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LEMESOS CASTLE
On day three we checked out of the Palm Beach Hotel and drove an hour to Lemesos. There, we visited the Lemesos Medieval Castle, which features pottery, weapons/armor and decapitated skeletons. It was built before the end of the 12th century to defend the town. It became famous when Richard the Lionheart, King of England encountered a problem with his ship at sea, and stopped in Cyprus. He ended up getting married in Lemesos and making war against the Byzantine Empire which, at the time, Cyprus was part of. He took Cyprus away and sold it to the Templar Knights who in turn, sold it to the French. The French added a Gothic room to the castle but made few other changes. Cost of entry to the museum is CYŁ2.

KOLOSSI CASTLE
A short drive down the road through orange groves is the Kolossi Castle (cost of entry CYŁ1). This castle was bare inside but what I liked most about it was its atmosphere and view. It reminded me of Blarney Castle in Ireland, minus the crowds. And the view here was much better than those at Lemesos Castle.

BOTTLED WATER
Out front of the Kolossi Castle was a food/souvenir stand, which sold bottled water for just .30 (.69 cents US). That's roughly the same price I found at all the stores I went into and even some of the hotel mini bars weren't priced much higher. I mention this because I appreciate when a country or hotel doesn't rip you off on one of the world's most natural resources.

WINE MUSEUM
Near the Kolossi Castle is the Erimi Wine Museum (entrance fee CYŁ2.50). It's in Limassol, which is the second largest city on the island. There are hundreds of bars, hotels, and restaurants mostly catering to the British, who comprise Cyprus’ highest number of visitors. The wine museum opened in November 2004 and depicts the history of wine on the island. The guide was awesome, knowledgeable and entertaining. I learned a surprising fact: Did you know that Cyprus is the second country in the world to make wine? The oldest wine-making country in the world is Iran (Persia – they started in 5,000 B.C.). A ceramic jar discovered in 1933 was tested in 1985 and it was scientifically proven that it was a wine flask that dated back to 3,500 B.C! It turns out that back then, wine was considered a divine gift and was eaten with bread. That's right ... eaten. The wine was thick like honey. After the tour and a short film came everyone's favorite part: wine tasting. It takes place around the bar on the ground floor. Though I am not a huge wine drinker, we all loved their dessert wine called St. John Commandaria. It's been called "the king of all wines" by a former English King (sorry I can't recall which one). It sells here for CYŁ9.50 ($22). Cyprus Wine Museum, 42 Paphou Street, Limassol; tel.: +357-25 873 808.

FACT: There are 52 major wineries in Greek Cyprus.

KOURION ANCIENT SITE
Not far from the wine museum is the historic site of Kourion. Kourion was believed to have been one of the most important and glorious ancient kingdoms of Cyprus. The stone Kourion Amphitheatre dates back to the Bronze Age. It was once used by the Romans for animal fights and gladiatorial contests. These days, it's used to host open-air theatre and live music performances. The setting is perfect; it overlooks the coastline with jaw dropping views. The building to the left of it was excavated in 1938 and thought to be a palace from the Roman Period. Archaeologists believed that it was drastically altered in the 3rd and 4th centuries. The floors contain some wonderful mosaic patterns and the welcoming inscription reads: "ENTER TO THY GOOD FORTUNE AND MAY THY COMING BLESS THIS HOUSE". For more information on the Kourion, see this website.

APHRODITE HILLS RESORT
Our group went up to the Intercontinental Aphrodite Hills Resort for lunch. Now this place is phat! It's named after the Greek goddess of love because the resort/residential community overlooks the rock (Petra tou Romiou) where Aphrodite is believed to have emerged from the Mediterranean Sea. FYI: Houses in this area begin at CYŁ500,000. Aphrodite Hills opened in 2005 and the development company spent close to $300 million USD! Sprawling over 578 acres, it’s a 5-star deluxe intercontinental hotel that has 290 rooms and some even have private pools. There's a superb 18-hole golf course with an Indiana Jones-esque adventure hole. Golf is relatively new to Cyprus. The first public course was built here in 1992 and this is the island's third course (a round of 18 costs CYŁ73). There are tennis courts, an upscale spa, and a little village with shops and restaurants. They even offer kids clubs for children and teenagers. The place reminded me of Laguna Hills, California. And like Laguna Hills, the beach is nearby but it requires a shuttle. The buffet lunch was excellent as well as the service. I look forward to staying here one day. Room rates range from CYŁ130 ($300 USD) to CYŁ1800 ($4,100 USD) a night. Aphrodite Hills Resort, 3, Aphrodite Avenue, 8509 Kouklia, Cyprus; tel.: +357 26828000.

CYPRUS DELIGHTS
On the way to Paphos where our next hotel was located, we drove along the coast. I was amazed because a portion of it looked exactly like the Palos Verdes coastline, which is near where I live in Los Angeles. We stopped in town to pick up some Cyprus Delight candies (Americans know them as Turkish Delights but don't you dare make the same mistake I did and say that to a Cypriot!) There are many companies that make these candies but we stopped off at Aphrodite Delights, where we enjoyed a tour of the facility. A box of these sweet treats goes for CYŁ1.75. For more info see AphroditeDelights.com.

ELYSIUM BEACH RESORT
I was little bummed we weren't staying at the Intercontinental Aphrodite Hills Resort but the moment we pulled into the Elysium Beach Resort those feelings faded away. The Elysium hotel is sweet! The resort is intended to offer visitors an experience of the rich history of the island and they do just that. You'll notice the fine service the moment you walk in. Guests are welcomed with orange juice and cold towels sprinkled in rose water. There are 250 rooms in the four-year-old hotel. Each room includes a balcony or a terrace and the bathrooms are made of marble, with soft towels and Molton Brown toiletries. There are two sections of the hotel; one is family- and business traveler-oriented. There's a conference center that can accommodate up to 400. The other section is a bit more refined and does not allow children under the age of 16. This section of the hotel has its own private pool but the main pool is massive and just steps away from the small, black sandy beach. Kids love this place because there's plenty of open space, a children's playground, two pools, a slide and a game room. During the high season, all five of their restaurants are open and Cava restaurant was named Best Cyprus Dining by Time Out magazine. The hotel has everything adults need too: free wireless Internet (which works only in or near the lobby), an excellent fitness center, library, gift shop, hair salon, spa, tennis courts and an outdoor amphitheatre. The grounds are perfectly manicured with olive trees and plenty of rosemary bushes. The hotel is rated 5 stars but I would give it 4 or 4 ˝. Staying here won't break the bank; room rates begin at CYŁ60 ($139) and includes an incredible breakfast. Elysium Beach Resort, Queen Verenikis Street, Paphos, Cyprus; Tel.: +357 26 844444.

VIDEO
Here's a 5-minute Johnny Jet Video of my entire trip to Cyprus (part one and two are included). It's also on YouTube, so it only takes a few seconds to load (though the quality is not as crisp). We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on their servers.

NEXT WEEK
Cyprus Part 2. Stay tuned.

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Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

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Note: This trip was sponsored by the Cyprus Tourism Board.



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