Villa Holidays in Cyprus

The island of Cyprus has been a popular destination for visitors from the UK for many years and flights to the island are now using either Paphos or Larnanca airport as their destination. British Airways has had a significant presence at Larnanca for many years, with it serving as a maintenance base and also because British Airways was a major shareholder of Cyprus Airways when it was originally founded. When the range of aircraft was more limited the base at Larnaca acted as a hub for flight travelling between Europe and the Middle East. Now however the newly modified and enlarged airport at Paphos is receiving a larger volume of flights especially as it provides easier access to holiday resorts in the south of the island. Even though the two airports are only 65 miles apart the terrain on the island makes travel quite difficult with only one major road that has to route around mountains and through tunnels making the journey seem much longer.
Larnaca airport is also undergoing major construction and improvement work as part of the same project that started with Paphos airport. The reason for the decision to invest in the improvement work was due to a significant jump in passenger levels between 2006 and 2007 when passenger numbers doubled to 5 million annually. It is thought that much of this increase was due to younger people travelling to the resort of Ayia Napa which became popular as destination for fans of nightclubs. Ayia Napa is also a resort favoured by traditional holidaymakers and, due to its location 30 miles north of Larnanca, anyone wanting to go there would select to fly to Larnaca rather than Paphos. The work at Larnaca is due to complete in 2009 and will see new terminal buildings and an improved and extended runway as well as a new control tower, fire station and improvements to the road infrastructure serving the airport. There is an expectation that passenger numbers through Larnaca will continue to grow with a predicted 9 million using the airport by 2013, so building work will continue in phases up to that point to support the expected usage. This extra work includes an additional runway extension to allow larger aircraft to use the airport and an additional terminal building and boarding ramps. Flights in and out of Larnanca currently amount to almost 50,000 per year.
The capital of the island Nicosia is also located quite close to Larnanca, 25 miles to the North West and so a fair amount of commercial business uses the airport in addition to the holiday trade that makes up the majority of traffic. Nicosia did in fact have its own airport which was used as a base by the Royal Air Force until 1966. It is still owned by the UK Ministry of Defence but is now only used as a helicopter base for United Nations peace keeping patrols. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 made continued operations at Nicosia airport untenable and so new airports were quickly commissioned at Ercan in the north and Paphos and Larnaca in the south. Currently the only flights operating out of Ercan are to Turkey itself, due to the fact that the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, where the airport lies, is not recognised internationally.
As a resort Larnaca is also quite attractive. The airport is located 2 miles to the south of the main town which has both a commercial harbour area and a more attractive marina complex. To the north are various beaches, several blue flag, and areas populated by holiday villas. Passengers flying into Larnanca airport will almost certainly notice the amazing salt lake, one side of which lies close to the airport perimeter. The lake provides a natural habitat for thousands of Flamingos and many other species of birds which use the lake during their migrations.
So Larnanca is not just about the airport there, although it does make up a significant part of the economy in this area. Larnanca acts as a resort in its own right but also as a gateway to holiday destinations with short transfer times to places such as Ayia Napa and Pernera to the north and Alaminos and Pervolia to the south.

Cyprus property is a great investment and buying in a top location such as Paphos makes it an even better proposition still. The old adage “location, location, location applies to property wherever you buy and Paphos is a prime location for Cyprus property of all kinds. The town itself is steeped in a rich cultural history and there are archeological sites in the area dating back to before the roman empire. Everything from tombs and ancient mosaic floors to a genuine medieval fort right on the harbor front. The pretty harbor is lined with intimate cafe’ bars and superb restaurants where you can dine whilst looking out over the clear blue Mediterranean Ocean.

The town is actually two distinct towns or areas. Paphos town and Kato Paphos or upper and lower paphos as they are known. The old town being the upper whilst the newer resort area is known as Kato Paphos. There are lots of shops, plenty of supermarkets and the capital city of Nicosia with all the major stores is only a short drive away. A few kilometers along the coast is the beautiful resort of Coral Bay with it’s long sandy beach and lively strip. There is major development going on all over the area and property prices are already amongst the highest in Cyprus. The good news for the would be Cyprus property investor is that prices look set to increase for some time to come.

The resort of Paphos has over the last few years gained an “all year” status and most of the business now remaim open throughout the winter whilst the rest of Cyprus hibernates from around October to March. This is great news again for Paphos property owners who are now able to tap into a year round property rental market. Paphos is also the top location for many other good reasons not least it’s proximity to the Islands major airport and coastal motorway network. The rest of this beautiful Island is easily accessible and airport transfer times are negligible.

If you are still not convinced that Paphos is the best location for Cyprus property wait up because there is an ace in the pack. Cyprus golf property! Wherever you have golf you have a demand for holiday property and Paphos is the golfing center of Cyprus with the best facilities on the Island just outside the town. With the potent mixture of golf, sun and sea it is little wonder that property prices in the area continue to rise faster than anywhere else in Cyprus.

So there will never be a better time to invest in property in Cyprus especially in the Paphos area. If you are seriously considering buying an apartment or villa in Cyprus you would do well to make the move sooner rather than later. You probably need no reminder of what has happened in Spain where many would be property owners hesitated and lost out. Remember they do say that “he who hesitates is lost” and the current Cyprus property boom could make you a winner or a loser in the real estate race so now is the time to act.

You may be considering a villa holiday in Paphos, Cyprus, in the company of teenagers. School’s out for summer and let’s be honest; did we want to traipse round historical ruins or visit monasteries and old churches on our holidays? Let me ask you – Would you feel happy if your partner suggested you spend two weeks learning the intricate details of their precious hobby, like golf, cooking or candle-making? This isn’t a school field trip! This is their holiday too, so opt for a balance. A family holiday can be one to remember with a little planning before hand. Let the teenagers in the family have a choice and this will fuel their excitement for the family trip once they realize there will be some brilliant extra curricular activities to look forward to.

I found some group activities that would appeal to all the family without breaking the budget but as we are aware teens are notorious for spending their own money and then some more, so explaining about the exchange rate may be your first step. Planning activities that everyone can look forward to and agreeing on budgets beforehand can save an awful lot of arguing and misery at the very point when the whole family should be having some fun.

QUAD BIKES SAFARI
Now this is definitely for the teenagers and Mum and Dad. Experience the adrenalin rush and thrill of driving across some of the wildest countryside in Paphos on your own quad bike. Start at 10am, drive to Adonis Baths for a welcome swim, have some lunch along the way. This is a trip for the adventurous only. All off road and all ages welcome.

HORSE RIDING AT GEORGE RANCH
Choose from a wide range of horses and ponies, catering for all levels of experience. Absolute beginners are welcome as well as experienced riders. Rides take you from St George, through the forest of Pegeia or along the coast to the beach. This activity provides a fabulous way to see the scenery and enjoy some family fun. Riders are fully insured and riding hats are available.

SCUBA DIVING
Always exciting for the teenagers and maybe Mum & Dad are also eager to give it a go. Why not try a Discover Scuba Diving course to find out what it is all about. This mini course takes about 4 hours and consists of some theory, basic skill requirements in the pool and your first experience of diving in the sea. Take warning with this activity that excitement levels are high and if enjoyed, everyone will be clambering to take the next step – purse strings may be severely stretched.

ITHAKI MINI GOLF COURSE
Great family fun for everyone here on the American designed 18 hole mini golf course. Something to challenge everyone and girls, if the boys are still arguing over who had the best shot and who cheated, send them off to play on the bumper cars next door to blow off steam while you sit in the garden and enjoy a cool drink.

ON THE WATER
There are many boat trips available in Paphos offering a choice of activities. Take a coastline sail where the boats will anchor in Coral Bay for you to enjoy a swim and have lunch. Hire a speedboat at the harbour and have some family fun out in the bay. For something really new, take an exhilarating ride on a Tiger Boat – hold tight and expect to come back wet.

Cyprus has become the most popular Mediterranean holiday destination, with over 2.5 million visitors a year and with over 300 days of sunshine, holidaymakers are turning to Cyprus for their summer and/or Christmas self catering holiday experience, for the retired and active traveller looking for peace and tranquillity in a wonderful climate then a Cyprus self catering holiday villa is the best way to enjoy your independence and freedom while going out to explore the island, the island has witnessed a growth in the number of retired EU citizens purchasing and renting a Cyprus villa or a Cyprus apartment.

There are a number of benefits for those looking to retire and live in Cyprus, due to the islands historic links to the UK during the islands British colonial rule, driving is on the left as in the UK, law is based on the UK legal system, Cyprus banks offer very competitive interest rates on savings accounts in Euro, Sterling and the Turkish Lira, the health care in Cyprus is reputed to be better than the UK NHS, the crime rate is 00.01% and the lowest of all EU member states.

Many of the islands retired residents have joined an exclusive club known as the SKI Club (Spending the Kids Inheritance) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3493641.stm and are making the most of their active lives exploring, entertaining and enjoying the local Cypriot hospitality, buying a Cyprus property is an investment that no other EU country can compete with, property prices are lower than other EU holiday destinations and the retired investor will see a vast increase in the value of their property and an excellent return on their investment (ROI) each year.

A first for North Cyprus and a place in the Guinness book of records was recorded when Peggy McAlpine celebrated her 100th birthday in 2007.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-490904/Grandmother-celebrates-100th-birthday-worlds-oldest-paraglider.html

A famous saying in Cyprus is that “anything is possible” and what an inspiration Peggy will be for all the retired and active holiday makers and property investors who visit Cyprus, from paragliding to underwater scuba diving Cyprus is proud to be in the position to offer an array of sports and activities for all age groups.

wish2rent has witnessed a growth in popularity from holiday makers looking for a Cyprus self catering holiday villa or apartment, the website caters for more than holiday rentals and also publishes the festivals, activities, historical sites, and places of interest for Cyprus.

Checking the status of flight arrivals and departures from Cyprus Ercan, Larnaca and Paphos airports has been made easier with wish2rents flight tracking page which gives the user real time flight tracking data, this service can help to eliminate airport transfer waiting time and save on airport car park expenses.