An opportunity to move to Cyprus for my wife’s work was too good of an opportunity to pass up, but with us just having finished our winter in the southern hemisphere, it meant going straight back into the cold. Thankfully it was never that cold, but it was deserted! Windows boarded up, tumble weeds rolling along the beach (literally)… welcome to off peak travelling!
We chose to rent in the small town of Ayia Thekla, in the Famagusta region. After finding our house in the dark after 23 hours of flights we set out to find some food. This is when it dawned on us, nothing is open, and we loved it! With most days in the low to mid 20°c and no one around it was the perfect time to explore everything this amazing island has to offer.
With the beach only a 2-minute walk from our front door we have spent a lot of time by the water. Perfectly calm mornings mixed with afternoon thunderstorms continued to provide new compositions for photography. The best occasion being at Nissi Island, as a large storm rolled by just off the coast. Low winds allowed for optimal drone flying conditions, capturing the sand bar bridge out to the island, with the rains in the background.
The closest national park to us is Cape Greko Peninsula. The coastline here is littered with small caves. The rocks that have fallen away clearly visible under the calm turquoise waters. We journeyed through the park stopping by the Blue Lagoon, Kamara Tou Koraka Stone Arch and Ayioi Anargiroi Church. The large empty carparks a sign of things to come in high season.
A few weeks into our stay snowfall hit the Troodos Mountains, ignoring the chance of getting our little Toyota stuck, we travelled up in the middle of the night to catch the sunrise. The drive ended up fine and after an icy walk in the dark along the Artemis Trail we settled in for the sunrise. There is something special about the morning light catching fresh snow, it truly does sparkle. This is the highest point in Cyprus and offered views in all directions over the tops of ancient Black Pine trees.
Whilst in the mountains we stopped by the town of Vouni. The name of the village is derived from its location, in which Vouni means "low mountain" in Greek. The earliest recording of Vouni dates back to the Middle Ages, such that it appears in Venetian maps under the name "Voni". According to local tradition there used to be four settlements in the area of the present village, which were built on low mountains; three of which were known as Pera Vounin, Velonaka and Ais Mamas, which were desolated as a result of the plague which struck Cyprus in 1692. The fourth settlement, Vouni, was salvaged and protected by Agios Ioannis Prodromos, to whom the main church of the village is dedicated. Residents of the three settlements that withstood the plague moved to Vouni. This picturesque village is full of cool, steep, narrow streets. A perfect place to escape the midday sun and at this time of the year only populated by a few locals.
Back down along the Mediterranean, the Cape Aspro Trail shows a steep and jagged coastline that is not found in the east. This tricky hike carves its way along the cliffs offering spectacular viewpoints. Reaching the top, we were surprised to find a small goat farm, clearly a farmer that doesn’t mind the isolation! With the water to the south, this is a brilliant place for both sunrise and sunset. We headed here for sunrise, the golden light hitting the cliffs as the waves crashed below, made the sketchy hike worth it!
Passing by the famous ruins in Paphos (explored on a previous trip but definitely worth a visit!) we made our way further west, to the Avakas Gorge. The road into the area was closed adding an extra 3km walk each way, but it was easy going until we reached the gorge. Being the winter, there is quite a bit of water flowing so it became more of a rock scramble at times, but even wet shoes couldn’t dampen the beauty of this place. Moss covered walls towering above us, crystal clear waters at our feet and we had the place to ourselves! This is the true draw of off peak travel… the silence in nature, the feeling of isolation in these popular locations.
Next time you book a trip, I highly advise to look at the quieter times. Sure, it might be a bit colder and the shops may not be open, but you can enjoy these places free of tour buses and crowds, free of the selfie takers, screaming kids and often free of fees for entries! Free to just enjoy the quiet and the natural beauty that’s always around us.
