1. LARA BEACH Located in the Akamas Peninsula, Lara Beach is an extensive sandy beach cupped with limestone rocks, warm and calm seas. Access is via off-road 4×4 vehicles through desert-like scrubland. It is also one of the few remaining nesting sites for loggerhead and green turtles.
2. PAPHOS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE Paphos is an ancient city that has been inhabited since the Neolithic period and is Aphrodite’s legendary birthplace. The highlights here are the mosaic floors, among the most beautiful in the world, where the remains of villas, palaces, theatres and fortresses still stand.
3. OMODOS WINE VILLAGES The surrounding slopes of Omodos located at the foothills of Troodos Mountains is home to over 50 boutique wineries, which are spread across six or seven villages. A wine festival is held here every August, with highlights being mavro (dark-red grape) and xynisteri (white grape) vines.
4. OMERIYE HAMMAM Think glossy marbles, subtle scents and flickering candles and you’re in for treat at this luxurious 16th-century Turkish bath house. Omeriye offers massage, body scrubs and hot-stone treatments. There is also a small tea shop where aromatic teas are served in traditional gold-rimmed glasses.
5. ANCIENT CITY OF SALAMIS The ancient city of Salamis was once the capital of Cyprus as far back as 1100 BC. Once a proud beacon of Hellenic civilisation, it is dubbed the Pompeii of Cyprus. Ruins of grand statues, porticoes, gymnasiums, pools, baths and courtyards still stand today as evidence of its previous glory.
Check out the rest of this article in Asian Geographic No.115 Issue 6/2015 here or download a digital copy here
