The perfect view for a perfect holiday
Hi! We are Terry and Rose and we are the proud owners of this wonderful villa. We hope that you will fall in love with the place just as we have done and we would like to show you what it was that made it so appealing to us.
Firstly, there are the many attractions of Cyprus. Hopefully, you are already aware of the year-round appeal of Cyprus the wonderful people, the history, the weather and the lifestyle. Secondly, there was the dramatic setting for this new development on the outskirts of Tala village overlooking the Paphos coastline. Lastly, there were the qualities of the villa itself.
Tala village is some 5 miles north of Paphos harbour, 2 miles inland from the sea and is an easy 25 minute drive from Paphos International airport. At the heart of the village lies a small square surrounded by bars, cafés, gastro pubs and traditional tavernas.
Villa Zephyros is part of an exclusive new development just a 10 minute walk down the hill from the village square. The development’s elevated position, some 600 ft above sea level, provides unsurpassed views over the local countryside, Paphos and the sea. The vista includes rolling farmland, wooded areas and a coastal panorama that stretches from Paphos harbour almost as far north as Coral Bay. It was this view that captivated us when we first saw it.
Our newly built villa has its own pool, 3 double bedrooms and a lovely garden executed by one of Cyprus’ most renowned landscape gardeners. There are ample opportunities to enjoy the views from around the house and garden.
Villa Zephyros has the local address of 9 Karidiou Street and is approached up a hill that displays to good effect the property boundary walls that are all faced with local stone. We have a covered car port that will accommodate most sizes of vehicle. From the car port one ascends a short flight of stone steps, which are unfortunately not wheelchair-friendly, pausing briefly to admire the lower garden terrace, en-route to the front door. A traverse past the swimming pool gives visitors a first glimpse of the stunning view. Now let us walk you through the house.
Walk with us...
The front door opens into the main living area which comprises a lounge, dining room and breakfasting kitchen. The living room is fully air conditioned and is flooded with bright sunshine that shines in through a wall of glass patio doors. However, you can have too much of a good thing, and blinds are fitted throughout for coolness and comfort on very hot days. The room has contemporary furniture and art work and is complemented by a 32” TV, DVD/CD player and satellite system.
The dining area, also fully air-conditioned, comfortably seats 6 adults around a modern dining table and provides wonderful views over the pool and beyond to the Mediterranean Sea.
The kitchen area is open plan and is separated from the dining area by a breakfast bar. The kitchen is well equipped with modern appliances that include a fridge-freezer, oven and hob, dishwasher and microwave oven. These are complemented by carefully selected items including kettle, filter coffee maker, toaster, designer cooking pots and pans, crockery, cutlery and glassware. There are also pool-safe items and a cool-box available for al-fresco dining. Should you need to do any laundry during your holiday there is a washing machine, clothes drying rack, iron and ironing board.
Also on the ground floor is a toilet with wash basin.
Two double glass patio doors lead onto a shady veranda with dining table and chairs for 6, while there are a further 4 loungers for relaxing round the pool while enjoying magnificent, unobstructed views of Paphos to the south and the sea to the west. The views at night are equally spectacular, consistently clear skies providing a backdrop of stars to rival the lights of Paphos below.
The pool measures 8m x 4m and is just what you need after lounging in the sun. When you have had enough sunshine, there is a large heavy-based sunshade available and of course you can find shady areas around the house and garden at any time of day. There is an outdoor shower for rinsing off before and after swimming.
PLEASE NOTE: THE SWIMMING POOL AREA IS NOT ENCLOSED AND THEREFORE CHILDREN SHOULD BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES.
Back inside the villa, a marble staircase, decorated with prints of watercolour paintings of local scenes, leads upstairs to the bedrooms.
All 3 bedrooms are fully air-conditioned, spacious with built-in cupboards and drawers, and have black-out blinds at the windows. In addition, most of the windows are provided with fly screens so that one can sleep with open windows, rather than air-conditioning, if preferred. The master bedroom has a king size bed (5 ft) with bedside lockers, reading lamps, a dressing table and an en-suite bathroom containing a shower, basin and toilet. This bedroom boasts double patio doors opening up onto a large veranda with the same fabulous views out to sea as the ground floor veranda beneath. The second bedroom also benefits from a king size bed, bedside tables and reading lamps and has its own access to the upper veranda via another set of double patio doors. The third bedroom has twin beds, a bedside locker and reading lamp, and its own smaller balcony with views over the open countryside. Occupants of bedrooms 2 and 3 share a fully tiled family bathroom containing a bath with shower over, basin and toilet.
While the villa enjoys air conditioning throughout, its position and elevation allow cooling breezes to temper the worst of the heat, even in high summer. For the cooler months, when there is arguably even more for visitors to see and do, there is the option of employing the electric under-floor heating and duvets for extra comfort.
Of course, it will be up to you to get out and enjoy Cyprus’ many attractions. Whether you enjoy a cultural day out, a day at the beach, a night on the town or just a quiet walk in the hills, it is what you do that will make your holiday here unforgettable.
CAR HIRE available if required
Car hire is available for the duration of your stay Mid-sized 4 door car with A/C, elec windows, power stearing, etc. In the event of an accident, you are responsible for paying the excess for the insurance which is £150. In the event of minor damage done to the car, you are responsible for paying for all repairs necessary.
From the moment you wake up in the morning you have facilities and things to do at your fingertips. Take an early morning stroll up to the fantastic village bakery where you can treat yourself to fresh feta cheese pies and other goodies that are impossible to pronounce but scrumptious none the less. And the varieties of bread, rolls and pastries seem endless!
Go and explore the village, and especially the square, which has two mini-markets and a variety of cafés, bars and restaurants that between them offer everything from snacks to fine dining, international or local cuisine and more great views! Try a glass or two of the local wines Persephone and Arsinoe are good starters but seek out your own local favourite from the Paphos region. A multi-dish meze at one of the local taverns is a must but try and build up a hearty appetite beforehand in order to do it justice.
The winding back streets are full of surprises and beautiful gardens abound. This is an authentic Cypriot village, full of life and traditional Cypriot charm and hospitality. Tala has everything you could need on the main road alone you can find a late opening grocer, a deli, a beauty salon, a pharmacy, a DVD rental shop, a FEDEX, a laundry, an Internet café, an Anglican church and even a dentist. And there are plenty of other bars and restaurants to try once you have tired of the famous square!
Of course, one of the most popular ways to spend your holiday is on the beach and Tala is only a few miles from Coral Bay, the most spectacular of the local beaches. Nevertheless, the Paphos municipal beaches are good and have easy access by car. Sunshades, water sports and cafes are plentiful. It pays to explore some of the quieter beaches further along the coast. While many are very quiet, even in summer, they are rarely without a taverna! Boat trips and excursions can be arranged from Paphos, while short trips to Egypt and the Pyramids are also possible.
Nature lovers will find their way to the Akamos peninsula which is a protected area and totally unspoilt. Four-wheel drive off-road vehicles are essential in order to cope with the unmade roads in the area. In the opposite direction, an hour’s drive takes you to the Troodos mountains, a paradise for walkers, cyclists and foodies, (try the freshly caught trout, or even catch your own and have it cooked for you!). Amazingly, there is even skiing to be had in winter.
There are generally all varieties of sport to be enjoyed, especially water sports but it is golf that brings visitors back to Cyprus time and again.
There are a number of golf clubs. The nearest, a 12 minute drive from Tala, is the Minthis Hills Golf Club, founded in 1994 on the hills of Tsada, set in the grounds of a 12th century monastery. The 18-hole course was designed by the legendary Donald Steel and renovated by Mackenzie and Ebert in 2006/7. There are several other 18-hole courses a short drive from Paphos. Golfers seeking expert advice can visit the Tala village golf shop, or else speak to our uphill neighbour, who is himself an enthusiastic golfer.
If there is any advice we can give visitors, it is “Come and see Cyprus”. Take a drive around. There are thousands of historical sites, monuments, monasteries and museums. Paphos itself contains World Heritage sites but there are fascinating remains all over the island. Wineries, old villages, their arts and crafts, and the famous painted churches in the mountains are only a short drive away. Indeed, a few miles north of Tala lies the 850 year old monastery of St Neofytos, carved into the mountainside its museum filled with ancient treasures and artefacts.
At the end of each day you may decide to have a quiet evening at the villa enjoying a drink round the pool, while watching the town lights come on, before visiting one of the local tavernas. Alternatively, our fabulous Outback gas-powered BBQ may tempt the boys to take over the cooking for an evening. On the other hand, you could take a walk along Paphos harbour, have a coffee, a drink, or a meal at one of the many restaurants and watch the sun go down while relaxing in the warm ambience of a Mediterranean evening.
And in case you are concerned that “Villa Zephyros” may, by reference to the Greek god of the West wind, be a Cypriot equivalent of “Windy Ridge” or some such, please be assured that it is because when coastal areas are baking and wind-less, there is usually a gentle, refreshing on-shore breeze to be had at Tala village.
In summary, we have fallen in love Cyprus, Tala village and Villa Zephyros. We think that you will too, whatever time of year you choose to visit. Book now for a fabulous holiday that you will look back upon fondly for many years to come.