A journey of discovery in Cyprus

A Glimpse into Our Potential New Home

Cyprus, the breathtaking island in the eastern Mediterranean, has once again captivated us. This time, however, our visit was driven by a special purpose – the search for our potential new home. Since we are emigrating in November, we wanted to explore the diverse facets of this island to find the region that would truly capture our hearts. Incidentally, we were fortunate enough to celebrate Easter twice this year, as the Orthodox Easter was being celebrated during our stay.

Oroklini

We began our introductory tour after landing in Larnaca, very close to the village of Oroklini. We were lucky: the hotel was right on the beach. The kilometer-long promenade was also beautifully landscaped, but ended abruptly near the hotel.

The beach had already been leveled, but it wasn't made of fine sand or pebbles; it was simply dirty earth. Even the numerous sunbeds couldn't disguise this fact. We think that if we were to visit this place again in a few years, it would be a real hidden gem.

But every corner of Cyprus held new surprises and allowed us to immerse ourselves ever deeper in the beauty and diversity of the island.

Kissonerga

So, our next stop was Kissonerga, a small, linear village on the coast between Paphos and Coral Bay. Our accommodation there was really cool, spotlessly clean, and the host was incredibly friendly. Unfortunately, his place was right next to the busy E701 highway. The coastline here is quite steep, so there wasn't really a beach within walking distance. That is, until we discovered the rocky beach belonging to the "Cynthiana Beach" hotel on one of our explorations:

Here, nature has truly helped, creating a natural swimming pool with its rocks that offers protection even in the highest waves. The bottom even had a natural slope: from non-swimmers to swimmers – simply brilliant.

And since there are no private beaches in Cyprus, we had no problem relaxing here.

As we explored the different regions, we were enchanted by the warmth of the locals and the unique culture of Cyprus.

Polis

So, the next stop was the eagerly anticipated trip to the Polis region. Based on travel reports and various Facebook groups, we thought we could pitch our tents there in November. The German community seems to be particularly large in the area. There's even supposed to be a German butcher shop called "Schmackofatz," which offers a wide variety of sausages and other German-style products. Weekly events for the German community are apparently organized at the "Magic Oak," a combination pub, snack bar, and event venue.

The journey there, through the stunning mountainous landscape, was simply breathtaking.

Contrary to expectations, the only positive experience in this region, with the exception of the village of Latsi, which has spruced itself up with a chic new harbor promenade since last year, was the best pizza we've had in a long time at "My Mamma Mia." The village of Polis is simply dilapidated and unsightly.

The accommodation at Athena was okay. However, considering our overall impression, including the accessibility of the nearest specialists, larger hospitals, and, not least, cooler shopping options (all more than an hour and a half away), we decided to leave early.

But what's next? Which of the many interesting regions will we choose?

Larnaka and Surroundings

Of course, the area between Larnaca and Ayia Napa couldn't be missed on our short tour. It truly boasts the most beautiful beaches on the island. Nissi Beach, in particular, evokes a Caribbean feel. However, this also means the area is hopelessly overrun with mass tourists and partygoers.

Cape Greco, also nearby, is a beautiful diving and snorkeling spot that we remembered from last year. A rocky coastline that couldn't be more stunning, with crystal-clear water and countless fish. And not at all overrun with tourists. But: our next bed would then be in one of those tourist centers again...

Larnaca itself, with over 50,000 inhabitants, is the third largest city in Cyprus, but it doesn't have the high-rise character of Limassol. It boasts a huge beach promenade with beautiful beaches. In the evenings, the promenade is incredibly crowded, with traffic jams stretching for kilometers along the waterfront. The old town is just as dilapidated as most cities here.

Our hotel was located here. It's listed on booking.com with fantastic pictures. The hotel was advertised with fantastic pictures. The rooms were also fine and spotlessly clean, except for a malfunctioning toilet and a balcony view of what felt like a garbage dump. The entire hotel was equipped with automatic air fresheners; I have no idea what they were trying to cover up...

Luckily, our hotel was near the beach, so we were able to leave the rental car in a nearby parking lot for three days. Instead, we rented Nextbikes a few times; "disaster" doesn't even begin to cover it: technically dilapidated, locks malfunctioned, returns didn't work, so we had to contact their excellent customer support multiple times.

But the expansive beaches were truly fantastic, especially Mackenzie Beach right next to the runway. Very clean and peaceful. We were able to take some amazing photos there. We also won't forget the abandoned Vinaria, which we discovered in a deserted courtyard in the heart of the old town. They had the most incredible wine selection we've seen in ages. And the selection of unusual tapas and sweets was simply amazing.

In Larnaca, we both ventured to our first haircut in Cyprus: simply a fantastic experience. The head massage with essential oils alone would have made the visit worthwhile. The final price, however, was simply shameful compared to Germany.

Our next stop was supposed to be Nicosia, but contrary to expectations, it was so exciting and interesting that we will dedicate a separate report to this multicultural city.

Every new encounter and every place we discovered brought us closer to our goal of finding the perfect region for our new beginning. Although the decision won't be easy, we are grateful for the opportunity to get to know Cyprus in this way.

Paphos

Last but not least, we'd like to mention Paphos. Here we had our first personal meeting with Meinhard, who will be helping us with our immigration. A really cool guy...

After Paphos didn't really speak to us last year, we were all the more enthusiastic about this charming city this year. So much has changed in such a short time:

The historic harbor has been completely rebuilt. The seemingly endless, kilometer-long waterfront promenade is finished. You can definitely tell that the new young mayor, who is highly praised by the locals, has already made a real difference.

We only really discovered the huge mall this year. Of course, we also checked to see if they had all the products we thought we absolutely needed. We'd already made a massive list at home of things we definitely wanted to check: Would they have the right deodorant, the right razor, toothbrushes, maybe our beloved fully automatic coffee machine, a cool air fryer that Kerstin has just discovered and is using to create amazing new dishes? And so on and so forth...

We were finally relieved and felt like we could survive here...😂

When optician Loucas then passed the stress test with flying colors, even with Kerstin's broken glasses, we were finally convinced. He took a quick look at Kerstin's broken glasses, decided repairs were a pain, found a really cool new frame that fit the old lenses, fitted the lenses, and in less than an hour my darling could see perfectly again. And all for a price... practically free.

We also checked out the beaches, of course, and found some cool ones a little further out towards Limassol.

Finally, we stumbled upon an Italian restaurant nestled in a relaxed arcaded courtyard. With palm trees, water features, fountains, and countless goldfish, we were transported to a world that couldn't be more Mediterranean. The delicious salads were simply divine. A fantastic must-do in Paphos, somewhat off the beaten tourist track and really only discovered by chance or word of mouth: Atrion Garden Restaurant. The people were incredibly kind and attentive.

And here it finally became clear to us that with Paphos we had found the right and suitable place for us, where from November onwards we could enjoy the dreamlike sunsets in picturesque surroundings together with the warm-hearted islanders and open a new chapter in our lives together with Cyprus.