Cyprus: Give beach hotels a miss to discover the island's heart

Cut your holiday budget but still enjoy a break in the Cyprus sunshine by swapping hotels by the beach for stylish holiday homes in the countryside


Image 2 for 'Homes and holidays 08.03.09' gallery
Image 2 for 'Homes and holidays 08.03.09' gallery

THE house dates back to 1880 and was restored in 2000, when it was turned into a complex of apartments and studios.

It's traditional and comfortable inside, but you'll want to spend your time outside in the courtyard with its lemon trees and swimming pool.

Skarinou is a pretty hillside village with views of the green Ayios Theodoros valley and is about 10 minutes from quiet beaches.

You'll find coffee shops and restaurants there, but you can go half-board at Anna House or just have breakfast. You're about 40 minutes from the resort of Larnaca, where you can stroll along the Phinkikoudes, the palmlined promenade.

HOW MUCH? Studios from£ 48 per night or£ 336 per week.


THESE holiday homes are built around a lovely courtyard with views across the mountains all the way to the sea. They're in a rustic building in Kathikas, a mountain village about 20 minutes from Paphos.

There are three one-bedroom apartments and a studio furnished in the traditional style, some with stone fireplaces to keep you warm on chillier evenings. You'll see grapes growing everywhere, and you can follow a wine trail and call in for tasting sessions. To the north is the remote Akamas peninsula, a wilderness area with trails, jeep safaris and boat trips.

The Baths of Aphrodite, a grotto where the goddess of love is said to have bathed, is 20 minutes away.

HOW MUCH? Studio from £38 per night.


THIS is two adjoining properties in the village of Lefkara, half an hour from Larnaca.

You'll need to park at the bottom of the hill and follow a steep passage to the properties.

They are built in traditional village style with bedrooms off an open courtyard. Both villas have been restored to a very high standard with ultra-modern touches.

One lies behind a red door, the other a blue.

Blue Door is the smaller property, very cleverly designed for families. Red Door is more deluxe with a swimming pool in the courtyard, your own private jacuzzi and steam room. The courtyard can be opened up so you can hire both properties.

HOW MUCH? Blue Door from£ 118, Red Door from£ 153 per house per night. Minimum stay two nights, discounts for weekly stays.


SET in a quiet location in the mountains, this stone house has great views from the terrace.

By day you can look across open countryside and vineyards, by night you can look up at the stars. It's very private and romantic.

The two-bedroom house is furnished in the traditional way with a fireplace and some antiques. There's even an old oven in the yard.

Apsiou is one of the Commandaria wine villages, a sweet wine that has been made in this area for hundreds of years. Visit one of the wineries for a tasting and call in to see the wine press at Laneia.

Apsiou is about a 30-minute drive from the busy resort of Limassol where you can stroll along the sands or explore the narrow lanes and shops.

HOW MUCH? From £104 per night for four people. Minimum stay two nights.


DATING from 1800, the property was once three old buildings which have been restored using traditional materials and techniques.

You can rent the whole house, an apartment, suite or studio. All have a veranda for views of the village and the hills that surround it.

The village is good for walking, there are a number of nature trails nearby and a riding school. You can pick up one of the more strenuous of the island's cycling routes from the village square.

Nearby Nicosia is the island's capital, divided by the Green Line since the Turkish invasion of 1974. It's a busy city with the main attractions within the old city walls.

HOW MUCH? From£ 40 per night for the studio(£ 280 per week). Or the whole house from£ 210 per night(£ 1,470 per week).


THIS complex of traditional stone buildings is more than 300 years old. They have been modernised but still retain their traditional character. The apartments open out to a pretty courtyard with an old oven and well.

If you want to cook, there are fullyequipped kitchens and grocery shops in the village, or you can eat in one of the tavernas.

The area is famed for its wine, so go tasting in the winery and visit the wine museum at Erimi. The nearest beach is a 10-minute drive.

The village is also known for its carob trees which produce a sweet treacly substance used for syrup and toffee.

Anogyra is about halfway between Limassol and Paphos. Head for the Roman remains at Kourin which overlook the 6 sea just outside the pretty town of Limassol.

HOW MUCH? Studio from £38 per room per night(£266 per week). Minimum stay two nights.


TEACHER'S House, which dates back to the 1920s, has been converted into three studios - one in the old stable, and two one-bedroom apartments, one with a jacuzzi.

All have balconies on the upper level which overlook the courtyard, mature gardens and village. The small village sits above a valley of citrus trees, while the beach is a 15- minute walk away.

On the edge of the village is an archaeological dig where traces of an old settlement and an ancient olive press have been found. A short drive away is the fishing village of Zygi which is great for seafood.

HOW MUCH? Apartments from£ 44 per night or£ 308 per week.


ONCE a family home, this stone house was built in 1800 and restored in 2003.

Hire the whole house or take an apartment or studio. The house stands at the highest point of the village so the views are outstanding, especially from the suite on the upper floor.

There's also a private courtyard. Half-way between Larnaca and Limassol, Tochni straddles a gully and is popular with walkers and cyclists. There are taverns, coffee shops and a mini-market. Thµ e popular Governor's 8 7 10 9 Beach is about a 10-minute drive away.

HOW MUCH? Studios from£ 35 per night,£ 245 per week. Minimum stay two nights.


THERE'S a coffee shop on the ground floor of this property so you won't have to go far to try such delicacies as loukoumades, which is bit like a honey doughnut, and mahalepi, a roseflavoured custardy sweet.

There are a couple of two-bedroom houses here, traditionally and simply furnished. Big, shaded balconies give great views of the village which is one of the highest in Cyprus. There's also a sunroom. The area is known for walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, vegetables and citrus fruit. It's also a wine-producing region and many old houses are covered in vines.

HOW MUCH? From £52.50 per night.


DATING from 1805, this lodge is now three, one-bedroom apartments, some with stone arches and fireplaces. There's a pretty spiltlevel courtyard and verandas with mountain views from the top apartment.

The village is about 30 minutes from Limassol and is in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. The area is known for its vineyards and there's also a donkey sanctuary nearby.

HOW MUCH? From£ 62 per apartment per night. Minimum two-night stay. Special deals for weekly stays.

What's the deal?

CYPRUS Airways( , 020 8359 1333) have return flights from £228 inclusive of all taxes.

ASTRA Car Rentals( ) have daily hire deals from£ 2.

FOR house bookings, contact the Cyprus Agrotourism Company at or call 00 357 22 34 0071.

FOR more info about Cyprus go to

TRY to arrive in daylight - many of these villas are tucked away and hard to find in the dark!

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