Good morning everyone, our holiday/vacation this year was to the beautiful Island of Cyprus. Again we decided to go through James Villa and stay at a Villa. So on a dark and early Sunday morning we all woke up around 3.30am and started to get ready. We had to be out of the house by 4.00am to get to the airport. It was a forty five minutes drive to Gatwick airport and once we arrived we headed for the check out desk and checked our luggages in. After a small bite of breakfast if you can call it that we headed for our gate to board the plane. Once on board fatigue hit us all and we all at one point or another during the flight had a nap.
We landed in Cyprus and at Paphos airport at around 12.00pm local time after a four and half hour flight. It’s a very small airport and the boys were hungry so we decided to pick up a little something to eat at Costa Coffee. Apart from the Costa Coffee there really isn’t any other place to eat. We decided to kill a bit of time as our check in time was at 4.00pm. So once we finished eating we stepped out of the airport and into the blazing heat. Must admit don’t think any of us thought it was going to be this hot. Anyway we picked up our rental car and drove to Argaka which is an hours drive.
On our journey to Thalassa Beach Villa in Argaka all three boys decided to have another nap. It was a very quiet journey and we arrived at our villa just a little before 4.00pm. All of us were super excited to check out the villa. Skipping a head of us into the villa Eli, Wyatt and Zeke could not wait to get into the pool! While I started to unpack all the luggages my husband went out to the nearby supermarket to get a few items. The first thing I do whenever we travel is to unpack the bags and luggages. Anyone else relate?
Even if we are eating out we still need snacks and drinks. With three boys who like to graze all day long the fridge needs to be stocked up. All three boys striped off as fast as they could and got into their swimming trunks and jumped into the pool. I can truly say that the villa is set in the perfect location right by the beach. The morning sea breeze is just beautiful and of course you can’t beat the sunset. Such a peaceful location away from all the hustle and bustle. That evening we decided to order take away and eat in as we were all feeling very tired!
Next morning we all woke up had breakfast and sat by the beach and just enjoyed the views. We were warmly greeted by the owner and the rep from James Villa. Savas the owner was a delight and had bought us a welcoming cake from the bakery. As usual the boys just couldn’t wait to get into the pool. After a game of tennis they all jumped in followed by us. The weather was so hot that you could only manage to play for about twenty minutes at most. You can really feel the heat from the sun beating down on you!
For lunch we ventured into the nearby town of Polis which is a short ten minutes drive away. With a variety of restaurants and places to shop. Spoilt for choices we really didn’t know which restaurant to go to. Also you don’t see many people out and about during lunch time in Cyprus as we found out whilst dining at the Archontariki Restaurant and Tavern. This tavern has a timeless, classic feel, set in an old stone house with original tiling and a garden with giant urns and shady trees. The menu reflects the chef’s skill at combining traditional dishes with innovative flair. After a long lunch we headed back to our villa and for more pool time and just relaxed by the beach.
I decided to get some content done and make use of the Villa and the surrounding area as much as I could. It wasn’t as easy as I thought because it was so hot! You really can’t walk around for long and therefore you will find most people travel by car.
Near the villa is a bakery and every morning Wyatt and his Papa would go for a stroll as it was literally a stones throw away from our villa. An array of cakes and breads awaited and by the time Eli, Zeke and I were awake they would come back with these delicious cakes and breads. The bakery not only sold bread and cakes but all sorts of things from swimming goggles to grocery items too! The reason for mentioning the swimming goggles is because Wyatt’s old pair snapped and we had to buy him a new one. It was very handy and meant we didn’t have to venture into Polis just for a pair of swimming goggles. Also a happy child who didn’t have to wait long for them.
As for dinner we headed to a nearby restaurant in Argaka which is a couple of minutes drive from the villa. The Fly Again Irish Pub and Grill sits right by the beach and is an ideal spot specially in this hot weather. Although it can get rather brezzy and you have to watch out for your napkins flying off. So the children ordered pizza and burgers with fries, not very adventurous I know, I went for a salad and my husband ordered a burger too. The meal was good I wouldn’t say it was one of the best but the atmosphere was great and we all had a wonderful evening.
The following day after much time spent relaxing and meandering on the beach we headed to Polis again. This time we went to the Polis Herb Garden And Restaurant for lunch. Again it was rather quiet, and to be honest I prefer it like this. I ordered a village salad and must say it was one of the best salads I’ve eaten. As for the boys and hubby they ordered lamb chops, and an array of greek food. The garden itself is a lovely space to explore and adds a little something extra to the whole experience. Customers can also buy dried herbs and essential oils organically produced in the garden. The Staff are courteous and attentive without being intrusive. Such a pretty place and we all enjoyed our meal so much so that we returned the following day! Highly recommend it and you will not be disappointed.
Polis Herb Garden And Restaurant
Waking up on Sunday morning and with that sad feeling of having to go home. We all had throughly enjoyed our one week stay in Cyprus and at Thalassa Beach Villa. James Villa have some beautiful villas and this is our second time staying at a villa rented out by them. I highly recommend using them if you decide to rent a villa. Cyprus you have been fabulous and in particular Thalassa Beach Villa, we are sure to come back and visit you again.
