Blue Electra, Kapparis, Protaras, South East Cyprus
· Watch the sun set over Aphrodite's Rock
· See the flamingos in Larnaca's beautiful salt lake
· Delve deep into history at the Tombs of the Kings and mosaics in Paphos
· Relax on one of the many beautiful sandy beaches
· Dance to the sounds of world-famous DJs in one of Ayia Napa's celebrated clubs
Try Water World in Ayia Napa (claims to be the largest themed waterpark in Europe) http://www.waterworldwaterpark.com/ We loved it !
ABOUT THE REGION
Paralimni is
the largest town in the free Famagusta
district and is situated in the southeast of Cyprus. The word Paralimni means
"settlement by the lake". Historically, Paralimni was built on the shores of a
shallow lake, which filled with water only in the wintertime.
Not far from Paralimni, at a location known today as Protaras, stood the old
city-state of Leukolla. The city possessed a small safe harbour where the
Athenian Demetrius Poliorketes in the year 306 B.C. sought refuge, lying in wait
for Ptolemeos, one of the successors of Alexander the Great. In the ensuing
battle Ptolemeos was defeated and fled to Egypt, leaving Cyprus for a while in
the hands of Demetrius. The first inhabitants of Paralimni were farmers. The
location of Paralimni is favoured by a very mild climate which is conducive to
the early-in-the year produce of vegetables and potatoes. Paralimni has lovely
beaches and the most well known in the area is Fig Tree Bay in Protaras area.
PROTARAS AREA
Protaras, the tourist area of Paralimni, is one of the loveliest areas of Cyprus extending along the eastern coast of Paralimni. To be precise, Protaras is the name of a picturesque bay with crystal-clear waters, white-gold sand and a small island about 100 metres from the beach. This bay is known to foreigners as the Fig Tree Bay. In recent years, due to its rapid development, the whole tourist area of Paralimni Municipality has been called Protaras. This extends for approximately 10 kilometres beginning in the north in the Kapparis locality and ending in the south in the Konnos area. Other areas along this coast are the Ayia Triada bay, Vrysoythkia bay, Pernera bay, the islands and others. This area was, and still is, the most productive region of Paralimni. Hundreds of windmills there testify to the productivity of the past half century whilst affording quaint, nostalgic as well as tranquil beauty to the landscape of today. On the magnificent beaches, attractive centres have been in operation for many years, opening only during the summer months and drawing quite a large clientele from Famagusta and the villages nearby. The situation continued until 1974 when the Turkish invasion caused a stagnation in the area which lasted for a number of years. The rapid development began around 1977 when the first hotels and tourists apartments began to make this appearance. A healthy construction boom began and continued to the present time. Now, many Nicosians have built their country homes here and many others have purchased apartments in large complexes, many of which are being built annually.
BEACHES
Endless sandy
beaches, secluded coves and wide bays set the scene in this attractive sun laden
sandy seaside resort where lively sea sports play out across the horizon almost
year round. The coves are great for snorkelling and diving and the wide bays are
conducive to windsurfing in safety. Sailing, parachuting, waterskiing and jet
skiing are all daily colourful activity. The crystal clear Mediterranean waters
offer sunbathers and swimmers virtual paradise inviting delight. Recreational
facilities make Agia Napa a complete family holiday centre inclusive of all the
leisure trimmings. The coastline offers calm, transparent waters in which to
make the most of sea and water sports while on holiday. Local beaches are
usually lifeguard supervised and Blue Flag rated for service quality conditions.
Some of the largest resorts cater to guests with special interests, such as
ecology, diving or sailing.
PALACES
One
of the most intriguing landmarks of Agia Napa is known as the Palaces. Situated
between Kermia Beach and Cape Greco, the Palaces are actually an original rock
formation which, over the time, has been miraculously sculpted by the waves of
the sea. It is not an architectural work, as may, on initial sight be perceived.
A spectacular sight where swimmers dive off the rocks into the crystal clear
waters, the Palaces can only be reached by boat.
CAPE GRECO
The magnificent beauty of che mountain sea cliffs combined with the indigenous
flora of Cape
Greco is impressive. Annuals and perennials, bulbs and tuberous, assure almost
year round flowers and lovely aromas.
Varieties of Colchicum, Narcissus, and others also enrich the beauty of the
area. Also unique are the seashore plant communities with mainly summer
flowering species doing very well despite the salinity of the soil, the aridity
and the high temperatures of the summer. Some of these species are Limonious
sinuatum and Limonioum deifolium, Crithmum maritimum and the rare endemic
Taraxacum aphrogenes, growing exclusively in Cyprus.
Cut away into ten-metre sea - cliffs are caves which nature has adorned with
palatial trimmings. Benches allow the opportunity to rest and gaze down into
crystal clear waters. For those more ambitious, there's a further 100 metre
climb that leads to the central depression. Excavations in 1992 revealed
evidence that this site was one of the earliest Neolithic settlements on the
island.
UNDERWATER KINGDOMS
The
Paralimni seabed is a wondrous world in and of itself especially in the area of
Cape Greco. The sea temperatures, which range from about I6C in winter to about
28C in summer, forms a thermocline at a depth of 20-30 metres.
The presence of a thermocline has significant effects on the vertical
distribution of marine life. The richest areas in terms of quality and variety
of life are below the depth of the thermocline during the summer. To the
underwater visitor the bottom fauna in the shallow waters of Cape Greco may
initially seem somewhat disappointing but one quickly discovers the many hidden
sea creatures, which are indigenous to the area. Many bury themselves in the
sand like several species of sand urchin and starfish, the Souries and the
occasional spectacular Flying Gurnard. In the shallow rocky areas the common
fish are Peacock and Rainbow Wrasses. Two-banded Bream (Haradjida), blennies,
gobbies and small parrotfish. Near rocks small groups of bearded Red Mullets (barpouni)
stir up the sand for tiny shrimp.
Deeper down the Pasidonia meadows provide a characteristic Mediterranean
seascape. In these sometimes extensive meadows, fish fife is rich and varied
including small wrasses, bream, sea perches, groupers and the odd Bullnose Ray.
DIVING
Scuba
diving... You've always dreamed of trying it. Now you can. Take advantage of the
excellent Cyprus weather where one of the longest dive holiday climates in the
world is on offer. The waters surrounding the island are warm and clear with
even tides and visibility reaching 30-40 metres. If you have never dived before,
Cyprus is a wonderful place to experience the initial exhilaration of the
underwater world. In safe conditions and under professional supervision, learn
the basics of breathing underwater; visit the underwater remains of ancient
archaeological ruins and explore rock gardens encapsulated in sponge.
PROTARAS AQUARIUM
Wish to read more, check out the encyclopaedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus