Without Cyprus , the Mediterranean has no soul. It’s where, in antiquity and according to legend, the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, came ashore and stayed. The third-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and its easternmost, Cyprus is at the crossroads of three continents—Europe, Africa and Asia. Putting it in New Age terms, you could almost say it’s a vortex, but of course it’s all very, very old.
A history of continuously alternating invasions and empires, in fact, from the Mycenaean Greeks who colonized it in 1400 B.C. to the Romans, who seized control of the island’s famous copper mines— and allowed early Christianity to take root. Then there were the Arabs and Normans, the Angevins and Aragonese. But it doesn’t end there. There was Alexander the Great, who rested his feet and reconditioned his fleet on these sun-kissed but strategic shores. The Ptolemaic kings of Egypt. Crusaders and Knights Templars. Venetians and Ottomans. British. And finally, as in the very beginning, the Cypriots themselves. With such a rich past it is clear that Cyprus and its people cannot be made to fit into a simple category, because their island represents a little bit of everywhere.
The result is magic, where nothing is taken for granted, where happiness and sadness, the weight of history and promise of the future, vigor and sweetness are intertwined with serendipitous results. Antiquities like the cliffside Kourion amphitheater are at one with nature and the sea, and the power of a random glance can accompany you for an entire lifetime. Cyprus is this. And it’s the sea, azure and beautiful with pristine beaches, but there are also mountains, such as Mount Olympus, at 6,404 feet the highest point of the pine-clad Troodos Mountains, where wild moufflon roam and Byzantine monasteries float across time. There are the vineyards of the Troodos foothills. Mediterranean plants—not just olive trees but carob and almond trees and orange groves and grapevines. The wine, including the world’s oldest named wine, Commandaria, and food are, of course, a given—too many meze, or small plates, to mention and frankly, one tastier than the next. In Cyprus one finds a true compendium not only of the Eastern Mediterranean, but of the universe itself.
But you need a place to slow down for a bit and let that shimmering truth sink in. My recommendation is to find a fine family-owned resort on the sea, and my favorite is Almyra in the lively coastal town of Pafos. It is the hipper, younger sister of the world-renowned Anassa and Annabelle, which are also in Cyprus. All three belong to Thanos Hotels (www. thanoshotels.com). These airy, family-friendly properties possess an easygoing energy that is somehow in harmony with meticulous attention to detail, and service that is anything but rote. Almyra allows guests the advantage of being right on the water while being in walking distance from all the best shops and restaurants, and a short way from the House of Dionysos with its fabulously preserved ancient Roman mosaics.
The thing to do at Almyra is to book one of the resort’s signature Kyma Suites, which are positioned close enough to hear the waves of the Mediterranean. The views across the aquamarine water to the old Pafos castle on the harbor are simply mesmerizing—and it is in a soul-resetting setting like this where you learn to value the destination more than the journey itself.
The location also boasts access to Almyraspa, probably the best spa in this part of the Mediterranean world, menus devised by Executive Chef Rob Shipman, as well as a wonderfully curated fashion boutique called Mare Nostrum.
Cyprus happens to have some of the cleanest beaches in Europe, the so-called “blue flag” beaches. Away from the beaches, classic Mediterranean landscapes prevail; by all means, spend a few hours exploring them. After you land, likely on a Cyprus Airways flight from a major European city, it’s easy to rent a car from the main airport in Larnaca. Go with a local company like Ascot (www. ascotrentacar.com) for more personalized service than the big corporate chains could ever provide. You’ll find the driving is easy here. Make a stop almost anywhere and you’ll probably get a chance to experience some of the local flavors, which, while varied, are almost uniformly delicious, from the grilled halloumi cheese to the fresh citrus and other fruits. Even the eggs in a McDonalds’ Sausage Egg McMuffin taste fresher here than elsewhere. Just call it Cyprus modernism.
