larnaca Archives

Golden Donkeys Farm, Skarinou
Golden Donkeys Farm, Skarinou

Golden Donkeys Farm, Skarinou

If you are looking for something different to do with your family, Golden Donkeys Farm is an ideal option for a day out. This is the biggest donkey farm in Cyprus. There are around 170 donkeys at the Farm, and each of them has its own name and character. The majority of the donkeys are females, in order to produce milk. Our day started early in the morning. We left Limassol and it took us around 20 minutes to reach the farm. We bought our tickets, including lunch, and went to walk around the farm. Adorable Donkeys The main part of the farm is where all the donkeys are. You can see the donkeys, feed them with carobs (you can buy them at the entrance), and even enjoy a donkey ride. To be honest, I would recommend donkey riding only for kids. We got 1 ticket for both kids at 8 EUR. The donkey ride lasted 15 minutes and both kids loved it. There's more to see and do Apart from donkeys, you will find some goats, rabbits, hens, and ducks so if you have children they will love it. There's an area for baby Donkeys but there were no baby donkeys when we visited. Moreover, at the Golden Donkeys Farm, you will find a lot of other interesting things such as museums, where you get to learn about the history of Cyprus, an ancient 1500 years old olive tree, a small botanical garden, an amphitheater (where events are hosted), the small church of Virgin Mary of Memila, a cozy restaurant, and a souvenir shop. 2 hours are ideal to spend at the farm when you have kids. They will need their time to explore around, see the animals, feed the donkeys, take a donkey ride and play at the playground area. PS: Donkey milk seems to be very healthy and you can buy a bottle on your way out. Read more about Donkey Milk on the Golden Donkeys Farm website. [...]

Dora Christofi2023-03-03T12:42:27+03:00January 8th, 2023|

Camel Park, Mazotos
Camel Park, Mazotos

Camel Park, Mazotos

An adventurous family day out If you are looking for something different to do with your family, Camel Park in Mazotos is an ideal option for a day out. Mazotos Camel Park was founded back in 1998 as a camel farm but the love and care of the owners for animals made the place a home for more than 100 animals, including ostriches, goats, deers, ponies, wallabies, lamas, alpacas, lemurs, turtles, fish, a lot of birds and our 60 camels, that each of them has its own name and character. It is the only camel park in Cyprus and the biggest camel park in Europe, achieving the ‘Trip Advisor’ Certificate of Excellence for the past 10 years. Our day started early in the morning. We left Limassol and it took us around 30 minutes to reach the park. We paid and went straight to the Camels area before the place got crowded. My kids were not very keen to ride the Camels so we took a ride with a train and they enjoyed feeding the camels with carobs. We could have walked since the distance to move around the Camels area is small, however, we got the train for the kids who loved it. Both train and camel rides last about 10 minutes and are something that should not be missed! Camels at the Mazotos Camel Park Playground Area But it's not only about the Camels. There's a lot more to do when you finish feeding the Camels and taking the rides! There's a huge kids' area with a lot of activities for children to enjoy including a bouncy castle, swingles, sliders, bumper car, and a mirror room. Adults can sit back whilst kids play around. There's also an indoor gaming area with operating rides (the ones that you have to use coins.) Swimming Pool If you're going there during Summer, make sure to take your swimming suit with you since there's a swimming pool. The pool is included in your entrance ticket. Cafe & [...]

Dora Christofi2023-03-03T12:43:43+03:00October 28th, 2022|

Cyprus Vavla Rustic Retreat: A Traveller’s Review
Cyprus Vavla Rustic Retreat: A Traveller’s Review

Cyprus Vavla Rustic Retreat: A Traveller’s Review

Vavla Rustic Retreat Booking.com Rustic means relating to the countryside; rural. Kelly, the owner, emailed me straight away asking me what time we'll be arriving, if we need wood for the fireplace, or dinner/breakfast in order for her to sort it out. We booked at Vavla Rustic Retreat since it had the best reviews and met our requirements. We needed a 2 bedroom country house in a nice village, with a fireplace and traditional Cypriot feel. Friendly Owner We arrived at Vavla Rustic Retreat and Kelly was waiting for us. She toured us around the place and even showed us all rooms and told us the history of the old traditional family stone house. An old restored house This place has been restored though funding by the Cyprus Government and the EU. The rooms contain traditional Cypriot items which were used mainly for preparing and storing food e.g. bread. They have maintained the old traditional food scales, some cookware, traditional old sweepers, even in the garden there's the original water well (an excavation created in the ground to get water). The garden is amazing! It has the traditional stone oven where you can use yourself to prepare food - if you know how to use it of course. Breakfast Vavla Rustic cooperate with their neighbors Donna Marie and George for serving breakfast, lunch or dinner. Donna Marie and George are former owners of an award-winning restaurant in New York, and are excellent chefs and hosts. They primarily offer a traditional Cypriot cuisine, however are often open to requests, and can also cater to those with food requirements. Note that they serve on a reservation-only basis. Our Country House We stayed at the Anoi, a 2 bedroom apartment, cosy, warm and most of all comfortable and clean. The kitchen literally provides everything! Even a juice maker and a coffee machine. You don't need to take anything, just your food. All rooms are fully air-conditioned. You can purchase a big basket of wood for the fireplace, which costs 15 EUROS, that is enough to last all night and a few hours the next morning. BOOK [...]

Dora Christofi2023-07-06T12:36:42+03:00December 20th, 2017|

37+1 FREE Things to Do in Cyprus
37+1 FREE Things to Do in Cyprus

37+1 FREE Things to Do in Cyprus

If you are looking for a sunny island with nice beaches, landscapes, history, nightlife I would recommend Cyprus! Cyprus offers you everything, from mountains to beaches, from tasty Cypriot dishes, from quiet bars to wild nightlife. Below I’ve gathered some FREE things you can do in Cyprus so make sure to take advantage of these if you are visiting this beautiful island. These are some of my selections and I'm sure there's a lot more free things you can do. Paphos District 1.Take a walk around Paphos Harbour & Castle The castle is located on the edge of the harbour and a nice walk is enough to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. 2.Take some beautiful sunset photos and swim around Aprodite's Rock It’s a beautiful place to visit and take some nice photos and also swim – however the water here is a bit chilly. 3.Walk through the 2km Avakas Gorge (Akamas Area) and see some flora and animal species Find out some tips about this walk through the Gorge by Cyprus Travel Secrets 4.Enjoy nature’s art at Peyia Sea Caves 5.Take photos of the EDRO III Freetown Shipwreck at Peyia Sea Caves This commercial ship was forced onto the rocks in Peyia during severe weather conditions. Since then it has raised a huge interest with many locals and tourists who come here to see the ship and take photos. 6.Visit the Agia Solomoni church and catacombs Before visiting the underground catacombs there's a tree with a lot of handkerchiefs hanged on. Hanging a personal offer on the tree, is believed to cure diseases of those who hang it, and many people, both locals and visitors still do it. 7. Make sure to visit Geroskipou and admire Agia Paraskevi Byzantine church 8.Check out Baths of Aphrodite, the place where the Goddess of Love used to take her bath [...]

Dora Christofi2023-03-03T18:09:06+03:00April 21st, 2016|

Vavla, a hidden village in Cyprus
Vavla, a hidden village in Cyprus

Vavla, a hidden village in Cyprus

I'm Cypriot, I live in Cyprus but hence there are a few small villages that I don't know yet, and one of them was Vavla. I was searching for a place to stay for the weekend with some friends, something traditional with a fireplace, away from the city center, something for Argotourism. I came up with a few results in various villages but this particular accommodation caught my attention - Vavla Rustic Retreat in Vavla village. I checked the map and it's located within the Larnaca district, in the foothills near Kato Drys and Lefkara, only 30 minutes away from Limassol. It’s an authentic Cypriot village in the countryside suitable for a quite holiday. The Village Vavla is a small village built with white stone from Lefkara and combined with traditional features. It has been declared by Town Planning and Housing Department as a "preserved" village. The architecture is very similar to its neighbouring village, Kato Drys and Lefkara. The few inhabitants used to grow carobs and were mainly engaged in other agricultural occupations. During the first decade of the 20th century, most of the population left Vavla and immigrated to the UK, US and Australia. We asked a lady how many people live there and she said only 30. The natural environment of the village as well as the hospitality and kindness of the few residents make Vavla an ideal destination for any visitor. Walking around the village you'll notice that it’s very quiet and you might see a few people. The coffee shop is located in the entrance of the village on your left. There's a staircase which takes you up the coffee shop where you can make your own coffee and pay by leaving your money there. In June 2000 there was a big fire in Vavla that destroyed the natural environment of the village. In memory of this, there's a burns wood and plants which symbolize death and new life. There are 3 churches of Saint George, Archangel Michael, and Panagia tis Agapis. This raises a lot of interest because of [...]

Dora Christofi2023-07-20T12:45:58+03:00March 1st, 2016|