Cyprus is a wonderful island, the dream of millions of travelers… It is located on the Mediterranean Sea. The island is divided in two, and all tourism is concentrated on the side that is traditionally called Greek (although it has nothing to do with Greece). The other part of the island, Turkish, is almost completely closed to tourists.
But is everything so perfect in this beautiful region? Before deciding on a trip to Cyprus, it is worth understanding the pros and cons of a vacation there so that the vacation is unforgettable.
Is it worth flying to Cyprus? Leisure benefits
Most of those who have visited the wonderful island seem to have an unequivocal “yes”. Why? Because it is a paradise for those who love to lie on the beach. Here almost all year round great weather and very long swimming season. That is why you should not despair if you did not manage to get out to the sea in the summer. Autumn in Cyprus is beautiful, and a trip there may well replace a long-awaited summer vacation.
Another plus of a holiday in Cyprus is the road. From Moscow to the island you can fly only in three hours. Therefore, Cyprus is accessible even for those who are afraid or do not tolerate flights: for the sake of an unforgettable vacation, it is worth enduring such a short time. Mothers with small children will also easily get to Cyprus: the fastest or capricious children will not have time to get very tired or bring other passengers to hysterics. Although, of course, children are different ...
In Cyprus, not only the beaches are pleasing to the eye. The hotel facilities are also top notch.. The choice does not shine with transcendental wealth, but it is not limited to a couple - three sentences, figuratively speaking. Any tourist without any problems and delays will find accommodation according to their preferences and financial condition: there are hotels of international chains, and simple but comfortable hotels, and rented apartments. Conditions and service, by the way, are excellent almost everywhere. Therefore, it is better to choose a hotel not by the number of stars, but by the convenience of the location: how long it takes to get to the sea, is it noisy or quiet around, how close are interesting sights and infrastructure.
Pleasantly surprises hospitality of the local people. For a person from Europe, the contrast is obvious ... Cypriots - both tourism workers and the rest - are very attentive, friendly to travelers. Always smiling, these sunny people are touched by small children and are ready to help at any moment - without knowing the language. Such behavior cannot but dispose to this amazing people. A vivid example: in the restaurants of a dear guest (and every tourist turns out to be “expensive”), the owners themselves often undertake to serve.
Everyone will like Cyprus. Because it is comfortable and interesting here. You can choose your favorite place of rest and ways of spending time. Those who want peace, who need to get away from the constant noise of the metropolis, should go to Paphos, Protaras or Ayia Napa. Fans of the eternal urban whirlwind will be better off in Larnaca or Limassol. Party-goers - energizers, ready to dance every night until dawn, will find refuge on the famous disco - bar street in Ayia Napa.
Guests are welcome there at any time of the day.
Lovers of antiquity, the beauties of nature or just traveling can rent a car and drive around all the interesting places on the island in a fairly short time.
Fly in the ointment: what can upset Cyprus
The excursion program on the island, to put it mildly, is modest. Of the available attractions are really worthy of attention, a maximum of 15 percent. It is difficult to name other objects and sights. On the beach, you can often overhear dissatisfied speeches of tourists who went on an excursion - and received from the trip not at all what they expected. Local guides are great masters of colorful descriptions, so tourists fall for the same bait every year and waste money and time.
A striking example: Excursion to the bath "Aphrodite". It sounds solemn, beautiful… You can feel the history… In fact, gullible foreigners are taken by bus to Paphos, brought to the local beach and shown a small rock that protrudes from under the water. The culmination of the "adventure": the guide reports that according to legend, it was at this place that the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite was born from the sea foam. Then the most daring ones swim in a historical place, swimming around the same stone several times (the locals believe that this will add beauty and youth).
The cost of trips to a paradise island is not a good surprise even for quite wealthy people. In Cyprus itself, the cents are also quite high - and this is in addition to the fact that the rest will cost a pretty penny. If 3-4 years ago an average comfort holiday in Cyprus cost 20-25 thousand rubles, now the same conditions will cost a tourist 3 times more.
The climate on the island does not favor an abundance of greenery. There are no lush kuts and sprawling trees, flower carpets in the meadows and impenetrable forests. The most beautiful nature of Cyprus in April - May. After the summer comes into its own - and all the greenery very quickly becomes dry and painfully yellow. Only the territories of hotels and hotels remain green: gardeners look after the gardens there. But behind the fences, the situation quickly escalates: in the summer, especially in August, it is better not to appear on the street from noon to four in the evening - the heat will literally burn anyone.
conclusions
Is it worth flying to Cyprus? Definitely worth it! Especially for lovers beach holiday. A paradise island in the Mediterranean can give a good head start to many other legendary beach resorts.
Since then, this service system has become strongly associated with holidays in the Mediterranean, most often in the resort regions of Turkey, although the French hotel chain Club Med is considered the pioneer of AI, the first to include three meals a day and drinks in the cost of living.
The all-inclusive system itself appeared in the Caribbean, as there were no good cafes and restaurants outside the hotels. It is for the same reason that AI was the first to introduce hotels in Turkey that were on the outskirts or did not have the opportunity to create conditions for preparing a variety of dishes. As a result, in 1998, already about half of Turkish hotels worked on "all inclusive", and by 1999 almost all resorts switched to ALL. Only the hotels of the Aegean coast resisted the innovation for a long time, however, in the end, almost all of them began to offer tourists this system of recreation.
Turkish All Inclusive (AI) includes, as a rule, not only the main three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), but also additional intermediate meals in bars and restaurants with local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Along with accommodation, the price includes the services of animators, visits to beaches, swimming pools, saunas, a fitness center, use of beach equipment, playrooms for children and various clubs.
In addition, there is Ultra All Inclusive (UAI), when a free mini bar, 24-hour meals, imported alcohol, ice cream and desserts are added to the "all inclusive". Each hotel independently determines which of the additional services will be included in the "ultra" package.
In European countries, there are not too many hotels operating on the all-inclusive system. In Italy, Spain or France, it makes no sense to constantly be on the territory of the hotel, there are inexpensive cafes, restaurants, bars and discos around the tourist centers. In the evening, most vacationers tend to leave the hotel for a walk along the equipped embankments. In the same hotel, you can choose from breakfast, half board, full board or All Inclusive. In fact, drinks, entertainment, sauna, gym and general animation are added to the full board. The AI system is best represented in European club hotels.
For renting sunbeds and umbrellas in European resorts, unlike Turkish ones, you have to pay separately, since coastal areas are almost always municipally owned.
According to tour operators, about half of Russian tourists are looking for tours to Cyprus in hotels with the All Inclusive system. The most popular from May to September among our travelers are the hotels of Paphos, Ayia Napa, Protaras, Larnaca and Limassol. It is in these resorts that most of the hotels in Cyprus are located, offering all-inclusive holidays. Every year more and more 4* and 5* hotels add this type of service to the list of services provided.
Cyprus "all inclusive": is it worth taking?
Cypriot All Inclusive differs from Turkish in that the set of services included in the service system is determined by the star rating of the hotel and varies from hotel to hotel. In each specific accommodation facility, the range of services is individual and combined with the usual paid additional services. There are no standards as such, each hotel develops its own system, focusing on the experience of competitors and its own idea of the number of services.
In the same Cyprus hotel, you can book accommodation without meals (RO), accommodation with breakfast (BB), half board (HB), full board (FB), or an all-inclusive holiday. For full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and half board (breakfast and dinner or breakfast and lunch), tea, coffee, juice and water at breakfast are free, however, at lunch and dinner, all drinks, including water, are ordered through the waiter and are served for additional fee. With AI, drinks and ice cream are usually included in the price. Most often, local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served.
In almost all Cypriot hotels, a separate fee is charged for the use of a refrigerator, safe, air conditioning and fast wi-fi. With all inclusive and ultra all inclusive, many of these additional services are already included in the price.
Beaches throughout Cyprus are municipal and free, so you don’t need to pay money for sun loungers by the hotel pool, but for a sun lounger and umbrella on common beach in almost all cases, you will have to pay out of your own pocket.
In hotels in Cyprus, 3-star all-inclusive means three meals a day according to the buffet system with hot and cold drinks. Alcohol is usually locally produced. The choice of dishes is more modest than in 4 and 5 star hotels.
In 4-star hotels in Cyprus with the all-inclusive system, along with three meals a day, free SPA services, access to a fitness center and a variety of entertainment are often offered. A classic example of a four-star hotel on the 1st line with its own beach is the Vrissiana Beach Hotel 4 * in Protaras. You can buy a tour to the hotel both with accommodation and half board, and with "all inclusive". During the day, guests with AI are served breakfast, lunch, dinner and fast food (between meals), local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as ice cream, coffee and tea. Sun loungers by the pool are free, sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented on the municipal beach for 2.5 euros. Internet and safe are paid for all hotel guests. If necessary, on the spot at the hotel, you can pay an extra 35 euros / day per person and go from half board to All Inclusive. Animation (aqua aerobics and children's disco), a gym and an indoor pool are provided in the neighboring hotel of the Tsokkos network - the five-star Constantinos 5 *.
Five-star hotels in Cyprus offer free local alcoholic drinks, entertainment services and performances, access to the sauna, spa treatments, gym, tennis courts, as well as separate children's pools, playgrounds and entertainment clubs. So, for example, in the Paphos Coral Beach Hotel & Resort 5 * for those tourists who are on an all-inclusive system (Club Coral Gold), the use of a sauna, a hammam, a heated indoor pool and a jacuzzi is free, and the rest of the guests will have to pay 6 euros per day.
The Ultra All Inclusive (UAI) system in Cyprus is available at the St Raphael 5 * Resort in Limassol. Along with luxurious meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), evening snacks, a variety of soft drinks, exotic cocktails and classic spirits of world famous brands (Ginon Gin, Smirnoff Vodka, Johnnie Walker Red Label, Pol Remy sparkling wine and many others) are served until midnight . During the summer season, during the daytime, entertainment programs are organized for children and adults, a kids club and a children's disco are open. In winter and summer there are live music concerts, evening programs and shows.
For sports lovers, the UAI program of the St Raphael 5 * hotel includes table tennis, darts, archery, petanque, beach volleyball, badminton, artificial turf tennis court, 1 diving lesson, canoeing and windsurfing. Umbrellas, sun loungers and beach towels on one of the best sandy beaches in Limassol are provided free of charge.
Summary
"All Inclusive" is not only a system of service and food, but also a way of life and style of relaxation during the holidays. If you are a beach holiday lover and are not going to go far from the hotel, then all inclusive is a reasonable choice. In Cyprus, there are a huge number of taverns, bars, cafes and restaurants near the hotels with a variety of inexpensive dishes and drinks, but if you don’t feel like or are just too lazy to wander around in the heat in search of a suitable institution, it’s better to agree to food at the hotel.
Having paid in advance for three meals a day and drinks, animation services, saunas, spa centers and much more, you do not have to worry about anything and worry about how much money you should take with you or how much money is left on the card and in your wallet. Predictability of upcoming expenses is undoubtedly a plus of "all inclusive". On the other hand, choosing all inclusive, you will not be able to fully enjoy the excellent and inexpensive national Cypriot cuisine.
If you are planning an active holiday on vacation with car trips around the island, then it is better to give preference to breakfast or half board. Self-catering can be more expensive (on average, a hot dish in a tavern costs 10-20 euros), but you will still have a lot of new impressions and memories of kleftiko, meze and octopus dishes. Almost all cafes on the island offer a children's menu, and children's playgrounds are organized near many taverns and restaurants. Before entering a tavern or restaurant, you can always get acquainted with the menu, understand the price level and choose an acceptable option for yourself. It is worth remembering that in the tourist area food and groceries in stores will be somewhat more expensive than in the nearest settlement.
If there are children on the trip, willy-nilly, you will have to constantly think about where to buy drinks and ice cream, how to organize a regular breakfast-lunch-dinner with hot dishes. In this case, “all inclusive” will not be superfluous for insurance, when the child can choose one of the dishes suitable for him, and you can get acquainted with the local cuisine on excursions or on short trips. Although, many parents in such cases prefer to book apartments with a kitchen or a kitchenette. It all depends on the age of the child, his habits, character and mobility.
The all-inclusive system is usually best represented in countries where the vacationer has nowhere to go outside the hotel. Almost everything in Cyprus tourist centers surrounded by taverns, restaurants, various bars and discos. No problem, you can always rent a car near the hotel and drive to any part of the island - it's safe, interesting and exciting, because the island of Aphrodite is full of attractions and museums.
Cyprus is closer to European resorts, where guests are offered any food system - from breakfast to full board and all inclusive. Those who paid for All Inclusive are given bracelets or other insignia, but the quantity and quality of services are absolutely the same for all available service systems. If you have any doubts about the appropriateness of any services, you can always buy the necessary things at the hotel, however, in most cases, the cost of a full payment for services in advance will be more profitable and cheaper.
Since the set of services in the all-inclusive package (excluding meals) in hotels in Cyprus depends not only on the star rating, but also varies from hotel to hotel, it makes sense to check with the hotel or tour operator what services are included in the price before buying a tour or ticket, and for which you have to pay extra out of your own pocket. Reviews of travelers who have visited the hotel will not be superfluous.
In 2019, the prices for all-inclusive holidays in Cyprus range from 4,000 rubles per person per day for a 2 * hotel and from 9,000 rubles per day in 4-5 * star hotels.
And, finally, it is worth considering that Protaras is more suitable for families with children, Ayia Napa is more suitable for night trips to clubs and entertainment, and Paphos will be the most interesting for lovers of educational recreation.
The beaches of Cyprus are considered among the best in all of Europe, so many tourists who want to taste the joys of a beach holiday in the Mediterranean choose this island country as a tourist destination. Most Cypriot beaches are marked with the Blue Flag of the EU for the purity of the water and the coastal zone, which makes a beach holiday in Cyprus comfortable and memorable.
2.
Entertainment for every taste
There is something for everyone in Cyprus. You can luxuriate on sandy beaches, explore antiquities, worship local Orthodox shrines, admire nature, take spa treatments and visit thalassotherapy centers, go to noisy night discos, go diving, windsurfing and sailing, play tennis and golf, go horseback riding and participate in a jeep safari, mountain and water skiing.
3.
Excellent conditions for family holidays
Cyprus is ideal for families with children - a short flight, mild climate, shallow sea off the coast with a gentle slope, sandy beaches. Most hotels provide discounts for children, each has the necessary infrastructure - children's pools, slides, mini-clubs and playgrounds, a special menu, children's animation. In addition, the resorts have aqua and amusement parks, zoos, and interesting excursion routes are offered to kids.
4.
Good service and developed infrastructure
In Cyprus, all life is subordinated to the interests of tourists, because the country's economy rests on vacationers. Therefore, in all hotels, even 2 * category, excellent service. Any of the resorts of the island has the infrastructure necessary for a comfortable stay - excellent beaches, shopping and entertainment centers, nightclubs and discos, bars and restaurants, water parks.
5.
Mild climate and beautiful nature
The climate in Cyprus is quite mild, with hot and dry summers and short, warm and humid winters. The season runs from April to November. There are a lot of sunny days in the year, it rains mostly in January and February, the winds are light and warm. The nature of the island is picturesque, you can admire it all day long, and many beaches are marked with a blue flag for excellent ecology.
6.
The friendliness of the locals
There have been friendly relations between Russia and Cyprus for many centuries, we have a common religion. And the Cypriots to this day sincerely love the Russians. Russian-language TV channels and press, menus in their native language, and a special assortment of products are at the service of tourists from the Russian Federation. Many locals know Russian well.
7.
Parties in Ayia Napa
In the modern resort of Ayia Napa, there are almost no houses of local residents - solid hotels, bars and restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment venues. Carefree party life rages in the area of numerous beaches during the day, and in the evening moves to the city center, where vacationers move from one entertainment venue to another and stay up until morning. Most of those who come to Ayia Napa are British, Germans, Scandinavians, but Russians are also frequent guests here.
8.
Greek cuisine
In Cyprus, they know a lot about excellent food. The national cuisine is mainly Greek, but has incorporated all the best recipes of the Mediterranean neighbors. One of the main dishes is moussaka, minced meat baked with vegetables. Also, be sure to try pea puree hummus, sweet potato colocassia, baked beef souvlaki with baby onions, sweets suzuko and paluses. Cypriot wines are also famous. Dessert is especially popular - Commandaria.
October 2016
We will talk about the most important, in my opinion, the advantages and at the same time the disadvantages of staying on a wonderful island.
I want to immediately indicate that everything described below is relevant for that area of Cyprus, which is called Konnos Bay, or in Russian Konnos Bay. This is a fairly popular resort area, especially among Russian-speaking tourists. We stayed at the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments 3 stars, 150 meters from the sea.
Panorama of Konnos bay // Pawel Kazmierczak, shutterstock.com
I will not state unequivocally that my assessment concerns the entire state as a whole, however, perhaps the pattern of recreation is repeated in other regions. I'll start with the positives.
Pros of holidays in Cyprus
1. Starting to get acquainted with Cyprus from the preparation of documents for entry - the absence of a visa as such. Unlike other EU countries, Cyprus has simplified, at least for Russians, the regime of entry into the country, offering its own as an alternative to the Schengen visa, which takes almost 1 day and does not cost anything - a completely FREE visa! You only need to print out a preliminary version of the visa (done either by your travel agency or on your own after filling out an elementary electronic questionnaire), present it and you are in Cyprus. The most interesting thing is that we had to present this pro-visa only at the!departure! from Russia, in Cyprus itself, they showed only a foreign passport, in which they put a stamp on us without any questions.
2. What pleased - Russian-speaking staff. And we are talking not only about the hotel, but also about almost all establishments, including restaurants and supermarkets. It's nice to hear your speech when you are understood and communication develops without much tension. You definitely won't get lost here!
3. Flawless beach vacation. If your holiday is to wake up in the morning, go to the beach to sunbathe, swim in the sea, come back to lie down, then Cyprus is the perfect place for you. Especially, Konnos Bay, where a large number of hotels are located near the sea. The beaches are mostly sandy, which is important. The water is the purest, at a depth of 170 cm the bottom is visible to the naked eye, and I have big problems with my eyesight . By the way, for children and those who are afraid of the depth, the entrance to the water in this place is gradual and, admittedly, long enough, so you still need to manage to drown.
4. As we noticed from the first day, day and night in Cyprus are two completely different worlds. During the day you can see everything, at night - nothing, pitch darkness. Moreover, we caught the moon somewhere at the transition between day and night, from midnight until the morning - you are unlikely to see the moon. The nights are moonless. In addition, Cyprus is still not illuminated in the same way as Moscow, there are not so many lights. What gives birth to a beautiful and rarest zest for a Muscovite - stars. They can be seen very clearly in Cyprus, the picture is pleasing to the eye, but this is romantic!
5. We rested on Konnos, and this is an area between two cities - Ayia Napa and Protaras, that is, one might say, in the countryside. House building low-rise. However, having visited both Protaras and Ayia Napa, I can say with a certain degree of responsibility that this type of buildings, apparently, is characteristic of the entire island. I attribute this feature to the pluses, because, being constantly in the metropolis, you often get tired of skyscrapers and want to take a break from the noisy and fussy high-rise buildings that block the sun and savor the "village" life at least on vacation.
6. Clean sea air.
7. Friendliness of the local population. Cypriots are a very responsive and friendly people, carefree by nature, and from this they are extremely willing and disinterested in visiting visitors. Theft and greed are foreign words for Cyprus, speaking generally. Trust is one of the important values of this region. Rooms in hotels can be left with open balconies, even on the first floor, money and valuables will be completely safe, put them in the most visible place. Checked!
8. You won't leave the cafe/restaurant/tavern hungry: the portions are VERY large. We met similar portions in Greece, well, in fact, the Cypriots are the same Greeks. You can safely order one dish and eat it together. Generosity in food is another nice feature of the Cypriots.
9. Unlike Tunisia, the complete absence of dangerous flora and fauna. On the island you will not meet unexpectedly poisonous animals, plants both on the shore and in the sea. Of the fauna, I can say that the most common animal is cats. There are actually a lot of them here. Even too much. Especially within the food zone. In restaurants and taverns, you will be peeled from all sides, asking for a piece! Well, how can you stay here?
10. Stable comfortable air temperature. I will talk about October, because. except in October, I have never been to Cyprus again. This season the temperature there is heavenly - 26 degrees during the day, 22 at night, water - 25. Beautiful cloudless days with impeccable calm weather. If a breeze is felt, it is exceptionally soft and warm. They were in t-shirts and shorts. You don't need to get used to the water. In general, no complaints about the weather.
Cons of holidays in Cyprus
1. Lack of nightlife. As I said, my statement is relevant in relation to Konnos Bay, in part the situation is similar in Ayia Napa and Protaras. After 10 pm life on the Gulf stops. People who walked around the city disappear with the onset of the dark time of the day, the town is plunged into darkness. For me, as an owl person who loves to walk at night (I can’t say that I am a party person, but I have a certain interest in night walks), this is a disaster. My friend and I noticed with horror that all the tourists and all the staff were hiding in the corners, not sticking out into the streets until sunrise. Not a single 24-hour restaurant, not a single shop nearby the hotel (at night there is only one supermarket located 3 km from the hotel) - nothing. Considering that we arrived very late on the first day, checked into the hotel at 9 pm, while we figured out the room and local rules, we were very hungry and went out in search of evening food. To our nightmarish surprise, by 10 all the establishments were already closed. We were left without a ride, went to bed absolutely hungry. In the 21st century, in my opinion, this is unthinkable, especially in the resort area, especially for people who come to relax / hang out / break away / relax (who cares). In the process of development, after n-th number of days, they somehow found a Russian restaurant in Ayia Napa, which worked after 12 at night. By the way, it turns out that there are also clubs there, but they are also located in Ayia Napa, almost in the same zone, which is half an hour by bus from our hotel. One of the brightest is Ambassaden.
2. As soon as you arrive in Cyprus, you leave the city from the airport, the first thing you feel is a strong stench, similar to the smell of rotten water. It probably smelled like a garbage dump, but it periodically haunted us throughout the rest.
3. Unlit tracks. From the bus, if you go at night, you can not see anything. You have to light up the roadway and pedestrian roads with a phone flashlight in order to see where you are stepping and not fall / get hit by a car. In Greece and Spain, all this is simply ennobled, is it really impossible to put ordinary poles with lanterns at least at a distance of 500 m?
4. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Internet - only at the reception (the hotel consists of several buildings, there is only one reception). Wildness for Europe!
5. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Fanatical saving of light in the hotel buildings. In order to get adequately to your room, while climbing the stairs, you need to turn on the switches endlessly along the way, a good half of which do not work.
6. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Mechanical locks on the doors to the room.
7. Relevant for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Rooms are cleaned daily, but, oh my God, only in the morning. Exactly at 9 in the morning, when a tourist, tired of everyday life, enjoys the sweet dream of a child, a confident knock is heard at the door. Carelessly sleeping, of course, the knock does not hear. Then, through the tourist's dream, another knock is heard. And what would you think - the lock opens and on the threshold, without waiting for an answer, the cleaning lady tumbles in with the deafening words Clean room !!! And at this time you are lying on the bed with your bare ass up and you don’t understand what is happening at all. It's hard to pronounce Later. They start telling you Later only tomorrow. You, barely holding the causal place covered with a duvet cover, squeeze out OK, please tomorrow and, pretty freaking out, close the door and rush back to the bed.
I just once stayed at the Greek hotel Cosmos, which is assigned 2 stars, but even there you are not so much not harassed by the cleaning lady, you never see her. "Clean room" takes place without your presence. Well, this is generally complete insanity, gentlemen, even more so for European 3 stars !!!
8. Bus stops are not announced. A tourist who has not been to these lands must, apparently, esoterically-intuitively understand where he needs to go.
9. Many socially important establishments can be safely closed before the appointed hour, probably due to the completely free will of the seller. For example, once a supermarket was completely shamelessly closed at 21.40 when we approached it, and this was with a work schedule until 22.00.
10. Relevant for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: TV catches only 1 Russian-language channel with exhausting ads about slimming underpants, a blender, weight loss products and all sorts of crap for 70 euros. There are no music channels at all. And there are 8 channels in total. 11. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Disgustingly buzzing ventilation in the toilet-bathroom when the light is turned on.
12. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: The toilet stinks of piss (despite daily chlorine cleaning), the pressure of the shower leaves much to be desired. All consumables, be it rags, soap or shampoo, we buy, my dear, ourselves.
13. Relevant for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: There is an air conditioner in the room, but it will not help you, because it is turned off. To enable it, you need to pay 6 euros per day.
14. Actual for the Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Meanness from the side of the hotel - sockets in the American style. To charge your phone, you need to rent a European adapter, the rent is 10 euros. This is a deposit, it is returned upon return of the euro adapter. A trifle, but unpleasant.
15. Pharmacies - only in the city. So if you suddenly feel bad, you need to take the bus for half an hour, and then you need to be there before 18.00.
16. We were not enriched with money for an endless trip to restaurants. Fortunately, our hotel had a mini-kitchen, so we had to go to large supermarkets. The largest is Lidl, which is located in Protaras. There it is considered a hypermarket, but, I give you my word of honor, I didn’t lie next to our Auchan. Why is there Auchan, Lidl is 2 times smaller than our Billy. The choice is appropriate.
17. Beach - one for the entire tourist town. It seems to me that people come to the beach from all the outskirts of the region, so even in October you have to look for free sun loungers here.
18. The pros indicated the abundance of food and its size. This plus, of course, bold. And the emphasis is on the word bold. The food here is unthinkably filled with fat, so much so that already on the 5th day my poor stomach could not stand it and broke. All other days I ate only soups, which, by the way, are not favored here, and Russian cuisine, which I managed to find in Ayia Napa!
19. Prices. The cost of goods and services is incomparable to ours, so you need to be prepared to take more money with you so that you have enough for more than just food. We went for 11 nights, took 720 euros with us, upon arrival in Moscow we had 60 on hand. I will give just a few expense items:
Supermarket:
Bread - about 3 euros
Water (set of 6 pieces of 1.5 liters) - 2 euros
Pepsi - 1.5 euros
Packaged juices - 2 euros
Bounty bars - 90 cents
Travel by bus 1.5 euros per person during the day, 2.5 euros after 20.00.
I don't know the price of a taxi. I know it's expensive.
Public beach: sun loungers - 2.5 euros per person, umbrella - 2.5 euros.
Attractions in Lunapark in Ayia Napa: there is a system of exchanging money for tokens on the territory of the park. For example, 1 token costs 1 euro, and already 12 tokens cost 10 euros. We went to Ferris Wheel - 3 tokens per person, Pirate Ship - 3 tokens per person, 5D Cinema - 4 tokens per person. Attractions such as Catapult or Booster - about 25 tokens.
Restaurants / Cafes / Taverns (here I focus on prices in non-luxury restaurants). We have been to Pirrilis restaurant (attached to Konnos Bay Hotel Apts), Kafkaros tavern, Spartiatis restaurant. The average check for two people is 20-25 euros when ordering two dishes for each. Each dish is within 6-8 euros. And this is if you do not take the fish menu. Let's say with fish meze you will no longer be able to meet these amounts.
I also hasten to warn you that Ravioli's and UMI Sushi Bar Restaurant restaurants are premium. The service here is real restaurant, but there are also requirements for guests, starting with the style of clothing that is acceptable for the restaurant, ending with the menu and its prices. The average check is at least 35 euros for two, if again you order the cheapest one. It is easy to recognize these restaurants - Ravioli's is located opposite the 5-star Grecian Park Hotel with the corresponding audience, while UMI is located right in this hotel on the 4th floor. Be careful!
We also visited McDonald's in Ayia Napa, the taste of some dishes is different, but I was not so much surprised by the difference in composition as the difference in price. Big Tasty is 5 euros, and so is any roll. The total amount of the order for two amounted to 16 euros.
Bottom line: Cyprus is a beautiful country, but rather not mine, it seemed to me somehow boring. But still, I tried to describe Cyprus - that Cyprus, as it appeared before me - from all sides. It is up to you to decide whether this type of holiday suits you or not. I hope that when you decide to fly to this wonderful island (and it is undoubtedly wonderful), you will make an informed decision.
Adel
17/10/2016 13:00
The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editors.
Are you planning a family vacation? Cyprus will be an excellent solution for traveling with children. This comfortable island in the Mediterranean Sea will be remembered by you for its clean coastlines, gentle descent into the water and mild climate.
Team OMORO has prepared a brief overview of the most important features of this resort, which will help you organize your perfect holiday in Cyprus.
5 pros and cons
Like any other resort, Cyprus has its positive and negative sides. But in this case, we can safely say that there are very few minuses. For most visitors, the island evokes only pleasant and admiring emotions.
pros
- Rich historical heritage. Since there was a mixture of cultures of many peoples on the island, here you can see the monuments of several civilizations at once: Turkey, Greece, Britain and Byzantium.
- Island beaches. Most of them have been awarded the Blue Flag. Thanks to their purity, beauty and comfort.
- Russian speaking staff. In most establishments - hotels, supermarkets and restaurants, the staff speaks Russian. Therefore, you can not be afraid of problems with the language barrier.
- Wide range of entertainment. Any visitor will find something to do here, from admiring the picturesque nature to visiting noisy discos and bars.
- Favorable flora and fauna. Here you will not find poisonous snakes, spiders or plants. Both on land and in the sea, you can relax and not be afraid for your health.
Minuses
- Delivery problems. Taxis or small shops may not give small change. This causes certain problems for those whose budget is strictly limited.
- The high cost of excursions and food. The simplest wine can cost at least 7 euros, and most expensive excursions may not justify the finances spent on them.
- Photo ban in museums and religious institutions. To lift the restriction, you need to issue a permit in writing, and who wants to deal with bureaucracy on vacation?
- Dear medicine. An ambulance will help tourists for free, but if you need inpatient treatment, be prepared that you will have to spend a lot of money.
- Poorly lit trails and roads. Sometimes it is necessary to use a flashlight to cross the roadway so as not to stumble or get hit by a car.
5 places to relax
Protaras
A small resort village, famous for its Fig Tree Bay, near Ayia Napa. For several centuries, figs have grown abundantly here. The remoteness of Protaras from the noisy areas of Larnaca provides a quiet and family vacation in the village. It’s good to come here for diving, a beach holiday with a child or on your own as a “savage”.
Advice! Do not be too lazy to climb the mountain to the Church of the Prophet Elijah at dawn to enjoy the picturesque view of the surroundings from a height.
Larnaca
The oldest city in Cyprus. Well suited for a budget holiday, due to the relatively low prices. Convenient sandy coasts are perfect for the elderly and families with children. Here is the largest Cypriot international airport, which makes it convenient to get to the city.
Shopping lovers should definitely visit the main shopping streets of Larnaca - Zenonos Kitieos and Ermou Street. Very fashionable branded stores and jewelry stores are concentrated here.
Pathos
Birthplace of Aphrodite. It even marks the place where, according to legend, the goddess emerged from the foam. There are a lot of attractions here:
- Royal tombs;
- Catacombs of Saint Solomon;
- Archaeological park;
- Mosaic of Paphos;
- and numerous castles and monasteries.
This is the most luxurious resort on the island, where mostly well-to-do people relax.
Limassol
The most "fun" city, where you can go even in winter. At night, noisy nightclubs open here, which attract young people. It is also worth noting that this is the most Russian-speaking resort in Cyprus. For those who are interested in wellness treatments, there are a large number of spa centers and thalassotherapy.
Ayia Napa
Noisy and popular resort with an amazing history. The city is developing rapidly, attracting more and more visitors from all over the world. It is great for active rest and fun on the water. Even the locals choose Ayia Napa for their own holidays.
Due to the huge traffic jams and the tedious search for a parking space, we do not recommend renting a car.
5 favorable months
June
The most popular month for holidays. The peak season starts in June. The sea pleases with warm water, and the air is warmed up to +30 degrees. Even at night, you don’t have to worry about clothes, the thermometer does not fall below + 25 ° C.
May
The official opening of the holiday season. Unlike March and April, at the end of spring you can already fully swim in the sea. The water temperature is +22 - +23°C, and the soft rays of the sun contribute to an even tan.
January
Like February, the first month of winter is quite cool. Frequent gusty winds and rains oblige visitors to stock up on warm clothes and umbrellas. The daytime temperature fluctuates +17°C, and the night temperature is up to +6°C. This is the best time to visit ski resorts.
October
In mid-autumn, as in September, it is still quite warm. Rare rains and thunderstorms do not interfere with spending time by the sea. Even at this time, Lemesia takes place - the main sporting event in Cyprus.
Advice! In November, a full-fledged autumn begins, when only seasoned tourists can swim.
July
This summer season is the hottest weather on the island. On very hot days, the air is warmed up to +40°C. Therefore, the essentials are a hat, drinking water and sunscreen.
5 best hotels for families with children
Olympic Lagoon Reviews, Ayia Napa
The best apartment hotel for children. Landscaped area of seven pools with a variety of slides. A bright daily show program and a spacious game room. Within walking distance there are two beaches, equipped with rescue posts and sun loungers.
St Raphael 5*, Limassol
Own yacht club and only 50 meters from the sea. Next door is the largest water park, and the hotel itself impresses with children's infrastructure. Special animation and a separate children's menu in restaurants.
The most inexpensive double room can be booked from 8,000 rubles.
Anastasia Beach Hotel Reviews, Protaras
The hotel is located on the first coastline. For young visitors there is a games room, a small water park and a swimming pool. The kitchen consists of European and national dishes, and a separate menu is provided for younger guests.
Adams Beach Reviews, Ayia Napa
Huge area next to the beach of white sand and azure water. It is also convenient that the shore is a shallow bay, where the sea is always warm and calm.
The cost per room is from 5 800 rubles.
Almyra 5*, Paphos
The hotel guests are waiting for the all-inclusive system and a full range of services for kids - from babysitting to interest clubs. The main pool is covered with a huge awning, which provides the children with the necessary shade even at lunchtime.
5 beautiful photos
Gorgeous and picturesque photographs of the Mediterranean Sea. Bright colorful buildings and cozy berths of Cyprus.
Video review
Features of recreation on the island, as well as places that are required to visit in this republic.
