Elysium coverage[1]
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Travel compass.greatbritishlife.co.uk 55 THE ESSENTIALS: • Elizabeth travelled to Paphos with Easyjet from Gatwick, www.easyjet.com. Chartered flights to Paphos are also available from Bournemouth airport with Thomson Airways, www.thomson.co.uk • Elizabeth stayed at the Elysium, a member of Great Hotels of the World, 020 7380 3658, www.ghotw.com/elysium-beach from its open kitchen. Herbs and vegetables are grown on land adjacent to the hotel ensuring that the daily delivery is fresh from picking. Away from the hotel, we found the local sights and monuments equally impressive. Saints Paul and Barnabas were among the early missionaries to Cyprus. The Roman Governor Proconsul Sergius Paulus made Cyprus the first country to be converted to early Christianity with freedom to worship from 313AD. Cyprus continues to have a deeply religious feel and relics are plentiful: from St Paul’s whipping post outside Panagia Chrysopolitissa Church, where he was punished for preaching, to tiny monasteries high up in the hills where chanting rings out into the surrounding countryside, One of our favourite visits was to the charming Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery and winery in Panagia, where wine has been made from local grapes for centuries. Potted flowers and herbs line the walkways with the monastery chapel awash with gold. Icons feature widely in Cypriot churches and, scattered across the island, even the tiniest are rich in historic images of Christ and his saints. Paphos has a number of great archaeological sites to visit. The ancient Tombs of The Kings, adjacent to the Elysium, provide cavernous relics from the days when Cyprus’ great rulers were buried in style before returning to the underworld. Their intricate honeycomb structure carved into sheer rock was also a hiding place for persecuted Christians, and you can climb down into the maze of interconnecting tombs to explore them for yourself. Nearby Kato Paphos Archaeological Park includes relics from prehistoric times as well as the remains of spectacular Roman villas, their mosaic floor coverings as vivid as they were when they were first laid. The Odeon Theatre, a stone structure still used as it was in ancient times, now hosts outdoor concerts, plays and games, while the ruins of a 13th century castle provide a scenic walk as the sun sets at dusk. Eating out in Cyprus is a wonderful mix of Mediterranean influences, with the meze, a feast of dishes, offering a sample of everything: skewers of lamb, rich beef stew, salty grilled halloumi cheese, olives, green salad, taramasalata , tzatziki and hummus, tender baby squid and melt in the mouth whitebait. Served dish by dish, the next arrived just as we vowed not to eat any more, mezes are meals to be sat over and savoured with a bottle of local wine. Cyprus’ best finds were often tucked away down a side street or on a particularly beautiful spot of coastline, with ancient relics lining the most humble looking stretch of road. Up in the hills, or on a secluded patch of beach deep into the rock, the island’s ancient history is just waiting to be discovered; the past no more than a whisper away. ■ 54 compass.greatbritishlife.co.uk H istory abounds in Cyprus. From the ancient Greeks to the Romans and Byzantines, the Turks and more recently the British, the island’s location at the crossroads of Europe has seen it conquered and reconquered by invading forces – each leaving their own mark on its history and culture. Ruled by Britain from 1878 to 1960, throwbacks to British rule are widely visible – from red telephone boxes and traditional pubs to driving on the left. Cypriots have long-standing warmth towards their British counterparts and this, combined with their laid-back good humour and hospitality, makes you feel welcomed wherever you go. Today, the Southern side of the island is independent, joining the EU in 2004, with the Northern side under Turkish control since 1974. But it’s Cyprus’ ancient history that makes it such an interesting place for a holiday. From Aphrodite’s Rock, the birthplace of the Greek goddess, which juts out to sea against one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline, to tiny Byzantine monasteries half hidden in the hills, touring the island provides an insight into its ancient past, with historical sights around every corner. We stayed in Paphos, a bustling harbour town on the south coast, which was once the capital of the island and is one of its most popular holiday spots. Its pretty port is lined with tavernas and shady bars and its historical monuments are so plentiful that the whole of Paphos is now listed on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List. Paphos is also home to the five-star Elysium, an ultra-luxurious hotel, renowned across the world. In Greek mythology, Elysium was a place of delight and eternal bliss and the hotel is every bit just that. Located beside the ancient Tombs of the Kings with uninterrupted sea views, landscaped gardens, an outdoor amphitheatre, a chapel and a wide range of leisure and dining facilities, the Elysium is designed with indulgence in mind. Standard rooms have balconies overlooking the sea below, but we stayed in a Cyprian Maisonette with split-level accommodation including an elegant downstairs lounge area and a light and airy bedroom in the eaves. All rooms are decorated in warm, earthy tones, with furniture and fabrics reflecting Cypriot tradition, and ours led out onto a pretty private garden. Facilities at the Elysium are excellent. There’s an Aveda concept spa for massage and beauty treatments, a Roman-style indoor pool, and two outdoor pools, one complete with massaging water jets and views over the sea below. For dining, the Elysium has six restaurants to choose from. At the top of the scale, The Epicurean is a gourmet affair with candlelit tables and silver service all the way. The Lemonia Piazza offers lavish themed evenings while during the summer the outdoor Mediterraneo serves Cypriot specialties of Aphrodite Cyprus – land of myths and sunshine Words by Elizabeth van Hoppen In the footsteps Left: In mythology Petra tu Romiou was the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love Far left and below: sea views from the terraces of the decadent Elysium hotel. ANCIENT RELICS LINE THE MOST HUMBLE STRETCH OF ROAD
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compass.greatbritishlife.co.uk 55
THE ESSENTIALS:
• Elizabeth travelled to Paphos with Easyjet from Gatwick, www.easyjet.com.Chartered flights to Paphos are also available from Bournemouth airport with Thomson Airways, www.thomson.co.uk
• Elizabeth stayed at the Elysium, a member of Great Hotels of the World, 020 7380 3658, www.ghotw.com/elysium-beach
from its open kitchen. Herbs andvegetables are grown on land adjacent tothe hotel ensuring that the daily deliveryis fresh from picking.
Away from the hotel, we found thelocal sights and monuments equallyimpressive. Saints Paul and Barnabaswere among the early missionaries toCyprus. The Roman Governor ProconsulSergius Paulus made Cyprus the firstcountry to be converted to earlyChristianity with freedom to worshipfrom 313AD. Cyprus continues to have adeeply religious feel and relics areplentiful: from St Paul’s whipping postoutside Panagia Chrysopolitissa Church,where he was punished for preaching, totiny monasteries high up in the hillswhere chanting rings out into thesurrounding countryside,
One of our favourite visits was to the
charming Chrysorrogiatissa Monasteryand winery in Panagia, where wine hasbeen made from local grapes forcenturies. Potted flowers and herbs linethe walkways with the monastery chapelawash with gold. Icons feature widely inCypriot churches and, scattered acrossthe island, even the tiniest are rich inhistoric images of Christ and his saints.
Paphos has a number of greatarchaeological sites to visit. The ancientTombs of The Kings, adjacent to theElysium, provide cavernous relics fromthe days when Cyprus’ great rulers wereburied in style before returning to theunderworld. Their intricate honeycombstructure carved into sheer rock was alsoa hiding place for persecuted Christians,and you can climb down into the mazeof interconnecting tombs to explorethem for yourself.
Nearby Kato Paphos ArchaeologicalPark includes relics from prehistorictimes as well as the remains ofspectacular Roman villas, their mosaicfloor coverings as vivid as they werewhen they were first laid. The OdeonTheatre, a stone structure still used as itwas in ancient times, now hosts outdoorconcerts, plays and games, while theruins of a 13th century castle provide ascenic walk as the sun sets at dusk.
Eating out in Cyprus is a wonderfulmix of Mediterranean influences, withthe meze, a feast of dishes, offering asample of everything: skewers of lamb,rich beef stew, salty grilled halloumicheese, olives, green salad, taramasalata ,tzatziki and hummus, tender baby squidand melt in the mouth whitebait. Serveddish by dish, the next arrived just as wevowed not to eat any more, mezes aremeals to be sat over and savoured with abottle of local wine.
Cyprus’ best finds were often tuckedaway down a side street or on aparticularly beautiful spot of coastline,with ancient relics lining the mosthumble looking stretch of road. Up inthe hills, or on a secluded patch of beachdeep into the rock, the island’s ancienthistory is just waiting to be discovered;the past no more than a whisper away. ■
54 compass.greatbritishlife.co.uk
History abounds in Cyprus. Fromthe ancient Greeks to the Romansand Byzantines, the Turks and
more recently the British, the island’slocation at the crossroads of Europe hasseen it conquered and reconquered byinvading forces – each leaving their ownmark on its history and culture.
Ruled by Britain from 1878 to 1960,throwbacks to British rule are widelyvisible – from red telephone boxes andtraditional pubs to driving on the left.Cypriots have long-standing warmthtowards their British counterparts andthis, combined with their laid-back goodhumour and hospitality, makes you feelwelcomed wherever you go. Today, theSouthern side of the island isindependent, joining the EU in 2004,with the Northern side under Turkishcontrol since 1974.
But it’s Cyprus’ ancient history thatmakes it such an interesting place for aholiday. From Aphrodite’s Rock, thebirthplace of the Greek goddess, which
juts out to sea against one of the mostbeautiful stretches of coastline, to tinyByzantine monasteries half hidden inthe hills, touring the island provides an
insight into its ancient past, withhistorical sights around every corner.
We stayed in Paphos, a bustling harbourtown on the south coast, which was oncethe capital of the island and is one of itsmost popular holiday spots. Its pretty portis lined with tavernas and shady bars andits historical monuments are so plentifulthat the whole of Paphos is now listed onUNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List.Paphos is also home to the five-starElysium, an ultra-luxurious hotel,renowned across the world.
In Greek mythology, Elysium was aplace of delight and eternal bliss and the
hotel is every bit just that. Locatedbeside the ancient Tombs of the Kingswith uninterrupted sea views, landscapedgardens, an outdoor amphitheatre, achapel and a wide range of leisure anddining facilities, the Elysium is designedwith indulgence in mind.
Standard rooms have balconiesoverlooking the sea below, but we stayedin a Cyprian Maisonette with split-levelaccommodation including an elegantdownstairs lounge area and a light andairy bedroom in the eaves. All rooms are decorated in warm, earthy tones,with furniture and fabrics reflectingCypriot tradition, and ours led out
onto a pretty private garden.Facilities at the Elysium are excellent.
There’s an Aveda concept spa for massageand beauty treatments, a Roman-styleindoor pool, and two outdoor pools, onecomplete with massaging water jets andviews over the sea below.
For dining, the Elysium has sixrestaurants to choose from. At the top ofthe scale, The Epicurean is a gourmetaffair with candlelit tables and silverservice all the way. The Lemonia Piazzaoffers lavish themed evenings whileduring the summer the outdoorMediterraneo serves Cypriot specialties
of AphroditeCyprus – land of myths and sunshineWords by Elizabeth van Hoppen
In the footsteps
Left: In mythology Petra tu Romiouwas the birthplace of Aphrodite, thegoddess of loveFar left and below: sea views from the terraces of the decadentElysium hotel.
ANCIENT RELICS LINE THE MOST HUMBLE STRETCH OF ROAD
