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Holiday paradise in Cyprus
Couture hotel for magical times by the Med
Top gourmet address in Bavaria's Tuscany
Meet and dine in finery near to Frankfurt Airport
Classic meets modern on the Baltic beach
Hotel with sea view in the Großer Hafen
The new urban lifestyle
Your holidays to Cyprus will be sure to leave you with a lasting impression and fond memories of sunshine, sea and relaxation; but this beautiful island is about much more than just the incredible Cyprus weather. Cyprus is rich in history and culture, adding to the wonderful ambience and list of places to explore.
Remember while on your holidays, Cyprus has a history that can be traced back for over nine thousand years with archaeologists uncovering evidence of ancient civilizations on these shores since 7 millennia BC. You can still see many excavation sites across the island, if you fancy dipping your toe into the history, rather than just the warm, blue sea! Since copper was found on the island three thousand years BC, Cyprus started to attract traders from its Asian, African and European neighbours; when travelling on your holidays to Cyprus now, you will still see a mixture of various cultural styles; a strong Greek feel with touches of France, Venice and Britain and some Roman and Byzantine influences too.
A real gem in the Cypriot crown is the area of Pissouri – traditional Cyprus culture bears the legend that Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty, rose from the sea at nearby Petra Tou Romiou. Pissouri also still plays resident to many Cypriot farmers, working the land around the Troodos Mountains – the combination of the luxurious beach resorts and local culture in this area makes it the perfect destination for your Cyprus holidays. One such resort, the Columbia Beach Resort, has managed to incorporate a real taste of Cypriot heritage into its five-star luxurious facilities; it has been designed to fit in harmoniously with the traditional Cypriot architectural style, with local stone, terracotta tiles, stunning arches and shuttered windows providing a seamless link between the old and the new.
The Cypriot people have a worldwide reputation for being wonderful hosts and incredibly warm, friendly people. If you want a real taste of culture, make sure you head into some of the old villages (there are many around the Pissouri area), where you may be lucky enough to see Cypriot women weaving and making lace, fashioning them into beautiful, traditionally crafted souvenirs for you to take back home as gifts. These traditional villages can be like a doorway into a forgotten world, where men pass by on donkeys and the women gather herbs from the local fields. Your Cyprus holiday will be ever-more magical if you step outside and bask in the real Cyprus.
Local tavernas are vibrant places, where you will observe how Cypriots live together in harmony, showing mutual respect and wonderful hospitality – usually with very animated conversation! Tavernas in the traditional villages are likely to be family-run affairs, so you’ll be sure of a warm welcome. Family is extremely important in Cypriot culture, with the younger generations expected to demonstrate respect to their elders and to care for and support them in their later years.
So if you’re planning a holiday to Cyprus, make sure that you take the time to explore the people, culture and history, as well as relaxing in the wonderful Cyprus weather!
Here, you can find a selection of the most beautiful photographs of our COLUMBIA hotels.
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