Itinerary Summary:
Travel Time: January 2023 (was pleasant – check avg. temperatures by month here)
Day 1: Travel from Nuremberg to Larnaca via Frankfurt
Day 2: Tour of Ayia Napa – Agios Nikolaos, Cape Greco and Love Bridge
Day 3: Potima Beach, Eldo III shipwreck, White Cliffs, and Paphos city
Day 4: Paphos to Larnaca and travel back to Nuremberg
Distance travelled: ~5660km by flight and ~738km by road
Our trip to Cyprus was in the works for more than 2 years. We had first planned to visit it in January 2021, but the pandemic forced us to postpone, and we were finally able to make it in January 2023; but, as they say in Hindi, “der aaye, durust aaye!”
Day 1:
We left home on a balmy German winter morning (-2°C to be precise) and began our journey to the glorious Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Our first destination in Cyprus was Larnaca, by way of Frankfurt. The three hour flight followed a south-easterly path and that meant that we got a birds-eye view of the southern Cypriot coastline, a marked difference from the jagged, rocky, and relatively barren coastlines of the other Mediterranean islands that we had visited thus far(Santorini, Malta, Kefalonia, and Corfu). Cyprus from the sky resembled more of Ireland, with lush green pastures, banana plantations, brooks and lakes. To top it up, the immigration officers at Larnaca were some of the friendliest we had met and provided us with a perfect welcome to the island!
Finikoudes Beach: As the sun was yet to set, we wanted to spend some time in Larnaca before heading to our accommodation, and we couldn’t have selected a better place than the main beach in Larnaca city to spend the afternoon. This gorgeous mile long strip of sand, embanked by a beautiful pedestrian walkway and promenade with beach facing restaurants, offers multiple culinary options to hog on while feasting the other senses on the beautiful Mediterranean sea. It’s blue flag status also demonstrates that urbanization and cleanliness can go hand-in-hand.
Day 2:
Desperate to see the variety of views that Cyprus held for us, we hit the road early in the morning. Our destinations were located near Ayia Napa, a tourist town located close to the Turkish controlled region of Northern Cyprus.
Agios Nikolaos Church: This church known for its stunning frescoes and views of the Mediterranean, was meant to be our first destination. Unfortunately though, our input was incorrectly interpreted by Google Maps, and we landed up at a different church located within a housing community. Replicating the blue and white patterns popular from Greece, the housing community and Church were cozy, Greece-y and beach-y. Despite that, we would recommend visiting the “original” Agios Nikolaos Church by the beach.
Cape Greco: Thankfully, our next stop was exactly what we had expected. To top it up, we enjoyed the ultimate combination of sun, sea and no crowd. Apart from the obvious beauty of the sea and its turquoise waters, Cape Greco offered us moments of peace and tranquility – a perfect reminder that off-season travel can be very rewarding! We relished these “us” moments at various spots and were absolutely mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the mighty sea at each one of them.
Love Bridge: Nestled between the Cypriot cliffs that guard the coast against the Mediterranean, sits this uniquely shaped natural sea bridge, which looks like a heart (and hence the name). Though it was a bit difficult for us to photograph the perfect “heart” shape, we nonetheless enjoyed the “romantic ambience” created by the tranquility of its surroundings.
We concluded our day’s visit with the Love Bridge, not just to end it on a romantic note, but also because we were tremendously hungry by then and we needed something beyond the sea to fill our stomach.
It was during our search for restaurants that we realized one of the few cons of winter travel to Cyprus Majority – being a tourist resort, almost all the restaurants in Ayia Napa were either temporarily closed for the winter or opened only in the evening, leaving the town in a deserted state and surely a contrast to what one would experience during summer.
Food haunts of the day: Home-made breakfast of eggs and toast at Julipapas Apartments, Late lunch at Aldente Cucina in Larnaca and snacks at McDonalds Finikoudes.
Day 3:
It was Annesha’s special day, and having spent her previous two birthdays in cloudy conditions and under the shadow of Covid, we wanted to make the most of our the day outdoors and in the sun, and therefore, had planned to spend the day exploring some of the best locations in the vicinity of Paphos.
Potima Beach: Driving north along the Cypriot coastline, we were compelled to make our first stop at Potima Beach. From the bench where we were sitting, perched above the beach, the sky and the sea seemed to be competing on who could turn into a better shade of blue. The palms too, like the few humans who were out and about, seemed to be enjoying these sights from a distance, swaying in the light early morning breeze.
The Eldro III Shipwreck: Energized by the first sights of the day, we were soon off to the shipwreck site of Eldro III. The ship, an eighty metre, 2500 tonne cargo behemoth, had run aground in 2011 in a beautiful bay off near Peyia, around 10kms from Paphos. Now, a shipwreck isn’t usually a destination, but the colours of the surrounding bay along with the beauty of the white rocks that jut out at odd places all along the coast and also well into the sea, in this case was too inviting for us to give this spot a miss!
Sea Caves near Kimera Napoli Beach: We wanted to get a better view of the white rocks from a lighthouse’s perspective, and one gets unparalleled views of these a few kilometres north from the Eldro III shipwreck site. These volcanic rocks, remnants of the collision of the Eurasian tectonic plate with it’s African neighbour, have stood the test of time and are a must visit for someone visiting the region around Paphos.
St. George’s Harbour: Driving further north along the coast brought us to the idyllic St. George’s Harbour. If one were to identify a place that summarized Cyprus, this would be it. The crystal clear waters of the harbour reflect the opulent real estates that teasingly stare from a distance, while the beautiful Agios Georgios Chapel, looms large as the benefactor and patron of those who venture out to sea, even as the sandy beaches, and verdant hills complete the picture.
Paphos Promenade: The Promenade at Paphos, our next stop, was lined with tall palm trees, that transports one mentally to Sunset Boulevard, and given the number of luxury villa projects that were in the works all over Cyprus when we visited, they might be a precursor to of times to come!
Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou): Our last stop of the day lay 30 km south along the coast from Paphos Promenade. This spot was perfect for capturing a time lapse of the sun setting into the horizon, leaving behind a spectacular portrait of yellow, orange, and blue. The beach which lies just opposite the imposing rock named after the Greek Goddess of Beauty and Love, was surprisingly and metaphorically covered in flat pebbles instead of just sand – guess like in life, the road to a monument of love too passes through some soft and hard patches!
Having experienced a romantic sunset over a rocky beach setting, we headed for dinner in the village of Pissouri before heading back, exhausted but looking forward to our last day in Cyprus!
Food haunts of the day: Home-made breakfast of eggs and toast at Julipapas Apartments, Snacks at Cap St. George Hotel in St. George’s Bay, Lunch at Estia in Paphos, and Dinner at Hillview Restaurant in Pissouri.
Day 4:
Our last day in Cyprus had arrived quicker than we thought and we wanted to make the most of the glorious Cypriot sun!
Kourion Amphitheater: Our first stop of the day was a 50-minute drive from Julipapas Gardens and lay within lands that are officially British. For a budget friendly entry fee of Euros 4.5, one could visit multiple sites from the ancient city-kingdom of Kourion (for example, the House of Eustolios a former villa turned public recreation space), of which the amphitheater was a central part. It provided majestic vistas of the Cypriot coastline and the surrounding greenery and we would gone back at sunset, if we had the time!
Larnaca Salt Lake: To avoid a last minute rush, we headed off to Larnaca via the bustling city of Limassol and the beautiful Cypriot countryside. On the outskirts of Larnaca we stopped by the Larnaca Salt Lake, with spectacular views of a large flock of flamingoes and the Hala Sultan Tekke.
Larnaca Promenade: The seafront at Larnaca was where we started our Cypriot trip and it was fitting that we made it our final stop of the day. Walking along the promenade, we reflected on the four days spent by the sea, in an ancient land, inhabited by a nationalistic and proud yet cosmopolitan people.
As our flight back to Nuremberg took off at 16:35, we tried to capture our last views of the colours and vistas of Cyprus through the round windows next to our seats. Cyprus provided us with a sunny relief in an otherwise cloudy and gray European winter, and we look back at the memories of that trip with a deep sense of gratitude! Is to epanidín Cyprus!
Food haunts of the day: Home-made breakfast of eggs and Maggi and leftover cake at Julipapas Apartments, and late lunch at Alasia Café in Larnaca.
