price reductions have now come into force for what are known as ‘roaming’ calls. This is when a call takes place away from the country where the phone account is registered. Although the technology is brilliant, it’s wise to be mindful of the cost!

For those using the cyprus mobile phone service Continue Reading »

One of the great joys of getting away from it all and visiting a sun-soaked island like cyprus is that you also have a chance to get away from your comfort zone, explore new places and get to know more about a culture that goes back thousands of years.

This particular culture includes the longstanding tradition of wine-making. How often do we really think about where our bottle of wine actually comes from when we pick up the latest bargain from the supermarket or the off licence? Not very often perhaps? So why not take advantage of the opportunity to fill this gap in your knowledge and get even more satisfaction from your stay in cyprus? Continue Reading »

One of the great joys of cyprus is the incredible mix of leisure and recreational pursuits that sit alongside each other on an island steeped with legend, history and modernity. Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love, is celebrated widely in the Paphos region, with ‘Aphrodite’s Rock’ a destination of choice for the true afficiando of ancient mythology. Yet, little more than a stone’s throw away lies the world class golf course at Aphrodite Hills, a true golfing paradise.
Continue Reading »

Hestia Holidays is renowned for its portfolio of luxury villas and apartments available for short or long term rental on the sub-tropical Mediterranean island of cyprus. They have family villas, panoramic mountain homes, romantic hideaways and golfing holidays with accommodation in the Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta regions.

As a special incentive to sample the superb service that Hestia offers its clients, the company has launched a special monthly promotion offering a massive 20% discount on bookings made for a selected property during the calendar month in which it is advertised. The holiday can be taken at any time – subject to availability of course.

Being ever helpful to its growing client base, Hestia Holidays even shows you which property will be on offer during the following month. The cost saving can be more than a generous £200 GBP, which is sufficient to cover the cost of an average return flight between the UK and cyprus!

The featured property for October 2007 is ‘villa Bella Vista’ located at Chloraka Seafront near Paphos.  This is a modern stylish, villa sleeping six adults comfortably – with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and furnished to a high standard and comes complete with satellite TV. It offers a wonderful bright, spacious open plan living area, creating superb social space. The swimming pool and barbeque make for a truly relaxing experience. Air conditioning is included in the rental which is priced from £543.00 - £1,057.00 GBP per week - before the special 20% discount.

The villa offers stunning sea views and is close the beach. It is easily reached from Paphos International Airport just 20 minutes drive away. As part of its complete service package, Hestia Holidays can also arrange for a hire Car with collection at the airport, or a private airport transfer to the villa were you can have a welcome pack left for your arrival…

For full details visit the Hestia Holidays website at: www.hestia-holidays.com/offers.cfm

The very mention of cyprus conjures up images of sun, sea and idyllic beaches stretching into the sunset. For the casual visitor or the permanent resident alike, that image is the genuine reality – and there is a lifestyle to be savoured if you look for it.

The real beauty of cyprus is that there is so much more to experience – and the voyage of discovery involves little more than putting one foot in front of the other, opening your eyes and soaking up what nature has to offer. Although cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, nowhere is really that far from anywhere else – and exploring the heartland with its variety of landscape is a true gift of nature.

An ideal way to get a feel Continue Reading »

Traveling and staying away from the UK should be an enjoyable experience – and most times it probably will be. In some ways the preparation for the journey is all part of the excitement of leaving normal domestic comforts and getting ready for a well deserved break or the challenge of making a new home in a different country.

For some it will be a few weeks away and for others it may be the upheaval of creating fresh roots in a new land. In the UK, there is an increase in the number of people who effectively ‘split the difference’ by spending extended periods in their second home abroad or returning to their favourite rental villa or apartment. 

Buying foreign Currency and making Car hire Continue Reading »