To celebrate the end of yet another school year but also the festival of Kataklysmos which marks the day of the Holy Spirit, hubby and I spent a fantastic weekend in Paphos - the land of Aphrodite - the Greek goddess of Beauty and Love. Paphos is one of our favourite weekend destinations and we have often been there on holiday. It seems that Aphrodite and Adonis blessed this land with their passionate love which resulted in spectacular views of incredible beauty.
Coral Bay is located at about 150 km west of Larnaca and 12 km north of the city of Paphos and lies by the quaint village of Peyia. It consists of a rugged 600-metre coastline of fine golden sand and a pair of headlands and boasts one of the island's most desirable beaches. It seems that in the distant past, coral reefs composed a part of its underwater structure - hence the name Coral Bay.
We set off at midday on Friday and arrived at Coral Bay 1 hour and 50 minutes later - just in time for lunch. We had lunch at Crystallo's Restaurant and truly enjoyed sharing a big Cyprus Village Salad and a mixed grill before checking in at Thalassa Boutique Hotel which stands on an impressive cliff overlooking Coral Bay. For three days, Alkis and I took time to relax by the pool or on the beach but we also hung out in Coral Village and tasted mostly Greek and Italian cuisine. Here are some of the dishes we loved most.
Both Alkis and I have hectic work lives, so whenever we take a holiday, we choose to do so just the two of us, as far as this is possible. This was one of the best holiday weekends we've ever had.
Glad to see you and Alkis had such a great weekend. Your photos are gorgeous and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of Coral Bay.
Posted by: Constantinos T | June 25, 2013 at 07:15 PM
Buonasera Anastasia. What a beautifull place!!! Thanks for all the great pictures. I am sure you enjoyed the italian food. The bruschettas look really very delicious. I do them often at home but I put tomatoes and basil after I rub the bread with olive oil and garlic. My kids like mozzarella for topping so sometimes I do them with mozzarella like the one you had. Another topping which it is very popular in my area is a kind of salami which it is called ventricina.
Posted by: Lisa A | June 25, 2013 at 07:36 PM
To me this is the ideal weekend! The place looks fabulous...I guess you're right. Aphrodite and Adonis must have worked out magic in Paphos. I love the views from the cliff, they're absolutely amazing. And the beach is lovely too. And so are you!! Filakia
Posted by: Christina | June 25, 2013 at 07:47 PM
San Diego boasts some of the finest beaches in the world, which are our pride and joy, yet I am stunned by the scenic panorama of the ocean in your part of the world.
Posted by: Jeff | June 26, 2013 at 02:05 AM
Your post today has made me quite nostalgic about so many summer holidays spent in Greece with family and friends. Sounds like you and Alkis spent a terrific weekend. Great photos!
Posted by: Karolina | June 26, 2013 at 02:19 AM
This looks like a great place to relax after all the hard work you had during the school year. Your photos are absolutely amazing. Love them all. Hope you have a great summer ahead.
Posted by: Haruko N | June 26, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Coral Bay is only a one-hour drive from Lemesos and we love going on a day trip there. The beach is fabulous and very safe for children. We stayed in Lemesos on the weekend of kataklysmos. There were some very interesting events and lots of dancing and singing. It's not like the great festival in Larnaca but it's getting better every year.
Posted by: Sophia | June 26, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Winter's round the corner here Down Under. It's been raining since early in the morning and right now it's got 16C. Thanks for sending some of your sunshine my way. Happy Summer!
Posted by: Andy | June 26, 2013 at 12:49 PM
It is true that Paphos offers the visitor places of amazing natural beauty and Coral Bay is certainly one of them. Thanks for sharing the beauty of this place through your photos. It's been a while I haven't been there.
Posted by: Lakis Ioannou | June 26, 2013 at 07:26 PM