Introducing the new Vavatsinia Honeybee Trail 

With the holiday season gearing up one of the most popular areas of Cyprus is preparing to show visitors some of the areas hidden treasures.

A new bee-themed nature trail at Vavatsinia has opened which takes walkers on a 2.5km journey through the life of bees and their role in wellbeing.  ‘The Humming of the Bees’ trail combines walking in the picturesque and tranquil surroundings of mountainous Vavatsinia village with an educational and healing experience centred around the therapeutic sound of the humming of bees; something that has been proven to have health and wellness benefits. 

Vavatsinia is one of the nine Rural Larnaka Honey Villages that share a rich history of beekeeping and honey production. The route has bee-friendly plants signposted, decorative beehives and bee ‘hotels’ offering refuge for solitary bees, as well as a pavilion, benches and wooden loungers to enjoy a relaxing break. Walkers can discover interesting information on bees, such as facts about ‘apitherapy’ which uses products made by honeybees for medicinal purposes and the way in which bees communicate with flowers. Click here for more info.

Historic Larnaka Municipal Market is re-born with new indoor market

The new Larnaka Municipal Market has opened on its original site with an indoor market throughout the week and an open-air farmer’s market on Saturdays. With the market’s long history as an integral part of Larnaka city’s fabric, the new design honours its heritage by fusing traditional elements with a contemporary structure and is set to be a landmark in the commercial centre. 

The market first opened in 1928 and operated in its original form until 1963. It remained unused for some 30 years until it was demolished at the end of the 1990s to create municipal parking. Alongside the open-air farmer’s market that operated at the site, a smaller indoor market was opened in a building across the street. 

The new market houses 20 vendors offering a variety of traditional, local produce from across the region, including stalls selling wine, dairy, cured meats, baked goods and sweets, herbal products, souvenirs and fresh fruit and vegetables. The Saturday open-air farmer’s market (from 6am – 1.30pm) offers fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh flowers and other produce. 

The new structure is a reimagined design reminiscent of the circular dwellings of the Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement. In the future the mezzanine level will host restaurants, cafes and a snack bar, as well as cultural spaces, whilst the upper level will feature a terrace with seating area, roof garden and bars.  The market has a Facebook page that will be updated with news and events. 

Kalavasos-Tenta archaeological site ‘virtually’ reconstructed

The Kalavasos-Tenta archaeological site has been ‘virtually’ reconstructed with a historically accurate video that shows how the Neolithic settlement appeared 9500 years ago. The video takes viewers back in time to the site during the Aceramic Neolithic period (7.000-5.200 BC), when the island’s first permanent residents established a village west of the Vasilikos River plain.  

The remains of the settlement in Kalavasos village – alongside those at Choirokoitia Neolithic Settlement – are an excellent example of an early permanent settlement. The village was eventually abandoned in 5.600 BC for reasons unknown.  Watch the video here to find out more about this fascinating and sophisticated settlement. Click here for more info.

Two new ‘Talking’ statues bring history alive

Two new Larnaka Storytelling Statues have been unveiled. ‘Man with Wreath of Leaves’ at the Archaeological Museum of the Larnaka District and ‘Medieval Knight of Larnaka Castle’ are the newest members of the Larnaka Storytelling Statues family ready to narrate their unique histories. 

The Larnaka Storytelling Statues are a series of statues, busts and monuments that bear a plaque with a QR code. Once scanned users receive a call-back in English or Greek from the monument and can listen to the insightful story of each in a character narration. 

‘Man with Wreath of Leaves’ paints a vivid picture of Larnaka city during ancient times, and in particular, the areas surrounding the museum and the site of the Ancient Port of Kition. ‘Medieval Knight of Larnaka Castle’ is a noble French knight’s narration conjuring evocative images of the castle during its different eras; Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman and British. Click here for more info.

For tourist information from the Larnaka Tourism Board, visit www.larnakaregion.com

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