Walking in Cyprus

Cyprus is not only an island in the Mediterranean Sea, but also a popular comfortable resort, where the crystal clear sea, gentle sun, where you can from morning till evening basking on the coastal beaches, indulge in a variety of taverns, nightclubs and enjoy the sights, which are in abundance on the island.

You can visit the outskirts of Paphos, where the divine maiden Aphrodite appeared from the depths of the sea. You can visit the rock, the name of which is "Petra tou Romiou", which means "Greek stone", according to legend, the ancient hero Digenis Akritas prevented the invasion of the island by evil Saracen pirates with the help of this rock. This place is truly one of the most romantic spots on the whole island. It is said that if lovers swim in the water near the rock, their love will last forever, and the one who enters the water at midnight will acquire eternal youth.

And paradoxically for Orthodox Cyprus, one of the main attractions is the Muslim shrine "Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque. According to an ancient legend, a noble lady from the court of the Prophet Muhammad named Umm Haaram together with the Arab conquerors went to Cyprus. Near Larnaca, on the shore of a salt lake, her mule stumbled, she fell and broke her neck and immediately died. The lady was buried on the same spot, with a huge granite stone on her grave, and later in the 19th century a mosque was built on the spot.

But after the events of 1974, when Cyprus was divided into two states, Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque practically ceased to function, the service occurs only twice a year on the days of the main Muslim holidays: Uraza Bayram and Eid al-Adha. On other days, the mosque is open to tourists.

Do not be afraid to overlook the abandoned Hotel Berengaria, which is located in the Trodoos Mountains, surrounded by pine forests. Back in the middle of the last century, it was very popular among the rich, high ranking officials and politicians. But now the hotel is in a dilapidated state and attracts fans of tickling their nerves. As is always said in such cases, "the legend says..." that everything was fine when the hotel had one owner, and he had three sons, and when dying he instructed his sons to manage the hotel intelligently and share profits fairly. But the sons disobeyed and began to quarrel. And in a few years died in unclear circumstances. And soon the hotel fell into disrepair. Only the wind howls and walks through the rooms and corridors. Locals say it is the moaning ghosts of the former owners.

Well, if you want to see the national colors, then you should definitely go to some village, the number of them, such as in Lofu, which is considered one of the most environmentally friendly places. It is also located in the Trodos mountains twenty minutes drive from the city of Limassol. In the village there are three tavernas where you can taste the real traditional Cypriot cuisine. We will not talk about all the delights of Cypriot cuisine, better come and try it yourself, you will not regret it.

But this is not all the attractions. There is the Byzantine castle of Colossi in the place of the same name. The church in which Richard I the Lionheart was married to the Princess of Navarre.

In the north of the island in the city of Famagusta, which is famous not only for the medieval Othello Tower, built according to the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, and in which the tragedy played out in the creation of Shakespeare, but also a modern tragedy, the quarter Varosha, called ghost town. In the recent past, one of the thriving resorts of the island of Cyprus. The barbed-wire fenced ghost town now looks bleak, the traces of airstrikes are still visible. The hotel windows look like black loopholes, everything around is rusting and crumbling.

But let's not talk about sad things.

Not to work, but to relax in Cyprus can be excellent, especially when national celebrations, both Orthodox and related to ancient traditions, are celebrated.

In May, there is a festival-a parade of flowers-Amphestria. On this day it is traditionally accepted to give flowers to lovers, relatives and friends. Large flower fairs are held in the squares.

After Trinity (at the end of May) there is the Feast of Water-Kataklizmos. On this holiday, according to tradition, to get rid of sins, it is customary to pour water from head to toe, and those who do not follow these traditions, the locals are sure to get dragged into the sea.

At the beginning of September, there is a wine festival that lasts for ten days. There are huge wooden vats of grapes right in the streets, and any passerby can roll up their pants and take part in making wine.

Everyone is treated to wine, and it's free.

The amazing island of Cyprus.