We would like to thank Frank Potenziani and M&T Trust for the ability to experience international travel and business, this experience is unlike any other we could ever dream of.
Julia Freund ’20, International Business and Ethnic Studies, Carolina Lemmen Meyer ’19, International Business and a Political Science Minor, and Marie Lawson ’21, International Business and Marketing, wrote about some places to visit while in Cyprus.
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa is a popular town on the southeast coast of Cyprus. Cypriots and tourists come to this town to experience the beaches. We are planning to go to Ayia Napa this upcoming weekend as we only have five weeks left in Cyprus. Ayia Napa is known as a beach town as therefore some things to do is do a Catamaran cruise or charter a boat around Mediterranean for the day, go to the many beaches like Nissi Beach or Macronissos Beach, or go to the many sea caves around the town. Going to the beaches are not the only things to do there are also a bunch of museums and local villages to see. One of the museums in Ayia Napa is the Thalassa Municipal Museum. The Thalassa Municipal Museum shows the local cultural substructure of the town and has been opened since 2005. The museum mostly focuses on how the sea has shaped the history of the island. The villages are a little outside Ayia Napa and are farming villages. These villages normally are built around the church. There are good boutiques for shopping and restaurants. One of the villages, Deryneia, is famous for producing strawberries and in May there is a strawberry festival.
We are very excited to go to a beach town for the weekend and experience a different town in Cyprus. The nice thing about Cyprus is everything is around 45 minutes to an hour away from where we live in Nicosia. We are trying to experience and go to as many places we can on the weekends since we only have five weeks left in Cyprus.
*Pictures to come soon of the interns in Ayia Napa*
Limassol
Limassol is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus. Historical archeological tourist destinations such as the Limassol Castle, the Cyprus Medieval Museum, and the Limassol Archaeological Museum, exhibiting artifacts such as pottery and tombstones from the Neolithic to the Roman periods attract tourists from all over the world. Adding to the artistic culture of the city is the Prokymea Sculpture Park on the seafront of Limassol, including sculptures by Cypriot, Greek and international artists. In addition, the collection of beaches with crystal clear mediterranean water are breathtaking.
These unique pieces of Cypriot culture that compose Limassol are exactly what attracted us to visit Limassol two weeks ago. Only an hour and a half bus ride from Nicosia, we arrived in Limassol for a weekend getaway. The soaring temperatures reaching 100 degrees did not stop us from enjoying the sun, sand, and refreshing sea water. Furthermore, we explored the city center of Limassol which housed a variety of traditional and modern restaurants, shops, and hotels. Julia, Caroline, Carolina and I stayed in a hostel in downtown Limassol due to its proximity to the beaches and affordable pricing. Although this was a very different experience from an ordinary hotel, we were able to meet and share our experiences with other travelers from all over the world. In addition, we were welcomed with open arms by the kind hostel hosts. Our stay was brief in Limassol but accessibility from the public bus station makes it a definite option for future day trips to soak up the sun and also absorb the rich culture of Cypriot history and tradition.
Paphos
As we explore the island, we are very excited to visit Paphos. Located on western Cyprus, Paphos is known as the birthplace of the Greek Goddess of love and beauty Aphodite. According to the legend Aphodite rose from the waves and was escorted on a shell to this particular beach on the southwest coast of the Paphos district. There are huge rocks along the coastlines marking Aphrodite´s birthplace. Visiting Aphrodite´s rock is high on our bucket list, as the legend says that swimming around the rock three times will bring eternal youth, beauty and love. Another item on our Paphos bucket list is visiting the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park. Locals have recommended us spending most of our time in the museum walking around the Villa of Theseus. A large ancient villa known for its impressive ruins, exquisite mosaics and beautiful columns.
Caroline Murray ’21, International Business and Spanish Minor, speaks on the food in Cyprus.
Cyprus rests in the middle of the Mediterranean, so it hosts a variety of interesting cuisines that combine flavors from all over the world. Of course, Greek tradition influences a fair amount of their cooking and includes traditional meals such as greek salads, gyros and souvlaki. Since coming to Nicosia we have been fortunate enough to try many different kinds of foods. One night we visited a restaurant called Zanettos, which serves its dishes in a tapas style but with a twist. The meal selections were anything but small, and we had plenty of leftovers after trying everything that was put in front of us. Some of our favorite dishes were the halloumi and the stuffed grape leaves. Halloumi is a commonly used cheese in Cyprus, but it has become increasingly more popular around the world for its unique attributes. It has the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and is easily fried without melting. The stuffed grape leaves, also known as koupepia, are stuffed with various vegetables for extra flavor. While visiting Limassol we also tried some amazing gyro, which is made fresh daily and seasoned with various mediterranean spices. Another important part of the Cypriot diet is fish because of their close proximity to the ocean. No matter which part of the country you are in, it is no more than a two-hour drive to the ocean. Every restaurant that we have found ourselves in has some sort of fish entree on the menu and it is guaranteed fresh. We are excited to keep exploring the eclectic cuisine that Cyprus hosts and learn more about the origins of their cooking.
