Cyprus: Birthplace of the Goddess Aphrodite
March 5-18, 2008

Trip Itinerary

Summary of Destinations

	Date(s)	Location
Days 1 & 2 ↓	Wednesday-Thursday, March 5 & 6, 2008	U.S./Larnaca, Cyprus
Day 3 ↓	Friday, March 7	Larnaca/Lefkosia
Day 4 ↓	Saturday, March 8	Lefkosia/Lefkosha
Day 5 ↓	Sunday, March 9	Lefkosia/Bellapais
Day 6 ↓	Monday, March 10	Bellapais/Kyrenia
Day 7 ↓	Tuesday, March 11	Famagusta/Kakopetria
Day 8 ↓	Wednesday, March 12	Kakopetria
Day 9 ↓	Thursday, March 13	Kakopetria
Day 10 ↓	Friday, March 14	Paphos
Day 11 ↓	Saturday, March 15	Lemesos
Day 12 ↓	Sunday, March 16	Lemesos
Day 13 ↓	Monday, March 17	Larnaca
Day 14 ↓	Tuesday, March 18	Return to U.S.

U.S./Larnaca, Cyprus
Wednesday–Thursday, March 5–6, Days 1, 2

Arrive in Larnaca, a city settled by 13th century BCE Mycenaens and later rebuilt by Phoenicians. Notice the pink flamingoes and other birds in the salt lake on the short drive to the hotel. The beautiful building with minarets along the shore is Hala Sultan Tekke, burial site of the Lady Umm Haram, a 7th century relative of the Prophet Mohammed. Tekke is one of the most important shrines in the Islamic world after Mecca and Medina. Use the remainder of the day to rest from your travels or enjoy on your own the Finikoudes—the palm tree esplanade along the Mediterranean near our hotel.

[ top ↑ ]

Larnaca/Lefkosia
Friday, March 7, Day 3

 

In the morning, we tour a Byzantine Museum and the church of Ayios Lazarus, the same Lazarus whom Christ brought back from the dead. Larnaca is currently home to a U.N. patrolled “dead zone” that partitions the island into Southern and Northern Cyprus and enjoy a light lunch of Turkish specialties in the Büyük Han, an impressive Ottoman-era caravanserai that now hosts many folk art and craft shops. We will have Turkish coffee and sweets at Özerlat Coffee Shop, owned by Iley Özerlat ’04’s family. Across the street from Özerlat’s is the gorgeous Selimiye Mosque (originally St. Sophia Cathedral) and the city market, where we will spend the afternoon. Dinner will feature lamb kleftikos or “pinched meat” cooked all day in a sealed clay oven and eaten al fresco in Southern Lefkosia. B, L, D

[ top ↑ ]

Lefkosia/Lefkosha
Saturday, March 8, Day 4

We start the morning with a guided walking tour along the “Green Line” in the old walled city and visit the Cyprus Archeological Museum. We cross the will be taken at a village coffee house. The afternoon hike will pass by an ancient Maronite church and the remains of a Turkish bath. Following a late afternoon siesta in Bellapais, we spend the evening enjoying the picturesque and laid-back Kyrenia harbor at a Turkish kebab restaurant. B, L, D

[ top ↑ ]

Lefkosia/Bellapais
Sunday, March 9, Day 5

Wake up to the competing sounds of Greek Orthodox church bells and muezzins calling Muslim faithful to prayer. That morning we will travel by coach across the Pentadaktilos Mountain range and visit Saint Hilarion, one of three towering medieval castles along the Northern Cypriot coast that offers good exercise and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. The afternoon will end at the village of Bellapais. Bellepais is home to the remains of Bellapais Abbey, a stunning example of Lusignan architecture. The beautiful Bellapais Gardens Hotel will serve as our home for the next two days. We dine on exquisitely prepared flaming fish that night at Ani, the island’s premier fish restaurant. B, D

[ top ↑ ]

Bellapais/Kyrenia
Monday, March 10, Day 6

Put on your walking shoes! Cyprus is awash in flowers, especially orchids, during the spring months. We spend the late morning and early afternoon hours on two gentle, guided wildflower hikes. A traditional lunch will be served in a small village restaurant and afternoon refreshments burgeoning Lebanese Christian community. Lunch will celebrate the cuisine of these immigrants and, for those with a sense of adventure, end with fruit-flavored tobacco smoked from a water pipe (nargileh). In the afternoon, we travel by coach to Cyprus’ divided capitol, Lefkosia/Lefkosha (previously known as Nicosia) and spend two days. Enjoy the afternoon on your own, perhaps at a Turkish bath, or a kafeneio along the pedestrianized Ledra Street, visiting Lefkosia’s ancient Venetian walls, or exploring the beautiful botanical gardens built in what used to be the moat surrounding the Old City. All are within easy walking distance from our hotel. Later that night, Macalester’s Cypriot alumni will join us for a welcome dinner at Zanetto’s, one of the island’s most famous “meze” restaurants. B, L, D

[ top ↑ ]

Famagusta/Kakopetria
Tuesday, March 11, Day 7

In the morning we travel by coach to the walled city of Famagusta, home of Othello’s Tower. From afar, we observe one unfortunate effect of partitioning Cyprus—the ghostly resort town of Varosha. Varosha has been closed since 1974 to all human inhabitants—including owners and patrons of the huge beach hotels. The old city of Famagusta offers a magnificent example of gothic architecture in the form of the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque. We’ll also visit Petek Pastanesi Sweet Shop to sample the dazzling array of colorful Turkish delights and other sumptuous desserts. The afternoon finds us traveling by coach to the Troödos mountains in Southern Cyprus with a stay in a traditional Cypriot guest house. B, D

[ top ↑ ]

Kakopetria
Wednesday, March 12, Day 8

Morning will be on your own to explore the beautiful and well-preserved little village of Kakopetria unless you would like to join in a short hike to Caledonian Falls to enjoy the flowers as well as one of the natural highlights of the Mount Olympus area. In the afternoon, we visit the village of Fini to see how pitharia are made. Pitharia are the giant clay jugs used by Cypriots in the past to store olive oil, wine, and other foodstuffs. Dinner will feature fresh trout from the famous Psilo Dendro Trout Restaurant. B, D

[ top ↑ ]

Kakopetria
Thursday, March 13, Day 9

We spend the morning at two Greek Orthodox sites—Panagia Forviotissa in Asinou and the gilded Kykkos Monastery. Panagia Forviotissa is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites due to its impressive Byzantine frescoes. Kykkos Monastery is the richest and most famous of Cyprus’ Greek Orthodox institutions. It hosts a Byzantine Museum that displays the monastery’s extraordinary wealth. The afternoon takes us to Pitsilia winery for a tour and tasting. We end the day by leaving the mountains and traveling to Paphos. B, D

[ top ↑ ]

Paphos
Friday, March 14, Day 10

The morning finds us at Nea Paphos, home of magnificent mosaics that retell Greek mythology. The mosaics dot the landscape leading to the sea. Discovered in 1962, the mosaic park is an ongoing research site. There we will be joined by Tom Davis, director of the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute. Dr. Davis will lead our tour among some of Cyprus’ impressive archaeological sites for the next two days. After a light lunch on the Paphos harbor, we visit the Tomb of the Kings, an Egyptian-style necropolis built underground and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. We stop at the nationalistic Ayios Georgios Museum and Ayios Georgios church, which celebrates the life of Georgios Grivas, an EOKA military leader. The museum and church are located at the landing site where Grivas and his men were arrested by British troops for smuggling arms and ammunition in the 1950s. The evening and the Mediterranean are yours to enjoy on your own. B, L

[ top ↑ ]

Lemesos
Saturday, March 15, Day 11

We travel by coach to Lemesos. On our way we stop to view a 5th century BCE Homeric sarcophagus discovered only in 2006. One side of the sarcophagus depicts scenes from The Iliad and the other side depicts The Odyssey. We also visit one of the most spectacular Cypriot archaeological sites—the ruins at Kourion. You will see the impressive second century amphitheater, an early Christian basilica, and ancient mosaics. We will also visit the reconstructed temple of Apollon Ylatis and Kolossi Castle, home of the Knights of St. John, where grapes for the famous “Commandaria” wine continue to be grown. There will be an optional afternoon tour of Amathus ruins, one of the biggest ancient kingdoms on the island. We stay at the five-star “Villa Mosaica” in a Lemesos suburb and enjoy dinner and belly dancing at an Arabic restaurant. B, D

[ top ↑ ]

Lemesos
Sunday, March 16, Day 12

Breakfast is self-catered and will feature warm, olive-studded and halloumi-studded (traditional Cypriot cheese) breads and fruits. Enjoy the morning on your own on the lovely villa grounds. At noon, we visit the modern sculpture garden and long esplanade along the sea in downtown Lemesos. There, we share a light picnic on the grounds with other weekend revelers. The late afternoon will be spent at the home of sculptor Philippos Yiapanis. We will be joined by Macalester alumni and their families for coffee, dessert, and a farewell event. B, L

[ top ↑ ]

Larnaca
Monday, March 17, Day 13

We rise early, have a light self-catered breakfast at Villa Mosaica, and travel to Larnaca for your return flight to the U.S. B

[ top ↑ ]

Return to U.S.
Tuesday, March 18, Day 14

Your return flight arrives in the United States.

[ top ↑ ]