We used to call them the “Kalispera Club”, the old women who popped out of nowhere in the olive groves on the way down to the house. “Kali spe-era” [Good evening] drawn out so that the evening greeting comes like a sigh of relief after a baking hot day working the land and piling the donkey with bundles of sticks and greens before heading home. Then “Herete” as we stumbled past: a “Hello” so much more friendly than anything you’re likely to get in England. “But only if you hail them first”, a friend explains, who has spent a lifetime travelling in Greece. “If you don’t, they’ll ignore you and you’ll find you’re invisible”.

We’ve done the journey to our house, Rovinia, so many times before that people here know us and we call out to each other at the same time. There’s Yorgos, coming out from his house on the road that leads down to Yefira bay. He looks ready for the talk and long, ruminative silences that accompany his ouzo when he’s sitting out at our own back door, just across the woodland overlooking the sea. There’s Constantina, his wife, who dresses up as evening falls, and wanders along the beach under the cliff where my father and mother built their house 40 years ago. She looks, as ever, like an operatic heroine, and wears the distracted air of one who spends hours at a time sorting the thin filaments of the fishing nets on Rovinia bay’s stretch of shingle and sand. She, too, will join Maria and Thodoros, the couple who live part of the year at Rovinia and look after the house, on the back porch, and here the almost-wild cats will gather hungrily on recognising the fisherman and his wife. The last scrapings of the bucket were tossed out at 10 or 11 this morning, when Yorgos and his friend Yannis returned in their small boat: a barbounia [red mullet] too small to cook, perhaps the head of a monkfish, Yannis’s prize catch, and a handful of tiny, whitebait-like creatures for them to gobble greedily. Now, like us, the cats will be back again, seeking the treats Rovinia can offer. It’s that kind of place.

The just-completed road is one of the much-anticipated surprises in our journey out to Corfu. It’s the middle of March, and midwinter as far as the locals are concerned, with only a wisp or two of smoke rising from land about to be cleared. Swimming pools, dozens more each time we come, lie on either side of the road that leads down from Liapades village to the sea. They’re empty, and look like huge teardrops fallen from a sky that is already a gorgeous Greek blue. Won’t it be a bit of a rush, getting them cleaned and filled by May, when the influx of tourists begins? But Tasso, at the wheel of the taxi which has met us at the vast new Corfu airport, shakes his head and swerves wildly as the car turns up what will be “our” turning to a new road we have never seen in its entirety.

“Ochi” [No], he laughs. “Tipota akoma” [nothing yet], and we are reminded that Greek Easter, the great watershed in the country’s calendar, is more than six weeks away. There will be tipota for a long time to come, before the sudden need for a rush opens the super market with its baskets of chocolate eggs and shelves of vegetables that look as if they’ve been left undisturbed all winter long. Even the tiny bar, no more than a couple of tables and four chairs, has the air of being open by mistake. It is to this bar that Tim goes for his evening pint, and has gone, or to another like it up in the village, for the just over a quarter of a century we’ve been together. But if you run out of a necessity up in Liapades, this is the only place you can buy it. And neither Tim nor the ever-changing stream of visitors from Yorkshire who take rooms in the house opposite the bar mind rootling in the fridge for their own beer, when they come in for a drink.

We’re in Tasso’s taxi because our car, a two-door Ford bought second-hand many years back, turned over on a muddy road recently. Thodoros, who drives and looks after the car while we’re in England, and his grandson little Spiro escaped, thankfully, unhurt. Tasso charges skyward then turns down by a sign where a wag has scratched out the lettering, so we have “Rovinia ous”, and has spun the post for good measure, guiding visitors over a ditch into an olive grove.

Each time you arrive at Rovinia, it’s different, even if it’s also magically the same. The new road has made redundant the painful walk down cliff, along slithery path and over archaic cobbles, that we used to have to do. No more suitcases strapped to our bodies while rain and thunder showed us just who is boss on a Greek island where the local plane from Athens frequently has to turn back, its load of returning travellers praying to Saint Spiridon to save them. No more stumbling to the top of the steps that lead down to our house and terrace and wishing, though this lasts no more than two minutes, that we had gone to a comfortable hotel on the other side of the island instead. Here, on an occasion where we were driven to the just-opened Cricketer’s Hotel at Yefira by a storm worthy of Zeus’s thunderbolt, it was to find beds as cold and wet as the path we’d turned back from. Early Easter then too, and the students offered a special rate by hotels in Corfu to warm up tourist beds in advance of “to saison” [the season] hadn’t appeared yet.

It’s turning into evening, on this day that’s not like others after all. The first sighting of the sea far below is as strange and wonderful as we’ve been expecting, blue that turns to Homer’s wine-dark in one long swathe of colour as it sweeps under the cliff where our house can just be glimpsed, the red-tiled roof like a child’s drawing. Along with the sheer drop on the left hand side of the adventurous road, it quite takes the breath away. “The poles have been placed there”, my mother notes with approval, as we look at what appear to be giant knitting needles positioned alongside the drop. “That’ll make it all much better, I’m sure”.

To take our minds off the shock of seeing familiar landmarks totally altered by the positioning of this brave new road, we discuss the times we’ve returned to Rovinia before, to be greeted by Maria’s stories of those who rented our house in the heat of high summer. “The Barone is a kalos anthropos [a good man]“, Maria had declared the year before, and it had taken a little time to realise that the person she referred to had actually been the Duke of Kent. Why he liked to be known as a Barone we never knew.

“His wife was unhappy that the boat had no canopy”, Maria had gone on. We all knew it could reach 40C in August, and a guilty silence followed this particular recollection. Our little blue and yellow boat, made ready each summer by Thodoros for trips down the west coast, was still without a canvas roofing. Thodoros would go out fishing for hours on end in the hottest weather, as we all reminded ourselves, but then he wasn’t the Duchess of Kent. This time, we vow, we won’t forget to have an awning made up in the town. “The Barone had only four toes”, Maria had gone on recklessly. But this assertion even her most credulous listeners refused to entertain.

By the time we’ve stared out at the sea and swapped tales from Maria’s repertoire, how John Barrymore rented Rovinia and danced with her in the kitchen, how the rich American woman started on the gin at 9am and was joined by her husband an hour later on whisky, every day of their visit, we’re in the last stretch of the new road. We climb from Tasso’s taxi and make our way down the tall, mosaic-pebble steps to the terrace. It’s so early in the year that the vine over the path leading to the back door has only tendrils of a piercing bright green. Evening falls, as it does seem literally to do in Greece, one minute the sky is the colour of the blue door where Maria stands, arms outstretched in greeting, and the next it’s so dark you can’t see. Lights go on, shining on the rough walkways as we go down. A new type of cat, pale ginger and white, a Corfiot bird-hunter as we are to discover, comes out to meet us, followed by a grey-striped companion and then more. The moon is suddenly visible, high in the sky. We are here.

 Rovinia House enjoys a fabulous position above the beach.

Rovinia today is much as it was when it was built in the mid-1960s, a white, blue-shuttered house, with three bedrooms upstairs and a long, white room downstairs with a vaulted ceiling. The floor tiles aren’t shiny but a pale matt rose, and all those years ago when they went down looked as though they were about to crumble to dust, but never have. There’s a guest wing, which isn’t a wing at all, for to get to it involves walking down a narrow path bordered at this time of year with pink and white cistus, two kinds of broom and gorse, and wildflowers that succeed each other in waves: speedwell, mallow, asphodel and orchid.

The “wing” can be frightening for those who don’t relish the Corfu thunder and lightning when it comes, or the crash of waves, for the sea is directly below. A porcupine’s nose of sharp, scaly rock juts out beyond the wing and descends steeply into an ultramarine ocean, for it’s deep here, out beyond the beach. Tim and I often choose to sleep in the wing, but at Easter it can feel as if the weather has come too close for comfort and, if a window has been left open, it takes ages for the beds, without the necessary influx of students, to dry out.

Behind the house are two buildings, a studio where my father painted through the last 18 years of his life, and the house where Maria and Thodoros live, which looks out on my mother’s sunken garden, all white with syringa, canna lilies, white roses and lemon blossom. The place has become so overgrown now, almost four decades since the side of the hill was hacked out to make foundations for the house, that it’s hard even to see the different houses. Walls are covered by jasmine or roses, vines are trained on trellises and will yield Muscat and strawberry grapes when summer comes. Only at this time of year, when the figs are putting out tiny emerald leaves and the irises are not yet swallowed by long grass, can the original shape of the house be seen.

Today is our first day at Rovinia for nine months and we’ve chosen to sleep in the spare bedroom in the main house rather than risk the wing. Because of this, when we wake we see from out of the window the astonishing change that has taken place on the beach, and we find we’re running down there to check that something magical and surprising has really happened at Rovinia, as it so often seems to do. Last year the torrent came down the riverbed in one great swoosh, bringing with it a mass of old tins and masonry and a brown stain which spread out into the sea for days.

What can have happened now, when only last June we were expressing disbelief and horror at the swathe cut in the lovely beach by the sheer volume of water that had descended on it, cutting a new, and not very beautiful, landscape from earth and sand and shingle. How can the sea have come up to meet the new estuary formed by last year’s disaster and made it all anew? “It’s incredible!” we say as we race down the steps, not even looking out to see if today’s wonderfully unseasonal bright sun has brought an asp or an adder, eager to warm itself, on to the steps. “It’s created the perfect beach!”

Maria and my mother are there before us and we stand in silence on sand as soft and golden as a film set. Where once there had been a great deal more pebbles than sand, and that gritty, good for children’s mud pies type of sand, but uncomfortable for swimmer and sunbather, there is a holiday brochure vision, a real sandy beach stretching politely down to turquoise water. “It couldn’t have been brought here for tourists now there’s a road down to Rovinia, could it?” we joke.

It’s impossible to know how many winter tempests changed the course of our beach. But the sight of little Spiro, grandson of Maria and Thodoros, as he wanders in quiet bliss on the sand makes the question seem unimportant. “Let’s go up to the taverna on the hill near Skripero“, I suggest, when Spiro begins to ask for his father Nicos, who with his wife, Dimitroula, runs the Paradise Taverna a half hour’s drive away. “We haven’t a car”, Tim points out. Yet, as if the new beach and the glorious feeling of a new spring had filled everyone with life’s possibilities, Maria points out that her son, Nicos, is coming down here anyway. “He has a lovely car and will take us all up to Paradise”.

In this latest visit to Rovinia, what stands out most is the way the island is changing, thanks to tourism, and how some of the changes, contrary to received opinion, actually improve the way life is lived here, for residents and visitors alike. The airport, once a series of dismal sheds with a sense of hopelessness induced by a frequently broken luggage carousel, and toilets which can only be described as old-style Greek, is now huge and gleaming. Leather seats make the obligatory passing of hours before the flight is called pleasant and far from the days of standing ankle-deep in discarded styrofoam and pistachio shells. In villages so remote they’re literally off the map, shops selling organic honey and halva have sprouted. And Soula, our local supermarket, has everything, from pegs and nails to Irish whiskey.

Of course, there are changes to our private paradise, too. The publication of “A House In Corfu” has caused readers to come down the new road to the house and explore Rovinia. Once the early spring of our arrival begins to turn to summer, more visitors will appear on the beach, and in our last visit, I found Thodoros gravely showing a young woman round the house. “She said she must see the rooms”, he explained. And my mother’s struggle in the government offices to obtain permission to buy a car was lessened by the sudden intervention of the policeman on duty there, who recognised the address and announced proudly that his English wife, Kate, was reading the book. None of this prevented another week’s wait, as the island had inexplicably run out of numberplates, making the car uncollectable. So, the olive grove and the lovely bay have entered the consciousness of many people. But the path down to the beach has always been open to fishermen and visitors alike.

Greek Easter comes at last, and with it the first swim, on May Day, in water where the sun makes threads of gold in the shifting blues and greens of the sea. How clean! How pure, and the weather is suddenly lovely too: “It’s the first Good Friday anyone can remember when the candles in the midnight procession weren’t blown out by the wind”, Maria says.

On the west coast of Corfu, it’s easy to forget the rest of the world altogether. So when a writer who is putting a cookbook together rings and asks if she can come over, we feel we’ve been cut off for so long that it would be good to meet a stranger. The day didn’t go well. As our road is hard to find, Tim went off to the Yefira road to guide Wendy, not her real name, and, at my insistence, took my mobile phone with him. Tim is a mobilophobe. When he was standing in the road, the phone rang and a persistent Londoner, not Wendy at all, kept demanding to speak to me. In his desire to get rid of her, Tim turned off the mobile and couldn’t turn it on again. An hour later, Wendy, who had indeed been lost, appeared, and by the time we all sat down to lunch, my mother wore a very old-fashioned look.

The first intimations of summer are gloriously here at last, and we sit out more often on the terrace. At lunch we enjoy Maria’s latest irresistible dish, “yemistes”, stuffed tomatoes and peppers which contain no meat, just a subtle amalgam of rice, thyme, rigani [the Greek oregano], stronger and sharper than the Italian version, and rosemary, all of which grow wild around us.

As the days lengthen, we take to evenings when to have a stiff drink laden with the mint that now grows happily here, is to salute the sea and the mountain known for its shape as the monkey’s head, as the sun goes down behind it. We go down more and more often to our new perfect beach, to test the water, which is suddenly warm, despite the Maestro wind which blows from the north and turns the sea the strongest blue of all. After swimming, we go up and sit in the little front terrace of the Nikterida, our local Liapades taverna, and look out at the vans and the old women with their donkeys as they go up the street, and the new generation of girls on Lambrettas pop-popping off to meet friends in the town. And we say to each other, as we so often have before, that after lunch we’ll walk all the way back to Rovinia. But it’s too tempting, now there’s a new road and a new car, to drive all the way home.

Corfu Banquet: A memoir with seasonal recipes by Emma Tennant > A memoir in the rhythm of the five seasons of Corfu, this book tells the stories of the house of Rovinia, built in the 1960s by Emma Tennant’s parents, of Maria, the “spirit of the house” and her knowledge and wisdom, and entwines recipes and original photographs with fond recollections.

the warmth and generosity of the Cypriot people and the island’s relaxed way of life makes the country a popular choice

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 3,572 square miles and is about 120 miles to the west of Syria and 500 miles to the east of Greece. Nicosia is the capital and the island’s largest city with a population of more than 200,000.

Since 1974, the northern third of the island has been occupied by Turkish forces and has formed a self-proclaimed and illegal separate [though internationally unrecognized] state. Although talks to resolve the situation have been held from time to time, Cyprus remains a divided island. A UN buffer zone, known as the “Green Line” currently separates the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.

The island has a typical Mediterranean climate. The summers are hot and dry and the cooler, rainy season extends from October to March. The average annual temperature is 21°C and the average annual rainfall is less than 500 millimetres. Summer temperatures in the inland capital of Nicosia can reach over 40 degrees Celsius while in the coastal regions they can reach a more modest 35 to 38 degrees.

Paphos is situated on the west coast of the island and is the site of the island’s second international airport. It is a resort town having a fishing harbour as its focal point next to the Paphos Fort. It has proved to be particularly popular with foreigners and much development continues to take place in and around the town and its nearby villages to satisfy the increasing demand for retirement, holiday, and investment properties.

Limassol is the island’s second largest city and is located on the south coast. It is the island’s main port, the centre of the wine industry, and a holiday resort. It hosts the island’s two top festivals, the pre-lent Carnival and the Wine Festival in late August to early September.

Larnaca is situated towards the eastern end of the island and is home to the island’s main international airport. It has a marina and its salt lake is home to colonies of flamingos and other migratory birds that visit Cyprus during the cooler months of the year. Its old-world charm and excellent transport links make it popular with many people seeking a home in the sun.

Ayia Napa is situated on the island’s east coast and was once a small fishing village. After the Turkish invasion it was redeveloped to become the largest resort area on the island with many hotels, shops, tavernas, discos and bars.

Nicosia is the capital city and it is, roughly, in the centre of the island and within easy reach of the main towns. Strong walls built by the Venetians in the 16th century encircle the ancient city centre through which runs part of the UN “Green Line”.

In complete contrast to the main towns and the capital city is the Troodos mountain range that stretches across the centre of the island. Capped with snow in the winter and covered with pine trees, the mountain areas of the Troodos provide a cool retreat from the hot summer sun. The area is popular for those wishing to enjoy the clear air, space and dramatic landscapes.

There are literally hundreds of villages scattered throughout the island. These vary in size from a few dozen houses to a thousand or more, some of which are literally miles from anywhere. In the more remote villages, the only people you are likely to see are your neighbours and perhaps the occasional lost tourist.

Property market > As well as being a prime holiday destination, Cyprus has become a popular place for people wishing to enjoy their retirement in the sun and for those buying holiday and investment property. After Spain and France, it is the most popular place for Britons seeking a place in the sun with more than 60,000 owning property on the island.

This popularity is due to many factors, including: the warmth and generosity of the Cypriot people, the relaxed way of life, the warm Mediterranean climate, the low levels of crime, the fact that most Cypriots are fluent in English and the lowest level of income tax in Europe.

Although the Cyprus Government controls the amount of property that can be legally owned by non-resident EU citizens and other foreigners, its popularity continues to grow. Currently, house prices in the Republic represent good value for money. They are approximately 20% lower than equivalent properties in Portugal, 30% lower than those in Spain and 50% lower than those in Italy and France.

Cyprus’ accession to the EU leads to the eventual removal of the restrictions placed on the foreign ownership of property. As well as further increasing demand by British sun-seekers, the removal of these restrictions should also increase demand from citizens of other EU member states. This will undoubtedly help to push up Cyprus property values.

With its strategic location in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus has been the crossroads between three continents from the time of Aphrodite. Cyprus was the first country visited by Apostle Paul on his mission to spread Christianity, and Crusaders stopped on their way to Jerusalem. Today, tourists enjoy the travel mosaic that is Cyprus, marveling at the sites of antiquity, exploring traditional country villages and basking by the Mediterranean Sea.

A HISTORICAL MOSAIC > People have been living the good life in Cyprus for centuries. The large, palatial House of Dionysus shows the level of wealth during the Roman era. It is so named because one of the many mosaics depicts Dionysus, the Greek ancient god of wine.

At the neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, dating back to 6,800 B.C., there are reconstructed round, stone huts that give evidence to a relatively sophisticated lifestyle at an even earlier time. Just as intriguing are the sites associated with Aphrodite, Venus in Roman mythology. At a breathtakingly beautiful spot on the Mediterranean coast between Limassol [Lemesos] and Paphos [Pafos] is where legend has it that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, emerged from the sea. West of Polis Chrysochous is the grotto Aphrodite used for secret trysts with her many lovers.

Cyprus is an open-air museum that will intrigue both the history buff and the causal tourist. The magnificent amphitheater at Kourion, the Tomb of Kings, Saint Paul’s Pillar, medieval castles and frescoed Byzantine churches are just part of the mosaic of the past. Currently, Cyprus has many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with other sites on the waiting list, plus new archaeological discoveries being unearthed on a regular basis.

A COASTAL MOSAIC > Exploring the antiquities is a perfect diversion for sun worshippers, but the beaches are the main draw. With 400 miles of coastline, there is a beach for everyone. Forty-nine of the country’s beaches have been awarded the exclusive Blue Flag, an eco-label given to beaches that maintain high environmental standards. Visitors can chose from campsites on the beach to tourist resorts to temples of luxury that would please Aphrodite.

Resorts are truly full-service, offering a plethora of watersports, golf, hiking, biking, diving, horse riding, tennis courts, spas and even skiing. At certain times of the year it is possible to ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon and spend the night at the disco. All resorts are close to one of the coastal cities, which offer shopping, museums, dining and theme parks.

Keeping in mind that Aphrodite is the goddess of love and Cyprus is where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria in the 12th century, Cyprus ranks high on the list of the world’s most popular destinations for weddings and honeymoons. Luxury resorts like Aphrodite Hills, Le Meridien and Anassa have on-site chapels, plus there is an abundance of churches with exquisite Byzantine artwork that make a perfect setting for a wedding.

A PASTORAL MOSAIC > Visitors looking for respite from the beach or city can relish the gentle pace of life in the countryside. Only an hour away from any part of the island, the Troodos Mountains, home to Mount Olympus and at 6,400 feet the highest point on the island, are home to painted Byzantine churches listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Plus there are traditional villages with cobbled streets to wander, wine tasting at vineyards and serenity that is seldom found in today’s manic world. Cyprus has an agrotourism program that encourages restoration of traditional houses, making them fully equipped to receive guests. It is a great way to get in harmony with Cypriot lifestyle, stop to smell the jasmine, enjoy the nature trails, visit historical monasteries and chat with the locals at the local taverna.

A CAPITAL MOSAIC > Dating back 1,000 years, the capital Nicosia [Lefkosia] is both old and new. It is the commercial and business heart of the country. Located in the middle of the island, the city was once enclosed by a star-shaped Venetian fortress and moat. The moat is often the site of concerts and the old city is a restored pedestrian area with shops and restaurants.

The mosaic of Lefkosia is comprised of palm tree-lined streets, modern shops, mosques, beautiful frescos in Saint John’s Cathedral, a Museum with Byzantine icons and the must-see Cyprus Museum. The Museum has the best collection of archaeological artifacts, including terra cotta figures that predate those in China and the sublimely beautiful, 2,000-year-old statue of Aphrodite. At the Handicraft Center, the artistic heritage is preserved and promoted by bringing craftsmen together in one location. Visitors can watch artisans weaving, producing leather articles, fashioning pottery and creating other traditional items, plus purchase authentic items from the shop.

A GASTRONOMIC MOSAIC > With its crossroads position in the Mediterranean, Cypriots have added an exotic flavor to their cuisine, creating a unique dining experience. The best way to sample the mosaic of Cypriot food is with a meze, which means “little delicacies”. Meze is a meal of as many as 30 small plates of food, from savory dips and vegetables to a wide range of fish and meat dishes. It is enjoyed “siga, siga” [slowly, slowly], taking time to savor such delectable dishes as octopus in red wine, traditional grilled cheese, smoked sausages and other dishes served with salad, fresh baked bread and wine.

Pharaohs consumed them and King Solomon waxed lyrical about Cypriot wines. Commandaria is considered the oldest named wine, dating to the 12th century. Wine enthusiasts will love Cyprus, where wine making goes back to 2000 B.C. There are winery tours and annual festivals plus a Wine Museum near Lemesos (Limassol).

EXPLORE THE MOSAICS > Out of all the islands of the Mediterranean, it is no surprise that Aphrodite chose to live on Cyprus. Today, European vacationers often return to Cyprus to retire. For such a small island country, there is something in the mosaic of Cyprus to tickle the fancy of every visitor.

IF YOU GO > Cyprus is a tourist-friendly, four-season destination, where English is widely spoken and excellent roads make it easy to get around, keeping in mind that driving is on the left.

For more information, visit www.visitcyprus.org.cy

With a dry sunny climate and surrounded by clear blue water, it is easy to see why Cyprus holidays have become so popular with tourists. The impressive modern hotels of the coastal resorts take nothing from the beauty of the Arcadian ruins and historic monasteries and castles that lie beyond them, just waiting to be explored.

Legend has it that Cyprus was where the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, rose from the sea, a romantic notion not lost on the many honeymooning couples that visit this enchanting place each year. Families and groups of friends enjoy holidays to Cyprus in equal measure. Holidays to Paphos and Limassol are perfect for families and couples alike, whilst Ayia Napa holidays attract a big party crowd.

The costal regions are where most people spend their time in Cyprus, and little wonder with the glorious beaches and fantastic Cyprus weather coupled with the amenities of the resort hotels. But further inland a holiday to Cyprus has just as much to offer. In the capital Nicosia, also called Lefkosia, you can capture an authentic taste of Cyprus and mingle with the friendly Cypriot locals. Visit the old wine producing villages and traverse the cosy winding streets or explore the Greek Orthodox Churches nestled in the hills, with impressive Byzantine frescoes on their grand walls.

Cyprus is a truly remarkable island and a Cyprus holiday is diverse enough to cater for anyone seeking relaxing beaches and cultural excursions, especially in popular towns such as Paphos and Limassol. Cyprus holidays can also promise lively bars and vibrant nightlife in the clubbing Mecca of Ayia Napa. The warm seas and excellent beaches around Ayia Napa are a big attraction of many Cyprus holidays and you can find elements of the island’s history and culture in the area. However, most Ayia Napa holidays are aimed at enjoying the lively party atmosphere of the numerous bars and clubs that are scattered throughout the town. Thousands of revellers descend upon Ayia Napa every year for the sun, sea, sand and nightlife.

Another attraction of Ayia Napa is the fantastic opportunities for shopping at discount prices for designer clothes and jewellery, electrical goods and local handicrafts. From the numerous blue flag beaches there’s ample opportunity to enjoy the warmth of the Mediterranean Sea with waterskiing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and more, all available to help you make the most of your Cyprus holiday. Cyprus is the perfect place for your holiday!

The resort of Ayia Napa is in the southeast of Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Ayia Napa holidays are known to have one of the most vibrant party atmospheres in the Med, thanks to a fantastic array of nightlife, with nightclubs attracting top international DJ’s and a seemingly endless choice of venues. But there is much more to holidays in Ayia Napa than bars, discos and busy nightclubs. The soft golden sand of Ayia Napa’s main beach, known as Grecian Bay, is washed by warm turquoise water and there are plenty of water sports available if you prefer to keep busy rather than simply stretch out on the sand. In addition to the beach at Ayia Napa there are numerous other beaches to choose from along the coast including some nice secluded coves.

The attractive old quarter of Ayia Napa town features narrow cobbled streets and little shops where you can pick up a few souvenirs such as traditional leather goods, pottery or lace. Much like the bar scene, Ayia Napa give you plenty of restaurants to choose from, serving all kinds of tasty dishes. In addition to the Greek cuisine you will find a whole host of international food on offer. Although Ayia Napa holidays have a reputation for attracting younger crowds, there is plenty of choice for everyone. Couples and families can also enjoy quieter areas of Ayia Napa such as Nissi beach and there are all kinds of things to keep everyone entertained including a golf driving range, bowling, karting, mini-golf and a water park.

Paphos is a city on the southwest coast of Cyprus. The origins of Paphos date back well over 3000 years and the town is built on the site where it is said that the Greek Goddess Aphrodite was born. Just 9 miles from the nearest airport, Paphos holidays are becoming increasingly popular as the resort gradually expands around the picturesque mediaeval port. There are more and more luxury hotels and first class apartments springing up in Paphos to provide accommodation for the increasing number of visitors that come to enjoy the lively seafront atmosphere of holidays in Paphos. Paphos has plenty of bars, discos and traditional tavernas to enjoy and some charming cafés. Further inland the town slopes up a hill where you can stroll through its narrow lanes to browse the boutiques and craft shops. There are a number of beaches around Paphos and a series of rocky coves. About 5 miles north of Paphos, Coral Bay is a very popular sandy beach and there is a bus service to get you there.

A Paphos holiday will have no shortage of water sports available including scuba diving, jet skiing, snorkeling and parasailing. Children of all ages can enjoy the water park nearby. Holidays in Paphos can also offer some extraordinary places of cultural heritage. Just a mile north of the town The Tomb of the Kings is the final resting place of a group of aristocrats that lived in Paphos in Biblical times and features Doric pillars carved out of the solid rock and remarkable frescoed walls. With a vibrant nightlife and lots of things to see and do Paphos holidays have a great deal to offer for families and couples alike.

For more information visit > Cyprus Tourism Organisation > www.visitcyprus.org.cy

Virgin Vacations recently announced its Greece Vacations programme making it even more affordable to visit this popular hotspot. “Ever since I studied the ancient Greeks in school, I have wanted to visit this intriguing country. When I heard about Virgin’s Greece Supersale, I jumped at the opportunity to finally see the land that has given us the Acropolis and Olympia” states Drew Jones.

There are many and different comprehensive Greek vacation packages now on sale from Virgin Vacations. One might consider planning a spring or summer vacation to the Greek islands with Virgin’s Greek Island package taking travelers to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini among other. The Greek Island package features roundtrip flight, all transfers, hotel accommodations, ferry service and continental breakfast daily. The Athens special package provides an opportunity to explore the wonders of ancient Greece and will intrigue those interested in Greek history. This package includes roundtrip flight, hotel accommodations and continental breakfast daily.

Check out all of the online specials and details, and book your next Virgin Vacation at www.virgin-vacations.com or through their reservation center by calling 1-888-YES-VIRGIN (1-888-937-8474).

• Family holidays in the quality and comfort of luxurious hotels on the islands and in the mainland.
• Romantic sunsets on cosmopolitan or virginal islands.
• Rivers and gorges for extreme sports.
• International class hotels for professional conferences.

Greece is a highly evolved tourist destination to fit into every dream of the traveller.

Pleasant Mediterranean climate, ample sunshine for the best part of the year and warm people are only a few of the features that make holidays in Greece an unforgettable experience and visitors faithful friends of the country.

The blue skies and seas along with the famous warm Greek hospitality accompany the traveller everywhere > from picturesque seaside villages to verdant hamlets in the mountains.

The History of the country stretches back for thousands of years and the glory of a great civilization is still visible in magnificent palaces, ancient temples, churches and monasteries clinging to steep bare cliffs.

Charming villages, colourful trees and immensely attractive journeys compose a welcoming prelude to numerous extraordinary destinations. The lakes and wetlands of Nestos, remote and tranquil Kastelorizo island, magnificent Crete, picturesque Kastoria town, traditional Zagoria villages, splendid Corfu, unspoilt islands in the Cyclades, too many inviting unique places to discover and explore in one visit.

There is always a come back to this small country of great people. We look forward in Welcoming you back!

Greece has a huge range of accommodation and flights to suit all tastes and getting married there is far less bureaucratic than many other shorthaul destinations, such as Italy and Spain. Weddings for UK residents take place in selected hotels or local town halls throughout mainland Greece and the islands. Relatives on a budget could keep costs down by booking a cheap two-week package near to the wedding venue, or booking a low-cost carrier and staying at a local bed and breakfast or hostel. Easyjet, for example, flies to Athens, from where it’s easy to get a ferry out to the islands.

Even if the guests are travelling independently, you should stick to a tour operator who will take the hassle out of organising the wedding itself, try a company like Planet Holidays.

Related Links >
http://www.easyjet.co.uk

http://www.planetholidays.com

Peloponnese > One of my favorite day trips takes me south to Peloponnese, on a circular drive that starts on E92, the new National road from Athens toward Corinth and Tripoli, to Mycenae [about two hours driving from Athens], then on to nearby Argos and Nafplio, named Greece’s first capital in 1827, after the formation of the Greek State. If I manage to get out of the house early enough, I might continue on to the ancient theater at Epidavros and return to Athens on the old National road, known as the Palaia Ethniki Odos, which winds up the eastern coast of the Peloponnese. This is a relatively long day trip, count on 12 or 14 hours.

I hadn’t been latetly to ancient Mycenae, and I set out on a recent excursion. The trip couldn’t have been more timely, as having seen, again, on DVD, the Hollywood version of “Troy”, was surprised by the quiet grandeur of the place. I tried to separate the movie’s images from the real-life remnants and to envision the Palace, its legendary gold and Mycenae’s most famous King, Agamemnon, who laid siege to Troy. The most striking thing about the ancient site, which Heinrich Schliemann, the 19th-century German amateur archaeologist, unearthed in a mere 14 weeks, is how at first it seems both unimpressive and enigmatic. After walking through the well-preserved Lion Gate and encountering a large circular stone wall, which took us a few seconds to realize was a tomb, I followed the pathway up to the Palace and marveled at the panoramic view. The site, roughly 200 by 300 yards, takes a good hour to explore and a trip to the Museum another 40 minutes or so. I walked around the remnants of tiny ancient domiciles and noticed the pathways that joined them, streets through a 2,000-year-old neighborhood. The tombs, although huge, were less impressive, perhaps because all that had been found in them had long been removed.

I left Mycenae for nearby Argos around noon, heading along winding back roads, past apricot and orange groves on a route that offers a glimpse of sleepy, modern Greek agricultural villages. About six miles from Mycenae, I arrived at Argos, a city that had its glory days in the end of the 4th century B.C. Argos is noted for an unusual ancient theater built into the side of a hill and a strange 3,000-year-old pyramid on its outskirts.

My goal on this sunny June day was simply to pass through the ruins and reach the small winery nearby, owned by a sister and brother, Kallie and Antony Papantoni, and to sample their light, pleasant red wine, “Myden Agan” [Nothing to Excess], which is produced from the local grape varietal, Agiorgitiko. The winery is one of several in Argos. A tour through the production facilities, aging and tasting rooms is short and easy. Kallie Papantoni poured us glasses from several recent vintages and offered a much welcome meze of cheese and bread. She suggested that I head for lunch at Balamis, a nearby fish taverna in the seaside village of Nea Kios. I was there on a Sunday, and the place was abuzz with local families out for their midday meal.

From there the drive to Nafplio, arguably Greece’s most beautiful city, is about 10 minutes, and I arrived in the middle of the afternoon, to wander about and eventually sit in the town square to enjoy that most Mediterranean of triathlons, chatting, sipping frappe coffee and people-watching. There are some fabulous small Museums in Nafplio, especially the Folklore Museum, which has one of the finest collections of Greek costumes in the country. Several small galleries display the works of modern Greek artists. A favorite pastime for residents is taking a long walk around the Palamidi, the town’s acropolis, on which sits the old Venetian Castle with its 999 steps.

Nafplio is appreciated today more for its relatively recent history than its ancient past. An hour or two’s stroll through the city reveals the almost palpable 17th and 18th century presence of the Venetians and Ottomans, evinced in the town’s architecture, to its seminal role as Greece’s first capital, with a Constitution Square and streets named after the heroes of the Greek War of Independence. It is also a major tourist attraction, especially for Athenian weekenders, so there is no dearth of shops filled with everything from baubles to arts and crafts.

Mesogeia-Sounion, Attica area > On leisurely weekends I like to go for a drive in Attica, the province in which Athens is situated. The roads have changed quite a lot, an example is the road from Spata to Koropi. I set off on a Saturday morning with a friend and art lover toward the Vorres Museum in Paiania, then on to Vravrona, a lovely ancient temple dedicated to Artemis, and finally, on the main inland road, on to the temple of Poseidon at Sounion. We came back again along the coast, with stops for the beach, lunch at a local taverna and an afternoon coffee along the water.

The Vorres Museum displays one of the best private collections of contemporary Greek art in the country. The Vorres House, which is open to the public, is a paean to all things gorgeous and Greek, from hand-woven rugs and old farm gear to 18th and 19th century furnishings, vases, plates and prints. It’s almost worth the trip just to stroll through the Museum’s well-tended garden and sit with a coffee at the small cafe in the inner courtyard.

Vravrona is about 6 Km away, and the drive itself gives a good glimpse of past and present in Attica, especially as vineyards have slowly given way to development. There are still plenty of wineries here, though, and one could almost make a day out of visiting them. One of the area’s principal wineries, the Vassiliou Estate, is on the way to Sounion, in the town of Koropi. Another winery, Katogi and Strofilia, is a little farther along, in Anavyssos, not too far from the old city of Lavrio, which might be worth a stop for anyone interested in mining, since Lavrio was an ancient silver-mining town and port. There is even a modest Mineralogical Museum and Caltural Centre.

Sounion, though, is the ultimate destination on this day’s excursion. The Temple of Poseidon sits majestically on a cliff overlooking the Saronic Gulf. Although the temple is regal at any hour of the day, the time to be here is at sunset. You can no longer enter the temple although you can climb up to it and walk all around it, as we used to do when I was a teenager and Sounion was our destination for evening swims. There are also dozens of small coves along the coast where you can swim.

I recommend driving back to Athens via the coastal road, which turns into Poseidon Avenue. There are several places to stop, some exceedingly chic and pricey, such as the Cape Sounion Hotel, and the Grand Resort Lagonissi, where you can swim or enjoy a meal or coffee if you are willing to pay a big fee just to get onto the property. I usually opt for one of the local tavernas for lunch and head a little farther down to the narrow peninsula of Vouliagmeni for coffee. Or farther down the coast in the direction of Athens is one of the area’s hip cafe-club-restaurants, Bebek.

Hydra island > When I want a quick and quiet getaway, with no driving and just the right balance of peace and cosmopolitan buzz, I head to Hydra, one of the quaintest islands in the Saronic Gulf and a mere hour and a half by Flying Dolphin hydrofoil from the port of Piraeus. On a recent Sunday, a friend of mine and I went there, setting out around 8 a.m. and returning at 9 p.m., for a day that included everything from a donkey ride for the kids, a little culture, a lot of beach and ice cream overlooking that ubiquitous Greek sea. There are no cars on Hydra, and islanders still use donkeys. The island is great for walking, although it gets crowded, even on weekdays.

We spent some time in the port of Hydra, bobbed on donkeys, with an aim to wander through its narrow cobblestone streets and into one or two of its historic houses. Hydra is known for its great maritime tradition. Much of the fleet used during the Greek War of Independence was owned by Hydraioi, and some of the biggest ship-owning families in Greece have their roots here.

The city of Hydra is on the northern coast of the island. One of the loveliest places to dine, with cannons jutting from the walls to the sea, and to view sunsets, is at the aptly named Sunset Café, a short walk along the quay in the direction of Kamini beach. The island’s main Monastery, Assumption of the Virgin Mary, or the Historical Archives Museum, which houses a good collection of relics from the Balkan Wars and both World Wars, will please the historians. I like looking at grand old houses, and in Hydra there are a number of them. My favorite is the mansion that belonged to Lazaros Kountouriotis, a member of one of the island’s old ship-owning families, with its well-kept collection of island furniture and textiles.

By noon, we were growing testy, hungry and eager to swim. We stopped for a light lunch of Greek salad and pastitsio at a small taverna called To Steki, on a narrow cobblestone street lined with bougainvillea and geraniums and then walked over to the port, about three minutes away, where we hired a water taxi that took us along the island’s northern coast to its farthest beach, Agios Nikolaos. The ride was not cheap, it cost us about 140 euro, but there are also scheduled public water taxis that will take you there for much less. We missed the last one and so set out independently. It was worth it. The ride along Hydra’s barren but beautiful coast brought us to a beach where we sat alone for most of the afternoon, surrounded by pines and swimming in the crystalline waters. At around 7 p.m., the taxi returned for us. We enjoyed our last hour before the hydrofoil took us back to Athens by savoring the view from a small cafe called Spilia, where we treated ourselves to an ouzo and meze and a enjoyed few scoops of lemony Greek granita.

In Peloponnese >

• Mycenae Archaeological Site, tel 27510 76585, is open year round. Admission is about 12 euro.
• There is a shop at the arrivals terminal at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport called the Attican Wine Producers Association that has a map called Wine Roads of Attica, the organization also has a web site, www.enoaa.gr, with addresses of wineries and a map.
• The Papantoni Winery, 48 Kanari Street, Argos, tel 27510 23620, is open daily.
• Balsamis Taverna, in Nea Kios, is open for open lunch and dinner every day. Dinner for two with wine is about 50 euro.

In Mesogeia-Sounion, Attica >

• Vorres Museum, Paiania, Attica, tel 210 6642520, is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekdays by appointment. Admission is about 7 euro.
• Grand Resort Lagonissi, 40th Kilometer, Athens-Sounion Road, Lagonissi, tel 22910 76000. There is an entry fee, 50 euro on weekdays and 75 euro on weekends, that includes use of the pool. Lunch at poolside is about 80 euro for two, and there are several restaurants.
• Bebek, 3 Poseidonos Avenue, Kalamaki, tel 210 9813950. A meal for two with wine is about 150 euro, but you can snack for less.
• Vassiliou Estate Winery, at the 26th kilometer on Avenue Lavriou in Koropi, tel 210 6626870, is open on weekdays, on weekends by appointment only.
• Katogi and Strofilia Winery, at Patitiria in Anavyssos, tel 22910 41650, is open weekdays, on weekends by appointment only.

Hydra island >

• Flying Dolphin hydrofoil, Piraeus, tel 210 4199000. The 90-minute trip from Piraeus costs about 25 to 50 euro.
• Historical Archives Museum, Hydra, tel 22980 52355, is open daily in summer. Admission is about 5 euro.
• Sunset Cafe, Hydra, tel 22980 52067. A meal for two with wine is about 90 euro.
• Spilia Café, Hydra, tel 22980 54166, is open late March through October.

Monemvasia, East Peloponnese > Medieval walls surround a honeycomb of ruins and narrow lanes, the remains of a Venetian fortified city, it’s where Malmsey wine came from. Stay in one of the restored merchant’s houses.

Aigiali, Amorgos island > A crescent of sand slopes into a shallow, warm bay beneath a cluster of white villages on arid Cycladic hills. An ideal beach for small children. The most exciting thing that happens is the arrival of the daily ferry.

Armenistis, Ikaria island > One of the best-kept secret beaches in the Aegean, with super walking inland through wooded gorges and bracken-covered plateaus covered with weird rock formations. Getting there is an adventure, but worth it.

Dion, Macedonia > Still being excavated, this Roman-Greek sacred city overlooked by Mount Olympus is little visited, you may have the site all to yourself.

Zagoria Villages > Wild mountain country where lammergeier vultures soar, great walking through gorges and some of Greece’s highest mountains, pretty upland villages.

Pilion > This lush green peninsula on the east coast of the mainland looks more like the Caribbean than Greece. White pebble beaches, turquoise water, woods and streams make it great walking or lazing territory.

Loutro, Crete island > This former ghost village on the southwest coast of Crete can be reached only on foot or by boat. Dramatic cliffs, with small pebble beaches nearby, it seems much more remote than it really is.

Kithira island > Undiscovered island just off the southern tip of the Peloponnese with a ruined Venetian Castle, a dazzlingly pretty white village, and tiny pebble beaches.

Koukounaries, Skiathos island > Probably the best sandy beach in Greece and certainly the best for a family package holiday.