Cyprus: a place where you want to return

A trip to Cyprus for many sophisticated tourists can be an excellent alternative to Turkey. However, if you are here for the first time, it will be difficult to choose the right city and hotel.

That's what happened to us. We immediately discarded cities with rocky beaches, such as Paphos and Larnaca. They chose between Ayia Napa (not to be confused with Anapa) and Protaras. The beaches in these cities are sandy and belong to municipalities, various water sports are actively developed on them: if you are a lover of water rides, then you should come here. In the tour, we were told frankly: Ayia Napa is a city of eternal parties, golden youth and endless fun day and night, and Protaras is the complete opposite of it: quiet, calm, designed for children and German pensioners (who, as it turned out later, prevail there in the bare topless majority). We stopped at Protaras, as it turned out to be cheaper by 13 thousand rubles, and, as it turned out, all the important towns are not far away, go to every literally 20-15 minutes by bus.

Hotel, transfer, accommodation.

Hotels in Cyprus are typically European, "threes" mainly work at breakfast, and few have a system "Come and say goodbye to the liver and conscience" or AL, UAL, so beloved by our Russian tourist. We were immediately warned not to wait for the Egyptian or Turkish scale. To be honest, all hotels in Cyprus (not to be offended) resemble boarding houses of the USSR or children's camps. It can be overwhelming even at the selection stage, but don’t be afraid!!! Actually, it's not that scary. Stop at 3-4*, where only breakfast and dinner are provided. A huge number of cafes of various cuisines (American, Japanese, Mediterranean, Italian, sometimes even Thai) will not let you die of hunger.

We stayed at the PASCHALIA 4* hotel, which is quite clean and not bad. The impression was overshadowed at the check-in stage: as soon as we arrived at the hotel, we were told: "We don't have air conditioning, and we won't move you in today." Naturally, we were shocked, but, however, we were immediately offered to stay at the nearby Croun Resorts.

Here I do not advise you to go to it at all: a black-brown bathroom and a bathroom with a leaky sofa and a cockroach on the bed ... So when we got to Paschalia in the morning, there was no end to our excitement.

The beach.

The beaches here are good, the sand, of course, is not white, and this is not “bounty – paradise pleasure”, but what a sea there! Blue water from the shore, convenient entrance. If you sunbathe not on the main beach, but in the coves, you can make sure that people there sit in the water for hours: talk, and some even doze.

There are many cafes near the beach line, but the prices are a little more expensive than in the city center.

Sunbeds and sunbeds on the beaches are paid - 7 euros for two, but if you come with a towel, or after 15-16 hours, you will not be charged money.

Excursions.

In Cyprus, everyone will find excursion tours to their liking. Of course, the visiting card of Cyprus is temples and riding small plush donkeys. That's where we started.

There are many temples in Cyprus, and even while walking around the city you can find very pretty churches on the way and look inside.

If you are in Protaras, then be sure to climb to the temple on the mountain, which leads to a long staircase (excursions there also lead, but somehow more pleasant). Be sure to take a ribbon with you: at the highest point of Protaras you will see a tree on which everyone who is lazy ties ribbons with desires - try and you, suddenly it will come true!

We also went to the Kikos Monastery (full-day excursion), on the way we saw almost the entire island, bought souvenirs, which - this is amazing - both on excursions and in the city are the same.

We bought our tours on the street and it’s really safe. In Cyprus, it is not customary to bargain, no one is trying to impose something, cheat. Prices are fixed everywhere. Almost everywhere, buying souvenirs, at the box office you get some small gift from the seller.

Back to the tours. Monasteries and temples are great, but the charm of donkeys cannot be eclipsed! We highly recommend it!

Firstly, it is a charge of positive emotions for the whole holiday, and secondly, after skating you will be seated at huge tables and not only drink, feed, but also teach sirtaki to dance. And at the end of the action, you will also be given the rights to control the donkey. In general, it is entertainment for all ages and temperaments.

You can buy a boat ride on the beach for 5 euros, and during it, too, have a good time: learn more about Cyprus, about the conflict with the Turkish side, look at the ghost town of Famagusta from afar and dive from the deck.

Kitchen.

Cypriots cook a lot, tasty and diverse.

Of course, going to Cyprus and not trying Mese is a crime. I strongly recommend to allocate a separate evening on Mesa - very tasty, but there is a lot of fish and meat.

Very tasty pistachios, fish, all kinds of salads, sauces - you can try all this in countless cafes located within walking distance.

Everywhere, in every country, there are downsides and downsides, but Cyprus is definitely remembered only from the positive side, and in truth, I want to return.

Valeria Demina