Happy New Year
It’s January, and as we predicted ‘we were going to have an Indian summer and we’d still be swimming in the Med ’til December and I was right, in fact, I was swimming on Christmas Day, and it looks like it’s going to continue through January. tbh, I’m glad to see the back of 2023, as many of our followers know I’ve had a bit of a nightmare this year but I said, I was gonna smash it, and I did! I’m still as positive as ever, in fact, more so, and I just know 2024 is going to be the best year ever! …
How Extreme
You may have noticed, that I love Cyprus with a passion and I’ve always said; “Cyprus is versatility to the extreme!” How extreme? I hear you shout; well, where else you can ski in the Troodos Mountains in the morning, and in under an hour you can be swimming in the Med, which never drops below 15°C … or if you prefer, do it the other way around, then you can get into some ‘Après Ski’ chilling out next to a lovely open log fire, in a gorgeous log cabin, somewhere in the Troodos Mountains, and then you can do it the other way around the next day!
World’s Best
Another reason I love January is coz it brings us my favourite fruit, Cyprus thick-skin oranges are in season, not to mention the world-famous Cyprus new potatoes, Mmm! and at this time of the year the air is still so fresh and clear, with no heat haze, so we’ll be topping up the tan at breakfast out by the pool. In fact, in January the air is so clear you can often see the mountains, really vividly and don’t you just love it when everything is so
green? It also means that summer is getting closer, the days already getting longer and
warmer and, that’s another reason I love it here, I reckon Cyprus boasts the best climate
in the world!
Unheard Of
January also gives us a chance to catch up with our seasonal workaholic friends, light a
few Barbies on lovely hot sunny days, or gather round an open fire on chilly nights, crack the ice to finish off the Bailey’s leftover from Christmas night, and catch up with the years’ events. As usual, Cyprus went from summer to winter in just a few days, much as it’s been absolutely fabulous through December with temperatures hitting 25°C, apart from a day or two of rain … but with those clear skies, it’s getting colder at night, I even had to put the duvet on the bed by mid-December, which is unheard of!
Skiing Season
It’s surprising how many people don’t realise that it’s skiing season in The Troodos Mountains normally covered in snow by mid-December, through ’til March. I love
Troodos in the winter, it’s a totally different Cyprus up there, some say ‘the real Cyprus’
and in January it really comes into its element. There’s a unique skiing experience in
Troodos, all geared up for their very short season and you can even hire ski and board
equipment if you’re into a little spontaneity and some of the accommodation is a dream,
total tranquillity comes to mind! For more info visit www.skicyprus.com
Huskey Sledding
I’ve always said that ‘Cyprus is Versatility to the Extreme’ and I love finding new things to do. A few years ago I met the wonderful ‘Ali’ who launched her Husky Sledding in Troodos back in 2018, so if you wanna try something new give her a call and get ready for something a little different! … Did I say ‘versatile’?
Winter Walks
Naturally, we all miss the vibe of the summer months, but I do love the peace and quiet
walking the dog along those fresh sunny coastal paths, catching the aroma of those sea
breezes and spray, invigorating, to say the least! Maybe finishing off with a stroll around
one of our many harbours or fishing shelters and of course sampling their fresh
fish taverns, with a backdrop of those gorgeous winter sunsets, an explosion of reds,
oranges and purples!
Eateries
There’s still many good restaurants open, in our coastal resorts, providing traditional Cypriot cuisine and hospitality and tbh, just about every other cuisine you can think of. If eating out isn’t your thing at the moment, currently many offer a takeaway or delivery service … there’s normally plenty of bars and stylie cafes serving proper, single-source Arabica coffee, with lovely open fires and those tall gas heaters, and we recommend a few providing regular live entertainment.
Kids & Grown Ups
Why not take the kids to Paphos Zoo or The Camel Park in Mazados, near Larnaca,
both must be finding it very hard to feed all those animals at the mo, so please give
them some support … another great idea is Sayious Adventure Park, in Asgata, Limassol or just wait ’til you see what they’re doing at the Cyprus Maze and the awesome Cyherbia Botanical Gardens in Avgorou
Shopaholics
It’s also shopping season, with the February sales starting earlier every year, I think they
started on Black Friday this year … Ladies, check out the stylish Brouska and guys,
BrouskaBlu in Paphos, Larnaca and Nicosia or The unisex in style of Y2K in Napa and
Protaras or London Clothing Company, who have shops all over Cyprus … and if you need some help with the Local Lingo click here
Time to Tattoo
I’m led to believe, if you live in Norway, you can pop over to Cyprus for a week, with
accommodation and get a cool tattoo for less money than staying at home, check out our
excellent Tattooists here
Let it Rain
We are of course in the rainy season and I just love the winter storms! You know, we need
all the rain we can get and as we only average 35-40 rainy days rain a year, who cares?
… Cyprus is of course an all-year-round destination. Well, the fact is, we’re moving in
the right direction, expecting visitors to increase by 60% in the next few years targeting
5 million visitors a year, naturally this can only happen by increasing the number of
tourist beds available, which is totally evident, and of course by providing more ‘Things
to Do’ for our visitors, inevitably making Cyprus an all-year-round destination!
Looking Ahead
It would be nice to see a few more golf courses, especially on the east coast to match
the 5 up west, and with more and more sports clubs choosing Cyprus for their winter
training sports facilities and training grounds. Cyprus is described as the new Monaco in the Med again, with at least 3 more new modern marinas on the way and gyms, leisure complexes and boutique hotels with luxury spas and, most of our theatres are open all year … well, I’m sure you’re getting my drift. In turn, this of course will help to increase winter tourism. I know it’s on its way, all you have to do is believe, oh and, rely on private enterprise and btw, I’ve got lots of really good ideas if you’re interested?
Cultural Cyprus
I also love the way Cyprus has become more cultural, especially after Paphos’ hosting of
The European Capital of Culture back in 2017 and it seems Cyprus has finally got the
cultural bug and we’ll continue to see an increasing swing toward the modern world and
it’s natural, holistic, and cultural lifestyle … click here for a more extensive cultural guide by the Cyprus Tourist Information offices.
Wine Tasting Tours:
January is also an excellent time to indulge in Cyprus’s world-renowned wines and spirits. The island boasts many vineyards, mostly in the Limassol and Paphos regions. So, why not, consider joining a wine-tasting tour to savor the unique flavors of Cypriot wines? … We have a cool article on here called ‘Driving You to Drink’ by my very good friend Stanna that makes a good read.
The Network
The Website is looking cool, it has over 1,800 pages of information about Cyprus with
more than 28,000 photos and videos all one-word searchable! Our Facebook page is
our daily stuff, with links to our Website and YouTube Channel and not forgetting
everyone following us on Instagram and Twitter … oh, and you can help us too, if you’ll
please tell your friends about us … I Hope you find what you want, if not, phone me! …
or go www.whatsoncy.com and try a one-word search!
Finally
I just want to close by saying a big Happy New Year to everyone who has helped me
make this network the official, most original and I believe the best guide to Cyprus! … and if you enjoyed this read do follow us on your favourite social media app for More …
And Really Finally
If I can leave you with just one tip for January … make sure you do at least one thing
you’ve never done before! I gotta feeling 2024 is gonna be my favourite year!
Na Da Bou’men !
Tony Dynamou
Thanks for the Winter cover by Florian Hausleitner from Pixabay
