Cyprus village life is friendly and relaxing:
Kalavasos is a mining town which had its heyday in the late 40's and 50's when it was bustling with workers from all over the island. There were three mines to be exact of Gold, copper and pyrite. The ore was taken down to the Vasiliko factory by train and crushed, washed then shipped worldwide. Nowadays the mine is not is use and work is under way to make it into a museum along with the little train which will be rerun to take visitors up to the mines. The villagers have always been friendly and hospitable. The atmosphere of the village is very relaxed and happy. The village square is always bustling in the afternoons and evening with most of the men of the village congregating for a coffee, a game of Tavli and a chat. Kalavasos has quite a few coffee shops and tavernas for a nice meal. Zigi fishing village is less than 5 minutes drive with its quaint little promenade and fish taverns and Governors beach which is also 5 minutes away, has some lovely beaches and restaurants.
The traditional house:
Kontoyiannis House is a family house run by the family. The house was built in the 1890's by Yiannis who was a wealthy landowner with many workers. The courtyard of the house was filled with trestle tables in the summer to feed the 40+ workers that worked on the land. All nine of the Kontoyiannis children were born and raised in the house and moved away to have their families. The house was left to our mother who also left for some years to live in England. It was renovated in the early 1990’s and again in 2006. There is a wonderful atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the house which is heightened each spring with the return of the swallows. Quite a few swallows nest in the house and it is a beautiful sight to behold. The stone architecture of the house is what keeps it cool. There are a couple of lovely arched alcoves to sit under in the courtyard and the entrance hallway which also opens out onto the courtyard is a great place to sit and meditate
Agrotourism the alternative tourist experience:
Cyprus Agrotourism aims to preserve the traditional Cypriot environment and way of life and to offer a holiday experience which gives a taste of the old Cyprus. We have a large orchard within walking distance, where fruit is available for picking all year long. Mostly citrus fruit such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruit and bread fruit can be found here as well as many varieties of grapes, figs, pomegranates and apricots to name but a few. Olive trees which ripen in the winter time can also be found in the orchard. These are picked and taken to the olive mill where they are pressed to produce olive oil. Visitors are welcome to help pick olives and join us at the mill to see how the oil is made, there is olive oil on tap and you will find fresh toast to dip into the fresh oil; it is a wonderful taste of the good life. Up in the hills of the village there is a lady who keeps goats and makes some traditional haloumi cheese over a wood fire, she is always happy to have visitors
Ski:
Ski at mount olympus in the troodos mountains skiing resort. Approx 45mins drive from Limassol. December - February or March. We have friends who have a villa there and you can do some days at Kalavasos and some in the mountains if you wish
Golf:
There are some lovely new golf courses on the island, about 40 mins drive from Limassol
Learn more about this holiday rental at the owner's website:
