Things to do in Cyprus

[Graciepants]

I'm off to Cyprus on Sunday for 2 weeks and have just realised I have no idea what i'm going to do.

Its me and a mate, and we have a jeep for the whole time...any ideas?
Its currently 22 degrees there but I'm not sure I can sunbath for 2 weeks straight!

[simesb]

North or South?

[dizzyblonde]

Have a look in my pics on FB Grace, depends where you are there, but plenty of ideas.

Really recommend going up Troodos, and a little off roading, have to ask Peg later wher that is, where the turtles go...er not much use am I!

[dizzyblonde]

North or South?


I doubt it would be North, although you can get a day pass, if you go past all the teenage soldiers in Nicosia:D

[simesb]

I doubt it would be North, although you can get a day pass, if you go past all the teenage soldiers in Nicosia:D

Spent a week in the north last summer - was excellent.

[Daimo]

I stayed in Pathos in the south but got a bike and had a nose around.

http://public.fotki.com/DaimoB/general_me_-_pastti/cyprus/

Give me a shout if you want to know any more about the various historic forts n stuff..

[Graciepants]

I doubt it would be North

actually it is....its my friend's villa so I cant really complain about about which end

my friend's sister lives in the south though, so we'll probs go and visit her for a few days (I have a feeling Im not going to remember those days)

*goes off to stalk db on fb*

[dizzyblonde]

ahh I see. I'm a bit biased. Greek Cypriots tend to get a bit political etc.

However if I really want to be Pedantic at Daimo, its Paphos to us crappy English and Baphos to those who are native descent ;-)

Pegasus is a Greek taxi driver innit :-) And he pretty much knows the most of the South, being a native :-)

[600+]

so you are going to the occupied side?

[Biker Biggles]

Kykkos monastery and all the surrounding mountain roads and tracks.Akamas peninsula has great beaches with absolutely no one on them.Pafos forest.Nice donkeys at the sanctuary at Voinee.
My Greek spelling leaves a lot to be desired,but get a map and explore.

[missyburd]

Depends what it is you like, if you like hiking then have a sneaky peek at a guide for the area (the rough guide series are really good for this sort of thing). If you like wandering about museums and ruins then again have a lookie in the area.

Alternatively, go out the first night to a local bar, befriend a few handsome locals and hire them as personal guides ;-)

[dizzyblonde]

Kykkos monastery and all the surrounding mountain roads and tracks.Akamas peninsula has great beaches with absolutely no one on them.Pafos forest.Nice donkeys at the sanctuary at Voinee.
My Greek spelling leaves a lot to be desired,but get a map and explore.

Akamas, thats it ;-) An offroading delight, but a poxy Seat Cordoba can do it too :-)

I'm sure Gracie has had a peep at my full pics on FB on Kykkos monastary. Maybe she'll be able to get in the musuem(if she went) as it was shut when we went(so disappointed)....its supposed to be worth going in.

Peg says you could visit Kyrenia on the Northern side, its where his mum was born, unfortunately slightly difficult for him to go there these days. Supposed to be a really pretty place.
You could go to the ghost town, Famaghusta on the Northern side. Only of interest for people who like modern history, as it is still untouched from when the 'invasion' or forced occupancy took place in the 70s.

Be aware, but not sure entirely, you may only get a day release from that side into the Greek side of the island. You'd have to check that before you went. Unfortunately although a wonderful place to be going, Cyprus has the only capital in Europe that is divided.

BTW how are you getting into Northern Cyprus, we thought you could only get in by flying to Turkey first?

[simesb]

Peg says you could visit Kyrenia on the Northern side, its where his mum was born, unfortunately slightly difficult for him to go there these days. Supposed to be a really pretty place.
You could go to the ghost town, Famaghusta on the Northern side. Only of interest for people who like modern history, as it is still untouched from when the 'invasion' or forced occupancy took place in the 70s.

Kyrenia is where we stayed and there are a good few days around there. Buffavento Castle, Bellapais Abbey to name but a few.

[dizzyblonde]

Kyrenia is where we stayed and there are a good few days around there. Buffavento Castle, Bellapais Abbey to name but a few.

Pete said the pictures of there are incredible. Unfortunately even if he has a Brit passport, being a Greek always has its difficulties getting into and around the Northern side, no matter what we here seem to think.
He got arrested in Egypt just because he didn't have army release papers, even though he had a brit passport, having a Greek surname they thought he was AWOL or something!!
When we went to Nicosia this year he was quite astounded as to how relaxed the border was for him. It was quite scary as a party purely because hes Greek. In more recent years depending if the Turks liked your face depended if you got charged for going a few hundred yards.

We even chatted to a little old man in the carpark there. He used to go over the border to look at his house once in a while, just to see how it was. It was two streets in on the occupied side, and although he owned it, he couldn't live in it. A bit like Pegs family watermelon plantation in Morphou...he still owns land there, but its a Airstrip these days!

Quite sad really especially as Cyprus is such a lovely holiday destination. People don't realise what happens there form day to day, when they are partying in a hotel.

[Ed]

Gracie, bring your law books with you, you'll miss them too much if you leave them at home;)

[dizzyblonde]

Please please don't let my biased view put you off Gracie. Cyprus is a really gorgeous place. I was just slightly made more aware of myself on the Turk side. I felt a little intimidated, and Peg well hes just Greek Stavros innit ;-)

[Graciepants]

BTW how are you getting into Northern Cyprus, we thought you could only get in by flying to Turkey first?

we are! lol gotta sit around on a turkish runway for an hour before it re-routes to north cyprus

Gracie, bring your law books with you, you'll miss them too much if you leave them at home;)

unfortunately, they are already packed :( :( :( they weigh half a ton too!!

thanks guys for the lovely ideas, im googling like mad, and yes DB, i've had a massive stalk of your holiday pics!

[Lozzo]

Pegasus is a Greek taxi driver innit :-) And he pretty much knows the most of the South, being a native :-)

<puts on best Stavros accent>

And I'm is thought he has a kebab shop in Greece... Bethnal Greece, East Londes where he waits for half past the ten o'clock and the charge of the light ale brigade, innit matey peeps.

[simesb]

we are! lol gotta sit around on a turkish runway for an hour before it re-routes to north cyprus

We flew to Larnaka and had a car take us to the north - no problem. ****ty transfers from Manchester to fly direct.

[appollo1]

Gracie

PM me if you want .......I lived in Southern Cyprus for 3 years prior to moving back to UK in 2006.

Just let me know where you are planning on going to etc

Ricky

[pegasus]

you are gonna love it Gracie, it really is a beautiful place, north or south, the island as a whole has a lot of stunning scenery and charisma, it oozes history, and the islanders wether greek or turkish really are quite proud of their heritage. Have fun.

[dizzyblonde]

<puts on best Stavros accent>

And I'm is thought he has a kebab shop in Greece... Bethnal Greece, East Londes where he waits for half past the ten o'clock and the charge of the light ale brigade, innit matey peeps.

:smt082

Don't forget the Aviator shades, and your elbow hanging out of the car window;)

[Sally]

Go out on the lash in Ayia Nappa?

[yorkie_chris]

Go out on the lash in Ayia Nappa?

My idea of hell. I don't understand people who go to some of the nicest spots and then do exactly the same as what they do at home? Fat slags in Lanzarote looking for a chippy... :puker:
It'd be like me going on a biking holiday to Scotland and then riding up and down the same 3 junctions of motorway all week!

[appollo1]

Protaras is a nice place and only a few miles north of Ayia Napa. Great beach there and just a quick journey to the northern Turkish side. Paphos in the south is a nice harbour town and has lots of (if you are into this sort of thing) touristy attractions like old ruins etc.

Limassol - well not the best so i would advise avoiding there, IMO.

[dizzyblonde]

URRGGGGH ,Limassol.

I bloeddy hated the place, Peg made a quick exit! He did warn me though!

Oh yeah, watch out for the English touts, in Paphos. Very very shameful, but the Greeks have moved into the mountains. I actually hated being English because of the embarrassing touts.

''Eye, you English mate, ere come ere, I got something you'll be interested in, its freee''.
Paphos is lovely, its where Peg grew up. Just Harolds moat smells of poooooo, and some Essex git won't leave you alone, cause yer English mate :-)

[keith_d]

Well, for me the only thing to do in Cyprus is to dive the Zenobia, an enormous ferry which sank just outside Larnaca in about 45m of water.

OK, there's good food, crap wine and seeing the local sights too, but I'd want to see the Zenobia while I was there. I guess that makes me a wierdo!!

Keith.

[Fizzy Fish]

Have a great trip Grace! :cool: