Wedding Gifts

Hello from sunny Cyprus.
The big day is fast approaching and I have had some very sweet phone calls from people asking what we would like as gifts for our wedding. Leigh and I would really just like to say that as we are not yet set up anywhere permanently at the moment and are still trying to find our way in life, we have over a certain number of years together amounted a fair amount of "stuff" for a home (granted it is now all packed up in my brother's basement!) Our best suggestions would be that if you would like to get us a present the most practical would be something we could use abroad, or gifts that are international in their nature (think vouchers from Amazon.com, or from international hotel chains, or any internet based website). This way, you don't need to schlepp anything to Cyprus!! What is the most special present of course is that so many of your are making their way over to Cyprus for 1st June!

Larnaca

Hi there

About Larnaca and where to stay and what to do.

Hotels and hotel apartments are in abundance here too. Larnaca is an interesting town to wander around, and if you have a car well worth exploring the surrounding area, especially the villages of Kato Drys and Lefkara (where my family is from originally!!)

Accomodation is pitched at midrange/family options, but the one decent budget option is the hostel called HI Hostel. It is in an old hammam, which is a beatiful building eventhough crumbling around the edges. Expect normal hostel type dorms, shared kitchen and showers. Clean and friendly.

Mid-range: Flamingo Beach Hotel, +357 24828224 good facilities near the sea.
Hotel- E: claiming to be an eco-friendly place in a small viallge outside of Larnaca called Pervolia. You can get a room, studio or villa and it is 75 metres from the sea. E-mail address: hotelecyprus@llhotels.com and it opens in April of this year, so looks exciting!

Top-end: Golden Bay (www.lordos.com.cy.thegoldenbay). It is on the beach on the road to Dekelia. Has all the top end facilities you would expcet of a 5 star hotel.
Les Palmiers, +357 24627200, more modern place and smaller than the above.


Villas: Plenty of villas in the Larnaca area, mostly in the surrounding villages of Tochni and also near the coast of Governors Beach.
Abraham's House: on the beach, sleeps up to 6. To make enqueries, call Abraham on +35799433437 or +35724332813. If his villa is booke dup he can suggest others.

There are plenty of nice restaurants and bars along the promenade which at one end has the marina and at the other a restored fortress where plays and concerts are staged. There is also the old Turksih quarter which is interesting to potter around, with old mosques and town houses and sweet little coffee shops.

Protaras and Agia Napa

Hello again.

Here are some recommendations for hotels in Protaras and Agia Napa.
Please note these have been tried and tested by us and friends, so I can safely recommend them. There are dozens of other self-catering places in Protars and Agia Napa. These are just what we think you might like, and are certainly a good starting point of giving you an idea of what is out there. Accomodation included here varies in style and prices.

PROTARAS
Self catering apartmenrs:
1. Konnos Bay Apartments- simple, clean, walking distance from the most beautiful bay of the area and very good for those on a budget. There is also a swimming pool. Website: http://www.konnosbay.com/
2. Nausicaa Hotel Apartments: sweet, Greek style white-washed bungalows with lots of amenities, pools and ladders into wonderfully blue Mediterranean waters.
3. King Alkinos Hotel Apartments: near Nausica Apaprtments, more family orientated apartments. Also with excellent facilities.
Website for both at the following address: http://www.louishotels.com/
4. Kermia Beach Hotel Apartments: bungalows again, among trees and little ponds and with its own private beach. http://www.kermiahotels.com.cy/

Hotels Protaras
1. Grecian Park: at Konnos Bay as well, this is a plush hotel. Website: http://www.grecianpark.com/
2. Sunrise Hotel: in central Protaras, right on Fig Tree Bay. A classic, good hotel. Website: http://www.sunrise.com.cy/
3. Sirena Bay Hotel: away from the crowds, a peaceful, reasonably priced place. No website, but telephone number: +357 23823502. Family run, with a pool and on the beach.


Agia Napa
Agia Napa is much more crowded and brash. The following website has a good selection of budget to 3-5 star accomodation. Agia Napa hotels and apartments are not pretty! Most have very good facilities though and are along a good stretch of beach. www.hotelandguesthouse.com/
Select Cyprus and then Agia Napa. It also has Protaras hotel options.

Villas

If there are a large number of you wanting to stay in one place, an interesting option may be to rent a villa. Here are some of the best websites to investigate. There are villas available in most parts of Cyprus, including Paphos, Protaras and Agia Napa. Most will sleep up to 8 people and it can work out much more reasonably than getting separate rooms at a hotel.

www.eastcoastcyprusvillas.com

www.holiday-rentals.co.uk

Food

I'm sure most of you will be happy to make your way through all the delicious food that Cyprus has to offer, but here are some ideas of what you should look out for and try!

Pastourmas: Armenian (beef) spicy sausage
Loukanika: Wine soaked (pork) sausage
Souvlaki: kebab pieces, can be chicken or pork
Sheftalia: Chargrilled lamb or pork mince with herbs
Kleftiko: Lamb shank in the oven with herbs and bay leaf
Souvla: big pieces of meat on a spit. We make souvla with chicken, lamb and beef.
Kalamari: Squid, normally in batter
Oktapodi: Octupus, normally chargrilled and accompanied by oil,lemon and parsley dressing
Barbouni: Red mullet, nomally wiuth batter
Tsipoura: Sea bass, normally chargrilled
Choriatiki slata: Greek salad
Lahmadjou: Baked flat thin almost pizza-like crust with mince lamb, parsley and other herbs. Squeeze lots of lemon, roll fajita style and enjoy!
Boureki: Pastry filled with anari (Cypriot equivalent of riccotta) or can be savoury and contain halloumi and or spinach
From a bakery try the "almira", which means a selection of little baked savoury tasty things! From olive pies, spinach pies, halloumi pies to mini pizzas and mini sausage rolls.

With a mezze (which can be either a fish one or a normal one), the standard things you will always get are salad, pitta, taramas, tzatziki and tahini, the chargrilled meats at the end and some fish in the middle. All the other dishes will vary according to the taverna/restaurant.

Car Rentals

Renting cars: There are the big standard car rental agencies in Cyprus- Avis, Hertz etc. Expect to pay for a standard car between 34-38 Euros per day. It is the start of the peak summer season so prices are quite high for cars. You could arrange for the car to be at Larnaka or Paphos airport for your arrival.

I can recommend that you contact Mr. Phivos at Phelena Rent-a-Car on (mobile)+357 99577771 or (land line) +357 2383 2292. If you say you are coming to Cyprus for the wedding of Maria Pierides, he will take care of you. He will be able to get you a car for between 27-30 Euros for one week and if you are staying longer, a better deal could be had. He speaks great English and is very friendly. You should ask him if he could drop the car off at your hotel because he can sometimes do that.

Car Parking in Nicosia on day of Wedding

There are 2 large muninipal car parks near the locations of the wedding. Near the Town Hall is the large car park within the Venetian Walls, called the "Tavros" car park. Make your way into central Nicosia and you will easily find it. It is safe and cheap (often free as the machines are broken!) For the dinner and party, it is within walking distance, so you need not move the car. If you are not someone who can do a 10 minute stroll to the dinner venue, then you can move the car and park at the underground "Phaneromeni Church" car park in the heart of Old Nicosia. It is a one minute walk the dinner venue. This is also a municipal car park. Trickier to find but sign posted once you hit Old Nicosia.