Tag Archives: sunshine

Stunning harbour area Paphos

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One of my favourite places to visit when staying at Bella Vista is the harbour area in Paphos which is a 10 minute drive away.

There are lovely bars and restaurants with stunning views in this area such as my favourite Ta Mpania here’s a photo from the decked seating area

View from Ta Mpania

There’s a coastal path you can wander along that goes all the way from the harbour area in both directions.  One way takes you along the beach front passed all the main hotels you can walk for miles and the other direction leads to the harbour fort area with this gorgeous castle.

Paphos castle

Beyond the castle watch all the little fishing boats going out and the beautiful yachts too.

Fishing boats Paphos

You can visit by renting this house http://www.bellavistacyprus.com from £300 per week and sleeps 5

Where has the UK summer gone?

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Don’t worry there’s still Cyprus.  This is one of my favourite times of the year for holidaying in Paphos.

All the flowers are in bloom, the sea is blue and with only the odd wispy cloud in the sky – a sun lover’s paradise.

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The sun does get very hot in the middle of the day in July and August so make like the locals and take an afternoon siesta.  Maybe have lunch on the terrace or eat inside in brand new air conditioning still with stunning views through the window.  Finally cool off with a power shower before heading off to the beach.

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Visiting the award winning beaches and taking a dip in the sea is the perfect way to cool off during the day but there’s more to do than just swimming.  The West Coast of Cyprus has one of the largest selections of water sports and activity centres.  There’s snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, jet skiing, wind surfing, wake boarding, banana boats and even pedalos to hire at Coral Bay.

For those who prefer sporting activities on dry ground there are championship golf courses, holistic spa treatment centres, hiking, mountain biking, sky diving, quad biking, 4×4 off roading in the Akamas peninsula or up in the Troodos mountains.  There are also local rugby and football clubs with frequent international games.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite then what better place for a Cypriot style BBQ than in a flower filled patio with stunning sea views.  If you want someone else to do the cooking then there are lots of delicious restaurants, cafes, take aways and bars in Paphos, Coral Bay and the nearby village of Chlorakas.  Some bars and restaurants have amazing sea views and others are in the hustle bustle of the town centre – there’s something for everyone.

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Late night bars, live music venues and nightclubs are located in both Paphos and Coral Bay equidistance from Bella Vista.  Nightclubs in Paphos tend to open until 5am so often the sun rises before you do.

If you do make it home before the dawn chorus then after a night out dancing what better way to relax than to sit on the edge of the moonlit pool and dangle weary feet into the cool water.

 

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

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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 12th 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”

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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

 

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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.

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

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

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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!

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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 7th 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.

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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!

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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…

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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 21st February – 6th 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.