Golden sandy beaches abound on the eastern coast of Cyprus, in the free part of the Ammochostos (Famagusta) area. The popular holiday resorts of Agia Napa and Paralimni-Protaras are a true paradise for lovers of the sea, watersports and night life. But there is more to the area. Inland one can also admire a number of Byzantine and Frankish monuments and museums. The magical landscape was an inspiration to Greek Nobel poet laureate, George Seferis. Sights worth seeing include the medieval monastery at the centre of Agia Napa, the hundreds of windmills in the sprawling fields and the many Byzantine churches in the Paralimni-Protaras region and in surrounding villages.
The region is the main potato-producing area on the island and is known as Kokkinochoria, meaning “Red Soil villages”, thanks to the fertile red earth in which they are grown. The villages of this area are equally renowned for their folk poets and traditional song performers, who are regarded as the most inspired on the island.
Courtesy of the CTO
