Party Style
It’s March, my favourite month, mostly because the month starts as always with Saint David’s Day on Tuesday 1st, a national holiday in Wales and so, it’s any excuse to have a day of feast, with everyone dressing up with the Welsh national symbols, Leaks and Daffodils, hmm? Of course, many of our ex-pats in Cyprus will be happy to celebrate with them, so we’ll be kicking the month off in party style! …
Carnival Season
By the time all the Welsh and their very able assistants have recovered from those parties we’ll be into our annual carnival season, starting on Friday 4th March, much as we’re not allowed to have carnival parades again this year, we are allowed to drink at the bars and maybe dance on them too, so many bars, restaurants and clubs will celebrate by throwing a carnival party or two anyway … so stay tuned here.
Green Monday
Then on Monday 7th its Clean Monday, better known as Green Monday and to celebrate, the Cypriots all go out to the fields to light their BBQs with family and friends. On the menu; no meat, so the aromas will be fresh fish, sea food, lots of fresh salads, fresh and dried fruit, nuts and in fact, anything you can think of, that’s not meat. The theme is fancy dress, so they’ll all be getting face painted and in true traditional fashion they’ll fly kites and stuff like that and don’t worry if you’ve not been invited, just go for a walk near any field and you’ll probably get asked to join in, you know Cypriot hospitality n’all.
Fasting
Just in case you didn’t know, let me explain; Monday 7th is the Greek Orthodox ‘Start of Lent’, it’s Carnival, or originally, ‘Carnivore’ season, which of course means many of our nationals start to fast, with ‘no meat’ to be eaten for 49 days, until Easter Sunday 24th April, starting on Green, or actually, Clean Monday aka Kathari Theftera … no chance here, I like my meat too much!
Spring
Every year we say we’ve had a wetter winter than last year, but this year I really think we did, coz it seemed to be raining 5 out of 7 days a week since November. But it is officially spring and whatever you do don’t blink, because it only lasts a few weeks and by the end of the month it’ll almost be summer with daylight saving falling on Sunday 27th March! … Mmm!
Beaches
We now boast a few of the top 25 best beaches in Europe and guess what? you can enjoy them in over 330 days sunshine a year because I think we also have the best climate in the world and we’re one of the safest places to live in the world, with a very low crime rate, we’ve got good reason to love it, oh and by the way they’ve been partying here since the Greek Gods invented party some 12,600 years ago! For more culture follow this link
Top up the tan
Temperatures have already past 25°C in February, allowing us to enjoy a swim in the sea and to top up the tan. You can just sense that spring is in the air, the blossoms are out, the aromas fabulous and everything is still so green, the days are getting longer and warmer, I can spread my butter in the morning and here comes Summer! … Don’t you just love Cyprus!
Green Cyprus
It normally only rains about 35 days a year, but let’s not complain coz we need the rain and it won’t be long before we won’t see rain again ‘til October, ‘bring it on’ I say! … So, as I was saying, it’s green everywhere, all the citrus trees are blossoming, flowers galore, the mixtures of aromas are just delectable, even better there’s still fresh wild asparagus in season and strawberries, culminating with the Strawberry festival in Dherynia every other year, usually, but sadly not again this year, much as a few Deryniotis will probably end up having their usual Strawberry Fights.
Any Shopaholics out there?
With the end of these crazy restrictions happening in many countries throughout Europe, I’m expecting Cyprus to follow and the February Sales, will probably continue well into March, ha! some of them started in January this year? … so you’d better hurry and get out to find some bargains. It’s a good time to buy that last winter warmer, still needed at night in March and maybe April. Leading the way in Fashion are London Clothing Company, with shops all over Cyprus and many a ladies favourite Y2K in Ayia Napa.
Winter Warmers
I love this time of the year, especially taking invigorating walks along stormy coastlines and on those chilly winter nights, most bars, cafes and restaurants have homely, warming, open wood fires, or those tall gas heaters. Some have wicked DJ’s, mixing to mostly locals and a few tourists and our ever-increasing long stayers …
Live Music
Many bars put on a bit of live music like O’Neill’s Irish Bar in Paphos, Rock Tepee and The Rialto Theatre in Limassol. The original Savino Live in Larnaca, has live music and comedy every weekend and bank holidays, oh and leading the way on the east coast Blue Spice, in Pernera, Kennedy Bar in Kapparis and Koursaros Rock Bar in Protaras, who all normally have regular gigs throughout the winter …
Versatile
It’s only March but there’s so much to do if you look around, tbh, Cyprus is so versatile, you’ll probably still be able to ski and snowboard and even go Husky Sledding up in the Troodos Mountains in the morning and swim in the med in the afternoon ’til mid March. The air is still really clear, so on those breezy days, be careful not to burn when you’re going Star Shaped to get a fab tan!
Getting Around
March is also a great time to go touring and there’s plenty to see, The Troodos Mountains are in their element at this time of the year and I think they’re currently covered in snow … check out the Live Web Cam here … A good way to see them is with a professional 4 Wheel Drive Safari
Adventure
One of my favourite finds is Sayious Adventure Park in Asgata just north of Limassol where it’s a stress-free zone so you’re almost guaranteed to increase the adrenaline and get all muddy! Alternatively The Camel Park in Mazados and Paphos Zoo are still open, it must be hard for them to keep all those animals fed so go give them some support …
Changes
It’s exciting to see things starting to happen on the coastal resorts. Places being knocked down, rebuilt, extra floors going up on hotels, new fascia’s, new lights and sound systems. There’s a few new bars and a few up for sale and some changing hands and I hear one or two new beach bars and clubs are opening … things are looking good for Cyprus, favoured as usual by our UK repeaters and many Europeans, who just can’t wait to visit their second home again.
Clubbing News
We’re hearing some huge names DJ’s and MC’s being booked for this season to make up for the last two years and if the rumours I’m hearing are true, we might be clubbing outdoors and on the beaches a little but more this year. I’m waiting for news from Mario at BCL. Ayia Napa as always leading the club scene … Club Black ‘N’ White normally have their soft opening by now, Andreas at Carwash Disco told me they might open by the end of March and I think it’s still the best night out in Napa.
Smashing it
Castle Club, probably the best club in Cyprus, are open on weekends through the winter for the locals. Then there’s Ammos Bar, Club Dstrkt and Dracula Club in Larnaca, Guaba Beach Bar and Rumours in Limassol, Central Night Club and Zoo Club in Nicosia and Vibes Club in Paphos, all smashing it these days
Social Network
Our 18,000 plus followers of What’s On Cyprus, include over 15,500 on Facebook, our engagement is up to 8,000 people a day, commenting, liking and sharing our stuff … You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, oh and please tag and share if you care … hmm, 7 of the world’s top social media Apps all linked together … tbh, It’s everything you need to know and … More!
Time to Invest
Cyprus is looking like it’s going to have a fantastic future as we move out of this Sci-fi film we were thrown in almost two years ago, so I believe it’s a great time to invest in Cyprus … check out some of our current projects to increase visitors and tourism … maybe invest in a private property to let, for extra income, for example at the new Ayia Napa Marina and adjacent Sun City Spa Resort …
Finally
If it’s your first time here, what took you so long? and if you’ve been here before, welcome back! I’ll let you into a little secret, one day you’ll probably move here, if you’re not already living here … oh, and as always if I can give you one tip for March … ‘make sure you do at least one thing you’ve never done before! … Oh and I almost forgot, it’s Greek National Day on the Thursday 25th March …
Na da Boumen!
Tony Dynamou
More …
