Cyprus: Limassol to Agia Napa uncovered

From the racy party district of Agia Napa to the peace and tranquillity of Zyyi, this area of Cyrpus has it all.

“Yiasou!” locals will bellow heartily. It means ‘welcome’ in Cypriot and no matter how long one has lived or visited Cyprus it’s hard not to feel the genuine warmth of the people there. Residents of the roughly 100 kilometre stretch of coast from Limassol to Agia Napa are no exception. However, one will come to realise the friendly atmosphere is the only thing that remains the same as one travels up the south-east coast. The contrast between the lively, 24-hour party district of Agia Napa and tranquil Zyyi is just one example one is likely to find on the part of the island. Perhaps the staggering differences encountered are reasons this coastal region is so popular with tourists and the thousands of foreign property owners who make it their home.

ACCESS
The international airport in Larnaca is around 70 kilometres from Limassol and 46 kilometres from Agia Napa. The flight usually takes around five hours and can cost from £100 return per person with Cyprus Airways in low season (early Nov–mid March). In the high season, July to September, prices can go up to approximately £300 per person for a return flight. Low-cost airlines have yet to land on the island, though this doesn’t seem to stop the tourists.

RESORTS
Limassol is the island’s second-largest city. As well as being a major shipping port, with ferries to Egypt, Greece and other destinations in the Middle East, the seaside resort is the wine-making centre of Cyprus. In September the town is home to the annual wine festival where local wineries give out free samples to eager passers-by. The population doubles in the summer months as tourists come through on their way to the historical regions dotted all over the surrounding countryside. The main seafront is quite a tourist trap. It has a family orientated feel and throngs of restaurants, bars and shops. In these areas property prices are accordingly high.

Antonis Loizou is currently offering beachfront properties in a gated development on Limassol’s seafront. Prices for three-bedroom detached houses start from £384,000. Further out from the tourist areas there’s still the chance of a bargain. In Amathus or Pyrgos, a short drive from the centre of Limassol, a four bedroom property can go for as little as £120,000.

Further up the coast and slightly inland lies Kalavasos, a sleepy old-world village that is home to only around a thousand people. The roads still have stone paving and sun-ripened Cypriots still walk past with market goods piled on donkeys. The area also has historical significance: the ‘tenta’ is one of many sites where one can see neolithic ruins. To say the area is untouched by tourism is fairly accurate; the local authorities take care to preserve the area’s cultural heritage and landscapes. Here, a typically spacious four bedroom property costs approximately £170,000. The quietly romantic fishing village of Zyyi (also known by the names Terazi or Zygi) is famous in Cyprus for its excellent fish restaurants and peaceful setting. As it is only about 30–40 minutes from Larnaca airport it seemed almost inevitable that it would be developed with a view to attract tourists.

Larnaca itself is a town where ancient remains of buildings and traditional architecture jostle for attention with modern marinas and sleek new developments. It overlooks the warm Mediterranean waters of Larnaca Bay and has plenty of beaches and a beach front café culture. It’s surprising in a city steeped as firmly as Larnaca in history that so many of the buildings up for sale are built in the last twenty years or so. The prices in this part of Cyprus are erratic, although on the whole they are quite low compared to Pafos or Limassol. Gascoignes International offer apartments in their luxury resorts from £65,000, but even a basic flat in Larnaca town will only cost around £35,000. A three bedroom villa is unlikely to be over the £350,000 mark.

On to Oroclini, another village that seems to be on the brink of becoming a fully fledged tourist destination. The Greek influence here is especially strong in this town which sits about 50 metres above sea level at the barrow of a large hill. There are many property developments in Cyprus to choose from. An apartment goes for around £60,000 and a four-bedroom villa for £230,000.

Reaching out into the Cape Greco, is the party town of Agia Napa, named after an 18th-century monastery. However, those monks might not be best pleased at the debauchery and discos that have come to be associated with their shrine’s namesake. A party town, in the summer it’s wild and full of stag and hen parties, but it becomes much quieter in the winter months, making the neon-lit bars and clubs look sadly derelict. For party afficionados this is a clubbing mecca, long tipped as the new Ibiza. There is more to Agia Napa beyond the pub areas, architecturally and culturally, and property is easy to come by. Looking to open a pub or club in Cyprus? This is the place Brits tend to hand over cash for booze in large amounts. One-bedroom flats start at £50,000 and a three-bedroom house can be owned for £160,000.

Posted on: Cyprus

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Cyprus: Limassol to Agia Napa uncovered

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