Cyprus Mail - article by Annette Chrysostomou 24 September 2018
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) is offering an innovative new programme, the ‘Sunday Escapes’ which are one-day excursions around the island operating from September 2018 until June 2019.
“The tours are for Cypriots and people residing in Cyprus,” tourist officer Maria Socratous explained. “People have asked for it, and we wanted to offer something to introduce people to all aspects of Cyprus.”
Thus, each month will have a theme around which the programme of the excursions will revolve, starting with archaeology.
The first one will take place on September 30 and is a guided tour to Paphos, as its significant archaeological monuments date back to antiquity. Since there is only one Sunday left for this month, buses depart from all towns, Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa in the morning and stop at Petra tou Romiou and the archaeological site of Kouklia. A meal at a local tavern and a tour of Geroskipou follow.
From then on, one bus will leave for the same destination from a different town on consecutive weekends. In October, for example, the theme is gastronomic tourism, and Sotira, known for its kolokasi, was chosen as the destination.
Three months, November, April and May target rural tourism in different parts of the island, December is dedicated to religious tourism with visits to ten churches which are on the Unesco world heritage list, in January the buses will travel to Nicosia for cultural visits, in February the theme is walking in the mountains, in March wine and in June cycling on rental bikes is on offer.
Reservations can be made by calling 77-778050 or 22-713760 Monday to Friday from 9am until 1pm and 2pm until 5pm. The deadline for reservations is 11.00 am on Thursday for the coming Sunday. Places are limited. Each trip lasts around 8 to 10 hours. Prices vary according to the programme.
