During my long years living here in Limassol, I’ve had a special affection for villages in Cyprus and the pride locals bring to make village life in Cyprus the best it can be. This stems from Cypriots’ unique welcoming hospitality and culture, which remains the bedrock of village life in Cyprus today.
Cypriots are passionate about maintaining the charm of villages. This is both in their homes and outside, in the community. In this article, I’ll take you through the key things that make village life in Cyprus so special.
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Lefkara village
Peace & tranquillity
For me, peace and tranquillity in the villages are their greatest asset. This can certainly be said for the smaller villages, like Lefkara, the traditional lace-making village. There is nothing better than waking up to the morning sun, hearing the rustling trees and seeing the beauty of the village flowers and plants. Such tranquillity may not be so intense in the larger villages, like Pareklissia, near Limassol. There is still peace to be found there nonetheless when compared to town life.
Something else that adds to the charm of village life in Cyprus is the cooler weather temperatures. Cyprus is known, of course, as a holiday destination, with its sun, sea and sand. Village life provides an escape from the hot summer temperatures. This is one of the reasons why Cypriots enjoy village living. You can take a vacation in your village holiday home, for example, in Saitas village, as a welcome break from town life in the hot summer months. The landscape is entirely different to that of the towns. There are forests full of pine trees, wild mushrooms and wild native Cyprus fruit bushes like cactus fruits. The landscape, in fact, pleasantly reminds me of the UK countryside and mountains.
Villagers in Cyprus rarely have to drive more than 20 minutes to the nearest town
Shorter driving times
Another benefit of village life in Cyprus is that your amenities are closer! It takes about 20 minutes, for example, to drive from Limassol town to the village of Trimiklini. It means you can finish work in town, drive to the village and enjoy a restful weekend. There, you can take advantage of the many nature trails, hikes, walks, and cycling activities available. You could argue that villagers might not have the beach and the beautiful blue sea of the Mediterranean towns in the villages but you do have equally great alternative village activities like these. Similarly, it’s perfectly feasible to drive down from the village to access the beach and the sea at any time because of the short driving distances. Lots of people like to travel from the villages to work in the towns too.
Platres really is authentic Cyprus, far away from the tourist crowds.
Leisure and healthcare facilities
Naturally, there are many more leisure facilities in the big four Cypriot cities, but villages aren’t without them! There are lots of hotels in the development stage as part of the Cyprus government’s village renovation programme. Take Platres, for example. This village is passed on the road to the Troodos mountains, and it has always been preferred as a stop-off/stop-over on that route. It always had a couple of good ‘mountain’ hotels, but they recently had been allowed to deteriorate.
Now Platres is undergoing a complete facelift, with brand new hotels being built there, and the traditional taverna restaurants and original village properties are being completely renovated. The good news is that the renovations are not removing the village life charm of this popular village. Other villages too are receiving a makeover that encourages visitors to visit and others to live long-term in this different environment. Every village has its own GP practice and Kyperounda Hospital is fully equipped and staffed. It serves the village of the same name and also the surrounding villages. More medical centres are being developed to serve the needs of everyone, including those senior in age.
In Cyprus, seafood and Greek mezze is popular
Traditional food
While the main cities in Cyprus – Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca – each have several tavernas (traditional Cyprus food restaurants) I would say that the restaurants in the towns are more geared up for fine dining and fast food that appeals to tourists. On the split side, cuisine in villages is cooked by locals who have grown up making and eating this food. They know all the traditional tastes, especially as their food reflects their love of their culture. Added to that are the local drinks and village wines. You can find wines in the towns, but it is much better in the villages where they originated (and often stronger!).
Browse homes in Cyprus today
This then is Cyprus’s village charm. Village life here is peaceful. There is the choice of driving a short distance to each of the towns if you want to enjoy town life for some time, and village life means wonderful local cuisine, immersed in Cypriot culture and well-known friendly hospitality.
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