Hestia Group News

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.

Whether you live in cyprus, are a regular visitor or it’s your first holiday in Paphos… Eating out, or at least finding somewhere nice and with a good reputation, to suit your taste and your pocket, can be a tricky business. This has just been made a much easier thanks to ‘Paphos Eating’, a new and exciting website (www.paphos-eating.com) which has gone a long way to help you decide where to eat out and enjoy your meals. The website was launched in November 2006 and aims to encourage anyone who has eaten out in the area, to give honest reviews, with the opportunity to air your opinions and also rate each establishment with a number of stars. As there are currently over 500 independent reviews, it makes for interesting reading! Eating places are categorized, i.e. Chinese, Indian, Traditional Cypriot etc, and as we all know, ‘word of mouth’ is the recommendation that most people trust.  Plans for the future include an events calendar, so that you can see what special events eateries have in store.  This is a very informative and useful website for holidaymakers and residents alike and can only get better as more reviews are published.  You can register free and add your own reviews in an instant.  If the thought of trawling a website to find something suitable is not for you, then just go to the ‘Top Ten’ section which gives an up-to-date listing of just that – the current top ten favourite eateries.  With contact numbers and photos, it couldn’t be easier to find the perfect dining experience for you!

Currently the top 10 in March 08 are;

1. Sienna (Chloraka)
2. Gastronomie (Chloraka)
3. Goosefat and Garlic (Sea Caves)
4. Colosseum (Kato Paphos)
5. Flambe Master (Kato Paphos)
6. Viklari (Lara)
7. Taste of India (Kato Paphos)
8. Chloes 2 (Tomb of the Kings)
9. Brasileiro (Kato Paphos)
10. Grazie (Kato Paphos)

Visit their website and share your views of those restaurants featured at www.paphos-eating.com.

If a change is as good as a rest, then a visit to cyprus is the ideal opportunity for the keen golfer to get some rest and recuperation. The island enjoys excellent air links with all parts of the UK. In little over four hours the transition is made from a climate which can be indifferent to the best interests of the keen golfer to a destination soaked in sunshine and the ‘feel good’ factor – and some choice golf courses.

Regardless of what else you decide to do during your visit – or where you stay -  finding good value accommodation and arranging Car hire is straightforward. The helpful people at Hestia Holidays provide the ideal  ‘one stop’  solution for those who simply want to make the most of their time in cyprus – leaving you free to explore and enjoy what the island has to offer. They can advise on Car hire, Currency exchange - and offer a wide choice of rental villas and apartments to ensure that you can easily get to the golf courses of your choice – as well as reach the beach and other attractions that lie in wait of your discovery.

Whether you are a keen amateur golfer, an aspiring ‘pro’ - or simply someone who wants to find out what all the fuss is about - one course that is a  ‘must’  on your itinerary is the ‘gem’ to be found at the Tasada golf Club.

The course was founded in 1994 on the hills of Tsada and set on the grounds of a 12th century monastery in a verdant valley. It was originally created by Donald Steel and renovated by Mackenzie & Ebert in 2006/07.
 
Located in western cyprus, the Tsada golf Club is near Tsada village - 15 km northeast of the city of Paphos or roughly 20 minutes drive. The altitude of 550 meters above sea level ensures cool breezes during the summer months.

The course credentials are truly impressive:

• 18 hole par 72 course of 6,060 meters 
• Handicap requirements: 28 for men and 36 for ladies.
• A handicap certificate is essential except in the low, winter season
• There is a 12 bay driving range, putting green, a pitching and chipping area and a PGA pro available for lessons
• Course map on the website

For current information, visit the club website: www.cyprusgolf.com/tsada. This provides full information on Rates, Location / Directions for getting there plus a comprehensive Course Map.

For the golfing enthusiast, the superb setting and the pleasant altitude provides more than cool breezes in the summer months as you play a round. It is a real breath of fresh air and an uplifting experience to treasure before returning home – in the expectation of some day returning for more of the same!
   
Contact Tel: 00357 26 642774/5

Visitors to cyprus make the trip for many reasons – an escape from the regular routine that life throws at us, a well deserved break or perhaps the pursuit of happiness by indulging in a favourite pastime. For many people  ‘pastime’ is an understatement for the passion that is golf.

More people are becoming increasingly aware that a trip to the sun-drenched island of cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean provides an excellent opportunity – if not excuse – to pursue their passion!  The difference between playing in the UK and cyprus is something that only the individual player can determine - and may well lie in the eye if not the ‘swing’ of the beholder.

Location is certainly one of the distinctions that cyprus has to offer when it comes to the setting of its golf courses. There are several golf course  ‘gems’ set in the landscape of cyprus – with promises of more to come – but for the discerning golfer The Secret Valley golf Course is perhaps one of the more prestigious courses.

Located by the renowned area of ‘Petra tou Romiou’, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, it is set in a scenic valley surrounded by mature trees and beautiful natural rock formations. It is consistently chosen as the preferred course amongst the island’s visiting players in terms of sheer playability and enjoyment. It can be found 18 km east of Paphos and 49 km west of Limassol, near to the Aphrodite’s Rock. Directions are clearly signposted from the exits on the Paphos-Limassol or Limassol-Paphos highways. From the Highway exit it is a few minutes drive of about 3 km into the valley – look out for signs showing the nearest village of Kouklia.

The course has a great deal to offer the amateur or ‘pro’ golfer alike:
• 18 hole course, par 71, measuring 5,904 metres
• Handicap requirements are 28 for men and 36 for women
• Handicap certificate is essential except during the low season 
• Carts, trolleys and clubs are available to rent
• There is a 12 bay covered driving range and ball machine
• 2 putting greens
• golf pro available for lessons
• There is a well stocked Pro Shop which sells a comprehensive range of equipment and golfing accessories such as bags, clubs, gloves, balls, golf shoes, protective sun creams, caps and visors.

For up-to-date information on what Secret Valley golf Club has to offer, visit their website at: www.cyprusgolf.com/secret_valley

There’s no doubt that the experience of playing a round or more at Secret Valley will be the highlight of a visit to cyprus – and perhaps prompt the pursuit of the many other indulgences the island has to offer. You can enjoy the challenge of relaxing in the sun on one of the Blue Flag Beaches, visit the Nicosia Racecourse, the Troodos mountains or go on a tour of the keo Brewery in Limassol! 

In much the same way that no two golf courses are the same - or two rounds on the same course ever identical – cyprus is an eclectic mixture of the past, present and what remains to be discovered by the enquiring human spirit.       

Hestia Holidays have available a superb villa for renting on the Secret Valley Resort, please click on the word ‘Secret Valley‘ within this article for details.

The Paphos region in the west of cyprus is a popular year-round destination for holidaymakers and permanent residents alike. Its healthy ‘micro climate’ makes it an ideal location to enjoy the best of what cyprus has to offer.

Just twenty five minutes from Paphos International Airport,  the ‘old town’ area has a selection of shops, banks, bars and restaurants – extending towards the palm tree lined promenade of Kato Paphos which hugs the edge of the Mediterranean and the historic fort at the mouth of the picturesque harbour.

The attraction of the wider area is much more than this traditional tourist ‘hotspot’ – you only have to travel about 12kms west of Paphos to the Coral Bay area to discover a landscape and coastline of increasing contrasts and stark beauty.

Coral Bay, with its horse-shoe shaped sandy beach, is a delightful resort renowned for its superb sandy beaches and calm shallow waters. Away from this idyllic setting, the coastline is dotted with strange rock formations and Sea Caves steeped with folklore. In common with much of the Paphos region, this was once a rural and barren land which has changed dramatically during recent years.

The Sea Caves area is situated north and is only a five minute drive from the restaurants and bars of the centre of Coral Bay. It is one of the finest residential areas on the island offering some of the most exclusive villas in cyprus but still retaining its ‘natural’ beauty and privacy. This is hardly surprising considering the breathtaking rugged coastline dotted with ancient smugglers caves and small sandy coves with crystal clear Mediterranean waters that lie close by. The name is derived from the stunning geological formations which have appeared across the centuries caused by the sea gouging out the limestone cliffs.

Just to the west of Sea Caves along the coastline is the small picture-postcard fishing harbour of St George (Agios Georgious) with its beautiful church and sand and shingle beach. This is a perfect spot for snorkeling and scuba Diving or topping up your tan. Agios Georgious was formerly the important settlement of  ‘Drepanum’ in Roman times. Today it has some of the best fish restaurants in the island, serving fish brought in by the local fishermen on a daily basis.

Important Roman and Christian archaeological sites also lie just inland from here including a complex of rock-cut tombs that go un-noticed by most visitors.

As the coastline of cyprus is protected and there are no private beaches, you are free to walk along the coastline and enjoy the landscape and breathtaking views. Right on your doorstep is the Akamas Peninsula, totally unspoilt, beautiful scenery, somewhere to escape to for peace & quiet. Just off the coast is the ‘Sacred Island’ of Yerosissos which plays a great part in many photos of the spectacular sunsets!

The whole area invites exploration – and not just of the typical, tourist type trail of looking at ancient monuments and relics in museums. The history of cyprus as an island is unapologetically linked to its maritime and Mediterranean heritage. So a good place to start the voyage of fresh discovery is the sea itself. Diving and snorkelling is the key to unlocking the adventure. If you’re not experienced, expert help is available from the professional organisers of Diving and kayaking trips who operate in the area. They can guide you through the essentials to ensure both your safety as well as your enjoyment of the experience.

Starting from the shallows, you can work your way through sand dunes and channels. Ancient terracotta pots lie everywhere!

The classic Sea Caves tour is very popular. After driving a short distance to a secluded natural bay, you go through some of the ‘basics for beginners ’. This is to ensure that everybody can control their boat safely whilst having fun - so the routine is to put you through a series of ‘fun’ games and challenges to test your boat control and eagerness to get wet!  The tour can then begin.

Leaving the bay, you head along the rocky coast to an area of amazing limestone erosion that has formed stacks and arches; you paddle through and it’s here that you can try your luck in the  ‘Washing Machine’ a deceptive rotational current that will have you pointing every direction but forwards!

From here you paddle on to the Sea Caves - an impressive series of wet caves an average of 30 meters long - and paddle inside these to explore their physical features which give the caves their names, so you can visit ‘Jonah’, ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Standing Room Only’ and ‘The Big One’, to name a few. Note that these caves are only accessible by kayak so being part of an organised group is absolutely essential, besides which you will have them all to yourself! 

The crystal blue sea and the peculiar rock formations are unique to the area – and this is truly a meeting with nature in its most raw and spectacular form. In past times some of the caves have been inhabited by Monk Seals - and some still are.

So, on a routine visit to Paphos, you can enjoy what ‘mainstream’ cyprus has to offer the tourist – plus a whole lot more besides if you take a relatively small step off the beaten track. Simply scratch beneath the surface of modernity and let your senses touch the fabric of antiquity, preserved so dutifully by nature and protected from the ravages of human intervention by an uncompromising land and seascape.

Hestia Holidays have a superb property available for renting right in the heart of the Sea Caves Area, click on the word ‘Sea Caves’ anywhere in this article to see more details.

When they think of cyprus, most people think of it as an island – which it is. They also perhaps think of the lively night life and club scene of agia napa – which there is. cyprus also tends to be associated with long stretches of clean sandy beaches basking in the sunshine of the Eastern Mediterranean – which is also true.

It is also the destination of choice for many thousands of British people who have bought their own apartment or villa on the island either as a holiday home or for permanent living. As a former British colony, cyprus today reflects many aspects of this more recent heritage – English is widely spoken, there are dual language street names and you drive on the left hand side of the road!  

Yet cyprus and its heritage goes back into antiquity and mythology. Apart from its association with a host of invading and ruling powers across the centuries, it is also the reputed birthplace of Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love. Aphrodite’s rock is the name assigned to a rock which juts out from the waters of the Mediterranean Sea near Paphos in the west of the country.

Although cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, it has a scattering of tiny islands off its own coastline. These in turn have their own heritage and reputation carried through to the modern day. One of these places is the small island of Yeronissos, just off the coast of Agios Georgious, near Peyia in Paphos. Only a few decades before Christ, pilgrims flocked here to worship an ancient god, probably Apollo, and enjoy banqueting. This island is also known as the ‘Sacred Island’ and today is a popular dive site for many active visitors to cyprus.

Archaeologists from New York University under the direction of Professor Joan Breton Connelly digging on the southern coast of the island have discovered open-air kitchen and washing-up facilities facing out to the sea, while the dining rooms, equipped with sitting benches seemed to be located inland, according to a report published in 2005.
 

The report also said that south of a diagonal wall a hearth and many cooking pots were found, along with a washing basin at floor level, made of re-used broken amphora shards smeared with a thick baked clay lining.

Built up against and respecting the diagonal wall were found a series of substantial stone rubble walls, oriented along north/south and east/west axes, apparently representing a very slightly later phase in construction and defining a series of rooms measuring roughly 4.5 by 4.5 metre.

Two of the rooms were equipped with stone platforms that rose some 40cm above floor level. The area surrounding these platforms or benches was literally filled with pottery, lamps, and other objects.

In a nearby room two stone slabs were inscribed with the Greek monogram Eta Gamma, around which many pots were similarly deposited.

The 2005 season on Yeronissos resulted in the excavation of many cooking pots, drinking bowls and cups, jugs and lagynoi, stone pierced disks, bronze needles, a bronze fish hook and three limestone amulets.

The material recovered during previous seasons can be comfortably dated within the years 80-30 BC, but an even narrow chronology is likely and it is during the third quarter of the 1st century BC that the island enjoyed its most robust period of activity. The precise nature of activity in late Hellenistic Yeronissos is not yet fully understood, though evidence points to the worship of Apollo.

These remarkable discoveries are firm evidence that cyprus is rooted in the very essence of ancient civilisation - and the sometimes mystical attachments our current knowledge has of where the modern island has come from in its heritage trail.

The Yeronissos Island is regularly captured and plays an important role as part of the perfect sunset enjoyed from Agios Georgious…

Anyone who has ever visited cyprus is almost bound to heap a whole load of superlatives upon the island in trying to describe where they have been, what they have seen - and why they want to come back for more!

When it comes to the natural environment, you will certainly be spoilt for choice when searching for the true beauty of what cyprus has to offer.  Nowhere is this more so than in the Akamas area on the north western tip of the island, where nature maintains a unique but fragile beauty. Unique, as it is the last coastal region on the island to remain largely untouched by mass tourism and development. Fragile, as its beauty can be damaged by its attraction to the visitor.  Continue Reading »

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 »

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!

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 »