|
One
reason we as a family moved to Cyprus is that it has sun 11 months of
the year! Cyprus weather is one of the main reasons that makes
Cyprus an ideal holiday choice.
The other
was that the children could grow up with the freedom of the island and
enjoy, sun, sea and clean living. If you get an opportunity to visit
Cyprus, just go for it. Even when it rains the sun comes out
afterwards, it’s very rare to have miserable days on the island.
Holidays in Cyprus are possible all year round and it’s a great place
for a family holiday as there is something for all ages and tastes.
I was
born in England on Christmas day 1954 and remember what it was like
before they declared London a smokeless zone. We used to have fog all
the time, the really bad fog was called a pea soup-er because you could
not see to walk in front of you. Traffic would come to a standstill
because the cars and buses could not see the road ahead, so if you got
on a bus it would take you ages to get anywhere. Walking was not much
fun either. It was pretty creepy sometimes I can tell you.
When it
snowed it was beautiful but when the snow started to melt it would turn
a horrible black mushy colour. Not at all nice and we used to get a lot
of ice on our windows in the mornings, I remember mum putting my
brother’s nappies out to dry and they froze into solid sheets of ice.
We always loved to pick the icicles off the windows in the mornings.
In
Cyprus, all the seasons are pleasant. We usually talk a walk on the
beach on Christmas Day; it helps digest the big lunch! It’s always
sunny and warm and you can stroll of the beach with a jacket. It can be
said that January is quite miserable but you do get the odd sunny days.
Spring comes in February nowadays and the whole island is green.
To
be honest the winter and spring are beautiful in Cyprus and spring is
always the best time to visit. February has been very mild this year
with temperatures in the 20’s, March is also warm but if you want to be
sure of spring then come in April. There are some
beautiful wild flowers growing in and around
the villages and suburbs of any town. Ayia Varvara in Limassol is very
well known for its beautiful wild Cyclamen which has recently been
declared the national flower of Cyprus. Cyclamen and Anemones are to be
found growing abundantly in fields from February onwards. There are also
many wild orchids to be found in Cyprus.
Really
the best months for wild flowers are February to April/May. Then the
sun gets hot and you start thinking of swimming. The Cypriots only
really go swimming in late July/August. They feel that the other months
are not so warm. For the visitor to the island, you can swim from June
to late Septembe,r some people will even say that May and November are
also warm. It’s just a matter of opinion and what you are used to, the
warmest sea temperatures are in July and August but the other months are
also fine. There are quite a few great water parks in Limassol and
Paphos with the largest water park in the Mediterranean in Ayia Napa.
Water parks are usually open from June to October.
At the
end of August early September we have the Limassol wine festival, which
has been in operation for many years now. It’s a great place to go and
taste all the different wines that Cyprus has to offer. They even offer
the opportunity to tread grapes which is great fun.
If
you are a
wine buff you will love to visit the many local wineries
which are dotted all over the island. Many have been handed down from
father to son for generations and still use the traditional methods of
producing wine. Grapes are harvested in late September early October
and some wineries will let you join in the grape picking. Grapes are
not only used for wine but the making of a local traditional sweet
called
Soutsouko or Soutjouko. Speaking of the
grapevines, we must always remember to mention vine leaves. These are
used to make the famous stuffed vine leaves (also called koupepia by the
Cypriots or dolmades by the Greeks) and are always picked in early
spring, when the new leaves appear. Vine leaves are always best picked
young otherwise the dolmades are not very nice.
There are
lots to see and do in Cyprus, despite the fact that we have so much sun,
we also have skiing in the Troodos Mountains. It’s quite common to go
skiing in the day then spend the afternoon or evening by the beach
sipping cocktails in the moonlight.
There are
camping sites for anyone who enjoys the outdoor life. There is one in
Governors beach in the Limassol district which is also serves as a
caravan site and some beautiful ones in the Akamas district near the sea
at the Baths of Aphrodite.
For
nature lovers Cyprus has many mountain trails ideal for any traveller
who likes walking in nature. Most of these have been designed to all
age groups to enjoy so are ideal for family trekking.
All in
all Cyprus is a great place to live, work or take a holiday; the island
of Aphrodite. A place where you can enjoy sun, sea and mountains all in
the same day!
|
