Cyprus Villa Accommodation in Protaras
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Cyprus Villa Accommodation in Protaras
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About Protaras
Protaras
is the tourist resort of Paralimni, in the South East of Cyprus within the
Famugusta area. Once it was scrubland, sand and a golden beach. Now it has
the Wild West appearance of a town that has developed far too fast for its
own good - a greater affinity with Las Vegas than a typical Greek village or
small town. Some scrub is still there and luckily so too is the golden beach
- reputed to be one of the finest beaches on the island.  By
midday the main street of Protaras is unbearable due to the heat, absorbed
and reflected by the concrete surroundings. A little landscaping and
especially tree planting to break up the harsh contours and give a little
shade wouldn't go amiss. At night Protaras is a cacophony of sound as each
disco-bar tries to outcompete its neighbours as they all vie for business.
The best that can be said for the architecture is tacky. Planning control is poor, non-existent, or simply ignored. At the Paralimni end of Protaras, near Maestro Bar, a huge McDonald's sign has been erected that is an appalling eyesore. Clients at the adjacent hotel will have from their balconies the view of a McDonald's plus the smell of junk food. Globalisation and McDonald's is destroying local culture everywhere, even a small place like Protaras cannot escape.  The
disco bars in the centre of Protaras are in constant conflict with the
hotels and apartments. What is needed is a bulldozer to flatten the lot and
replace them with Greek tavernas. Appearances can be deceptive. Protaras may not have any ruins from ancient civilisations, the architecture may not be the world's greatest, drunk karaoke singers and English DJs are not everyone's idea of a good night out nevertheless it does have its good points. The golden beach is still there gently shelving into the clear blue unpolluted sea of the Mediterranean. The night clubs, disco bars and restaurants are some of the best on the island. The many hotels may not look much from the outside, inside sheer luxury with food and service second to none. On the beach are a variety of water sports, from peddle boats to jet skis and paragliding.  Protaras
has been awarded the coveted EC Blue Flag in recognition of the fine quality
of its beaches. On the outskirts of Protaras is a small attractive stone church set atop a rocky crag - the Church of Ayios Ilias. It is well worth a walk to the church and the climb to the top. From the top there is a panoramic view of Protaras and the surrounding countryside. Two net cafes are available in Protaras at either end of the street. At the Ayia Napa end in the Cinnamon Pub (formerly Hard Rock Cafe) and at the Paralimni end in the Maestro Bar. Protaras is located approximately half way between Ayia Napa and Paralimni, one hours drive from Larnaca International Airport. A regular local bus service runs from Paralimni to Ayia Napa via Protaras. Boat trips run along the coast from Protaras. One way to Cape Greco, the other way to view from offshore the ghost town of Famagusta, now under illegal Turkish military occupation. |
