Sunshine all the way so a water flight is the perfect way to cool off!

Posted on May 21, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

Currently temperatures in Cyprus are an average of 28 degrees and rising everyday from now until September. If you’re looking for a fun way to cool off then make sure you’re around on 12^th June as Cypriots celebrate, Kataklysmos, the Festival of the Flood, which coincides with (Greek) Pentecost and is marked by festivities at all seaside towns. The most popular custom involves a huge water fight! So simply throwing water at other people this symbolises the purification of the body and soul.

The festival begins with an ecclesiastical ceremony where the priest hurls a cross into the sea (something there for those atheists too) and the diver who brings the cross back up receives a blessing and a sovereign, which marks the start of the rest of the festivities.

Events take place in Paphos and are amongst the most popular. Usually there are folk dances, boat and swimming races, wrestling, canoe-races and traditional songs such as tchattista, composed of improvised verses that are sung by competing parties. The Cypriot version of ‘whose line is it anyway”

Don’t miss an awesome water fight and unique celebration the way only Cypriots can party!

If you don’t fancy taking part in the water fight there are plenty of other ways you can cool off – here are just five.

1. Take a refreshing dip in the brand new swimming pool at Bella Vista

2. Go diving in one of the world’s top ten dive sites just off the Paphos coast or snorkel in the world famous Coral Bay

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3. Hire a sail boat or a jet ski and take off around the islands unspoilt coastline – such as the UNESCO protected Akamas peninsula and swim in the blue lagoon.

4. Enjoy a leisure cruise between Paphos and Coral Bay so you can watch the sun set while catching the off shore breeze

5. Hike in the cooling pine forests in the Troodos mountain range only 45 minute drive from Bella Vista

There is currently availability for a few weeks in July and August please contact me at bellavista2010@hotmail.co.uk for more information or to make a reservation.

1st March – spring is finally here at last!

Posted on March 1, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

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Spring is here at last and for those of us unfortunate to be in the UK we’ve seen some of the worst weather on record however if you’ve been in the sunshine paradise I like to call Cyprus then you enjoyed a prolonged summer with temperatures of 30 degrees well into November – you lucky things!

Anyway today we had the first day of spring in the UK today with unbroken blue skies and bright sunshine all day – first this year. Felt so great especially as everyone seemed in such a good mood!

Spring has also sprung in Paphos as plants are beginning to flower, there are buds on the trees and it’s already enjoying daytime temperatures of 18 degrees.

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Maybe time to start thinking about booking that spring break or summer holiday?

If you plan to be in Cyprus next week then don’t miss joining in with the celebrations of Green Monday on 7^th March.

Green Monday marks the beginning of Lent and is celebrated in Cyprus with picnics, outdoor fun and plenty of music and dancing. The day is filled with the spirit of Carnival and some people still wander around in fancy dress.

Families and friends gather for an outdoor vegetarian meal of bread, vegetables and olives at the start of this Orthodox festival of fasting and contemplation.

In Paphos, a kite-flying competition takes place down by the lighthouse just off Tomb of the Kings road. People of all ages fly home-made or locally purchased kites and it’s a magically colourful sight to be seen.

Celebrate Green Monday in Agia Napa at Cape Gkreko, in Larnaka at Tekke Grove, in Paphos at Faros Beach, in Pervolia (Larnaka District) at the Rigena Medieval Tower and in Polis at the Polis Municipal Beach.

It’s festival time – let’s party on the island of sunshine!

Posted on February 12, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

It’s nearly that time of the year again. Dust off your dancing shoes, collect the party dress from the dry cleaners and get your flight to Paphos booked quickly…

The annual Cypriot Carnival in Limassol begins on 21st February and the celebrations continue for a two week period extending out along the west coast as far as Paphos.

The carnival in Cyprus means a near two-week period of celebrations with a focus on food, before the 50 days of Easter. Limassol hosts the most popular celebration, while Larnaka and Paphos offer impressive parades and fancy dress balls.

The first week is called Meat Week (Kreatini) and is the last week to eat as much meat as you can before Lent begins. The second week is known as the cheese week (Tyrini).

Accompanying all the eating are the entrance of King Carnival, the Children’s Carnival Parade, the Serenaders’ Parade and the Grand Carnival Parade of chariots and groups.

Limassol carnival dates are from 21^stFebruary – 6^th March 2011 for more information click here http://www.limassolmunicipal.com.cy/carnival/eng/index.html

Looking for a place to stay why not book Bella for your stay that way you can enjoy the party and hustle bustle of the carnival then relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility of Paphos/ Coral Bay.

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Email me at bellavista2010@hotmail.co.uk to check availability of dates.

Enjoy Valentine’s day on Aphrodite’s island

Posted on February 8, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

Cyprus is possibly the most perfect place to spend Valentine’s day – the concept of love was invented here.

The west coast of Cyprus was the birth place of Aphrodite and it still exudes beauty and romance. The dramatic and picturesque landscape inspires artists and poets to this day.

Aphrodite’s rock is the legendary place where the goddess of love rose from the sea. There’s a legend that states if a girl swims clockwise around the rock on a full moon then she will see a vision of her one true love.

Whether that’s true or not who knows but it’s a legend fraught with danger as the currents in Cyprus can be very strong indeed.

There are also other locations in Cyprus inspired by the gods such as the Adonis pool where legend has it the two lovers Aphrodite and Adonis were said to have frolicked. Myths have it that swimming in the pool brings you luck in love however judging by the colour of the pool I think you’d have to be lucky you don’t catch something 😉

Lovers that decide to spend Valentine’s day in Paphos could make like the locals and head to spend a romantic evening in a log cabin with hot tub in the Troodos mountains ski resort. The following day returning to the coast for a BBQ on the beach maybe leading to a late night skinny dip around Aphrodite’s rock?

For great deals on accommodation with very romantic views ans stunning sunsets contact me on bellavistacyprus@hotmail.co.uk

Who needs Cannes when you could attend the Cypriot International Film Festival?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

The 9th International Film Festival will be held from 8^th to 17^th April 2011 and will take place as in previous years in Nicosia and Limassol. Limassol is approximately 30 minutes from Bella and Nicosia just over an hour away so why not attend the festival and enjoy the fabulous beaches on the West Coast of Cyprus!

The deadline for those wishing to enter a film isn’t until 15^th February so there’s still time for those budding film makers out there.

The award of the films submitted in competition for this year’s festival will be assigned to an international jury whose names are still to be announced later. The award categories are as follows: (a) A ‘Best Film Award together with the sum of 7,000 euro and the Second Best Film Award together with the amount of 3,000 euro.

With the addition of International Competition feature films in the festival it is expected to be an exciting year. They hope to discover new talent and new stories from around the world.

Interested parties are invited to submit application form by February 15, 2011.

Details on the conditions and application form can be obtained on the website www.filmfestival.com.cy and www.cyprusfilmdays.com

For additional information on telephone numbers 00357 7777 2552 or emailing info@filmfestival.com.cy

To book accommodation at Bella Vista for the film festival contact bellavistacyprus@hotmail.co.uk

Booking a New Year holiday? Sun or snow? Ski or beach? In Cyprus you can have both.

Posted on January 11, 2011 by bellavistacyprus

Cyprus is fortunate to be at the southernmost part of the Mediterranean situated just off the coast of Turkey and close to Egypt meaning a temperate climate for most of the year.

Paphos is conveniently situated on the West coast of Southern Cyprus which has slightly milder weather than the East. Paphos is slightly cooler in the summer months (also temperatures can still rise to 50 degrees in August!) and the winter weather is milder too with the lowest dip in daytime temperatures being 15 degrees on the coast.

In the winter months however it is possible for you to drive for an hour into the snow filled Troodos mountains to ski on one of the many slopes there and then return to the coast for an apres ski barbeque sometimes still in temperatures of 18 degrees – freezing cold to a Cypriot but pretty warm if you’ve come from the UK!

The Troodos mountains can be picturesque in the winter with the snowy pine forests resembling a Christmas card winter scene ensuring that the British and Northern European ex-pats don’t get home sick.

The Cyprus ski season usually lasts between 4-6 weeks from February-March check this website for updates on weather for skiing in Cyprus and updates on the opening of the slopes http://www.skicyprus.com/

What could be better than a ski and beach holiday rolled into one?

Journey to the Blue Lagoon

Posted on December 29, 2010 by bellavistacyprus

After a leisurely breakfast of freshly made orange juice, fresh fruit covered in Greek yoghurt and coffee on the colourful terrace we decided to walk down to the bottom of the hill and onto the main coast road to catch a bus to the beach at Coral Bay for a spot of scuba diving. Ranked as one of the top ten dive sites in the world; there are many dive shops and instructors all along this coastline with many ship wrecks and sea caves offering divers some of the best underwater experiences in the world.

In the afternoon we decided to hire a boat to explore Cyprus from the water; you can hire a boat from Coral Bay or Latchi and sail around the Akamas peninsula, long said to be the jewel in Southern Cyprus’s crown. Largely unspoilt this gorgeous peninsula is home to Loggerhead sea turtles, fruit bats

, monk seals and a vast selection of rare flora and fauna. Wild flowers include cyclamen, turban buttercups, alyssum (alyssum akamasicum endemic to Akamas) Cyprus tulip, and many species of orchid, yellow gorse and white rock rose. It is one of only 22 areas of endemism in Europe making it a rare destination to explore and even David Attenborough filmed here in 2006.

We sailed around to the famous blue lagoon at Chamili Bay where the azure waters are so clear you can see the sea bed a hundred feet below and watch silver fish glinting past. The waters here were so warm and so salty that we seemed to float weightlessly and effortlessly. After our mid afternoon dip we sailed on to the sea caves at Manolis Bay that look almost lunar like with plenty of small pools with a pink tinge that mean moonlight here sparkles off all the rocks.

For details of hiring boats –

http://www.cyprusminicruises.com

http://www.latchiwatersportscentre.com/

http://www.paphosseacruises.com/

http://www.sunvil.co.uk

Information on Akamas peninsula click here –

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamas

http://www.akamas-film.com/index.shtml

Boogie nights

Posted on December 15, 2010 by bellavistacyprus

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After our delicious dinner we headed in the opposite direction of Bella Vista into Paphos town itself to sample the nightlife of Bar Street aptly named as it is a mainly pedestrianised road containing only bars and nightclubs. There’s a diverse range of different offerings from choice of music to the décor to the theme; from retro clubs with glitter balls and dance floors that light up to bars that seem as though they’ve been airlifted from the film Robin Hood complete with wooden turrets. We opted for Boogies so my friend could demonstrate her wonderful singing voice on the karaoke crowd and whilst we could have stayed until the sun came up we decided to head home before the dawn chorus began.

A short taxi ride up the road and we were back home in ‘Bella Vista’ Spanish or ‘Beautiful Views’ and that’s not a clever marketing ploy as they are really amazing from up here. When we arrived home the only sound was the noise from the crickets and a faint scent of jasmine and hibiscus in the air that blew in a warm obviously Egyptian breeze. The lights all along the coastline twinkled and reflected on the now very calm sea which seemed to completely merge into the star filled sky so it was impossible to tell where one began and the other finished until that was a cruise liner sailed UFO like across the sky!

It was hard to believe we were somewhere so peaceful when a few moments earlier we were in a busy town with noise and nightlife; we slept very well indeed.

http://www.paphospeople.com/index.html

http://www.wowcyprus.com/SitePages/141

http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=97004

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Cyprus/Paphos_District/Paphos-394302/TravelGuide-Paphos.html

http://www.visitpafos.org.cy/

Dawning light

Posted on December 8, 2010 by bellavistacyprus

Stepping out onto the balcony in the early morning light I’m reminded of something Monet once said “Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment” he’d certainly not be tormented here, Cyprus is one of the rare places where the light is perfect for painting or landscape photography at dusk and the break of dawn all year round.

The view this morning is breathtaking the bright blue sea seeming to merge with an even clearer sky lots of sail boats already making small waves as they make their way out of the harbour and down towards Coral Bay. Airplanes in the distance leave faint white trails across the sky over the sea on their way into Paphos airport only 10 km away. The sounds of distant mopeds whirring as they ferry their passengers to work in Paphos town can be heard over the hills like the buzzing sound of hungry honey bees.

The panorama this morning is very different from the one we had last night from the open sided restaurant where we enjoyed a gorgeous meal. Olivetto’s restaurant is located on the busy Tomb of the Kings road, a fabulous Italian restaurant popular with the residents of Kamares, Paphos’s answer to Hollywood’s Bel Air. Although it is a little pricey the service and food is amazing especially the lamb cutlets they cook on a volcanic hot stone in front of you however I opted for one of their celebrated steaks. We drank pre-dinner cocktails outside on the terrace with views of the sea and of the UNESCO protected Tomb of the Kings, the road’s namesake.

For more information on Tomb of the Kings see –

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cyprus/paphos-tombs-of-the-kings.htm

http://www.cyprus.com/tombs-of-the-kings.html

http://www.oliveto-restaurant.com/

What a view?

Posted on November 26, 2010 by bellavistacyprus

Woke up this morning to see bright sun shine streaming in from between the shutters and the white linen curtains moving gently in the cool breeze from the French doors I left ajar last night.

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Doors that open onto a balcony framed by spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea beyond the panoramic coastline of the West coast of Cyprus; views from historical Paphos, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980,

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to the Akamas Peninsula, one of the largest unspoilt wildernesses in the Mediterranean home to many vulnerable species, some of which are endemic to Akamas.

In the foreground is Coral Bay, a natural beach spanning 600m in a crescent shape of powdery white sand, has earned itself a European Blue Flag. Looking inland to the right of the scene are the beginnings of the Troodos mountain range looming upwards with their fragrant pine forests to provide cool escape in the hot summers and snow for skiing in the relatively undiscovered ski resorts in winter months.

Paphos is one of the few places where you can drive for an hour into the mountains to ski and then return to the coast for a barbeque afterwards!

Bella Vista Cyprus house for rent

Stunning Paphos/Coral Bay Cyprus town house with sea views for holiday rental