As the Summer sighs its last and the days begin to shorten, it’s natural to get a little bit glum. Winter is on its way, leaves are turning, you begin to notice that more people are wearing jackets, pedestrians scuttle to nearby taxis rather than walk –  and it’s increasingly difficult to justify wearing flip flops! I actually do like autumn in London a lot – but if you still haven’t had enough of summer, here is a suggestion for you – go to Cyprus!

Uninterrupted blue skies and stunning sunsets over the calm Mediterranean Sea. This was my place of  peace and tranquility for a week

Frenchie and I had business to attend in Cyprus, so we thought, that we would try to make the best of it, while being there. My mission was to relax, which is why we chose a VIP Suite at Acapulco Resort and Spa with a very big, private balcony all to ourselves (what a luxury!)

There are a few VIP Suites available at Acapulco. You just have to make sure to book in advance if you plan to go during high-season

There is room for 4 adults at the VIP Suites

An extra bonus is the jacuzzi, but the bathroom also has a normal shower as well. If you are truly dependent on a good hairdryer, like me, I suggest you bring your own! Every time I needed to dry my hair, Frenchie said “See you in 2018!” (It was quite a struggle to get my hair dry! )

You can’t really beat the view from the bedroom, can you? I personally had many mornings, where I was just lying here enjoying looking out on the blue, blue sea and skies!

And when I was hungry, I would call roomservice – and enjoy my breakfast on the balcony. (There are restaurants at Acapulco, where you can indulge yourself in big breakfast buffets, but honestly the food here is so cheap, so we preferred spending our mornings like this… and pretend we were royals for a few days!)

Close up of our delicious breakfast with a Turkish twist – and a beautiful view of the Kyrenia mountains in the background. 

So what’s there to tell about Cyprus… Well, first of all we went to the northern part (the Turkish side)! Cyprus is indeed an interesting place with a lot of history! The Island of Cyprus lies at the crossroads between East and West. Due to its strategic location, it was conquered and ruled by many civilisations throughout history, namely the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Knights Templar, Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans and the British

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Athens government. The island was effectively partitioned with the northern third inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the southern two-thirds by Greek Cypriots

Northern Cyprus really is a haven for a variety of wildlife and there are over 1600 species of plants, 350 species of birds, and 26 different species of reptiles and amphibians. Orchids are probably the most famous of the plant species found in Northern Cyprus and they are found almost everywhere

Small and charming! This is Kyrenia Harbour!

Located in historic town of Kyrenia, Kyrenia Harbour is a lovely place, where you will find good food, entertainment, beautiful views and stunning surroundings

The harbour is filled with yachts and boats, and the landscape is somewhat dominated by the fascinating Kyrenia Castle

Boat trips are very popular here – and I can only imagine it being a lot of fun for youngsters to jump on a boat that looks like it just sailed out of a pirate movie!

I however preferred to stay with my feet on solid ground and explore a bit more of the harbour!

The harbour once housed a number of warehouses, from which products were exported, but most of these have now been turned into eateries

Time for a rest – and a glass of the locals favourite drink Raki! 

Light lunch at the harbour. I wish I had come back to try more of the seafood! It looked really good -and again, the prices will make you and your wallet happy!

 

Back at the hotel it was time to visit Acapulco Casino

Giggling on the red carpet! Frenchie had to go back to our room to change shoes! Even though you are at a holiday resort, flips flops are NOT allowed in the casino! Bad luck!

At first Frenchie and I didn’t understand why so many hotels in Northern Cyprus had casinos, but we found out that Turkey’s government had banned gambling in 1998 – and as a result the country’s casino operators promptly moved their operations across the Cilician Sea, turning Northern Cyprus into a mecca for Turkish gamblers! (I mostly saw tourists at this place – trying their luck with a few Turkish Liras just like us. Fun – but no win!)

Acapulco Resort is a very popular family destination. I did however prefer the infinity pool for adults only, since I  first and foremost was here to relax

and so did Frenchie!

There are all sorts of entertainment for children including a play ground, a kids club and an amusement park

But the most popular is without doubt the Aquapark with many different slides

We really enjoyed our evening walks by the sea…

Around at the resort there were all sorts of entertainments going on. I can truly say that if you come here as a family you have certainly chosen the right place!

With the sun shining 365 days of the year it is quite easy to get a tan. And how my pale skin enjoyed a boost of D-vitamin (just remember to use sun protection. The sun is very strong) 

Remember to try some Turkish specialties while you are here. I particularly enjoyed fried halloumi cheese, kebap and meze (the Turkish word for hors-d’oeuvres)

And if you are not into local food – or your children might prefer something less exotic, the restaurants will make sure you won’t go home hungry

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I was mainly in Kyrenia to relax – and not to explore! We had beautiful weather every day and we could decide for ourselves whether we wanted to be “royals” at our own balcony or join the rest at the swimming pool or the beach! I found September a bit too busy for my taste. I am not a big fan of big buffets with people standing in line for a piece of bread! There are a lot of lovely little restaurants in the area you can try out to avoid the busy buffet – or simply order food at your own balcony with the perfect and peaceful seaview!

If you have any tips or ideas or comments on visiting North Cyprus, I would be very happy to hear from you

X Louise