Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Most visitors either stop when en route to somewhere else and have a swim, or come
for the sunset, best seen from either the
Petra tou Romiou tourist pavilion
, or from a
roadside car park about 1.5km further east. Skip any kind of eating at the tourist-pavilion
cafeteria, where you'll be overcharged for indifferent snacks; bring your own food and
have a picnic instead.
A pedestrian underpass leads to the beach from the kiosk and car park on the other side
of the road, around 500m further on towards Pafos from the tourist pavilion; it's well sign-
posted.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
ANOGYRA
Just inland, 39km west of Lemesos, sleepy Anogyra is all honey-coloured stone houses, painted window shutters
and narrow lanes that twist and turn in lazy squiggles. This is the only village that still produces carob
pasteli
(a
Cypriot sweet) the traditional way, and if you're passing through in September, don't miss the annual Pasteli
Festival here when the village celebrates its sweet-treat industry heritage.
It's a charmingly peaceful place with an unhurried atmosphere far removed from the bustle of the coast. The
higgledy-piggledy alleyways, offering a slice of Cypriot village life, were made for idle wandering. Park by the
central plaza, dominated by the stately Church of the Archangel Michael (home to some lovely icons), and stroll
out to explore from there.
Anogyra, and the surrounding area, is also home to a couple of interesting foodie-focussed sights that are well
worth a look.
Oleastro Olive Park
MUSEUM
All you ever wanted to know about the humble olive and were afraid to ask. Oleastro is devoted to the story of
this mainstay of Cypriot cuisine. The museum walks you through Olives 101, highlighting its long history of cul-
tivation on the island. There are exhibits of traditional olive oil extraction machines and if you visit between
October and February you can see olive oil being extracted. There's a good restaurant here as well, serving tradi-
tional Cypriot dishes.
The gift shop on-site sells (what else) all manner of olive-related gifts made from organic olive oil.
Pasteli Museum
MUSEUM
(
%
2522 1500; Anogyra;
h
10am-4pm Jun-Sep, shorter hours rest of year)
This cute museum explains the traditional process behind manufacturing carob
pasteli
(a Cypriot sweet), which
was every Cypriot child's favourite treat long before Cadbury's hit the market here. Outside of summer it's some-
times shut so phone beforehand to make sure it's open.
