The best restaurants to dine by the river
María Luján, a family restaurant founded in 2005, is named after grandmother María, who passed down her passion for gastronomy to the whole family. Since María was a very common name at the time, they added 'Luján' referring to the Luján River, which surrounds the restaurant and adds its natural charm.
The place offers views that complement the gastronomic experience, providing a sense of relaxation and harmony. Their proposal fuses Mediterranean cuisine with local products, highlighting dishes like salmon trout, risotto, and river fish. They also offer gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Insider tip: Once a month, they host a tasting series to enjoy a unique experience alongside prestigious wineries.
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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
The 10 best beaches in Cyprus
The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is a great choice if you want to laze on the beach and top up the tan. With its sub-tropical climate that translates into endless days of summer sunshine, and beaches and bays – some quiet and unspoilt; others bustling with activities – the island is an unbeatable holiday destination. Here, are some of the top beaches to head for. For further Cyprus inspiration, see our guides devoted to the island's best hotels, restaurants and things to do. Coral Bay Kolpos ton Koralion, known locally as Coral Bay, is a large sweep of golden sand fringed with hotels and dotted with sunbeds in summer. It is a Blue Flag beach around five miles along the coast due north of Paphos, in the village of Pegeia. Beach bars and restaurants offer al fresco dining while swimmers can enjoy its clean, protected waters and lifeguards keep it safe, especially for families. Coral Bay offers some dramatic headlands and sea caves to explore, plus the nearby archaeological site of Maa-Palaeokastro. This ancient Mycenaean settlement can trace its origins back to the Late Bronze Age. Getting there: Bus 615 from Tombs of the Kings station or by car. Parking is available by the beach. Porto Pomos Islanders in the know head for the beach at Porto Pomos. This stunning yet relatively unknown stretch of pebbly sand lies next to the charming little fishing harbour at Pomos in the Paphos district. Even city folk from Nicosia come here on holiday. To reach it you drive along the coast road from Polis Chrysochou, with rugged countryside on one side and crashing waves on the others. Swimmers delight in the clear, shallow waters, while the cragged shoreline here makes it a popular snorkelling spot. A small beach café does excellent frappe and there's a restaurant famed for its fresh fish dishes. Getting there: Bus 643 from Polis Chrysochou or by car. Parking is available by the beach. Lara Beach Two unspoilt, crescent-shaped beaches hug either side of the rocky Cape Lara on Cyprus's west coast. They are quiet and way off the beaten track so you'll need a 4x4 type vehicle to reach the beaches comfortably as access roads are bumpy. Lara Beach is best known for being where endangered loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the warmer months. A conservation group monitors the turtles and places the eggs in protective sand-covered nests until they are ready to hatch, at which point baby turtles emerge from the sand and head for the sea. Seeing the baby turtles is a humbling experience. Getting there: Access by car only, preferably 4x4. Parking on headland above beach. Pissouri Bay Pissouri Bay is a bit of a contradiction. While being set in one of the most beautiful and quiet spots along the southern coast, the bay is also where families gather, and waterskiing and surfing folk come to enjoy their sport. Fortunately, the bay's beach is wide and long enough for everyone to enjoy it at their own pace. Pathways from the parking areas provide access, including a couple designed for people using wheelchairs, and amenities include showers. A handful of places to enjoy a bite are close by, while some seriously good restaurants can be found in a nearby luxury hotel and in Pissouri village. Getting there: Bus 630 from Paphos Karavella station, 70 from Limassol station or by car. Parking is available by the beach. Lady's Mile Beach Lady's Mile Beach is a long, gently-shelving expanse of sand which can be found not far from the Curium archeological site between Paphos and Limassol. It is popular with city folk keen to unwind, and horse riding enthusiasts (you will often see horses and riders from the nearby equestrian centre enjoying a hack along the shore). This beach is believed to have been a favourite of the governor when Cyprus was under British rule – it is said he also rode his horse here. There are a couple of eateries, a bar and a watersports centre. Boat trips leave from here for short trips to see some impressive sea caves. Getting there: By car. Parking is available by the beach. Aphrodite's Rock and Beach Despite almost exclusively comprising rocks worn smooth by the sea, this beach is one of the island's most popular. Walkers as well as sun-worshippers flock here, especially as the sun goes down – the sunsets here are magical. The focal point of the beach is, without doubt, Aphrodite's Rock, which is a magnificent creation of nature that is one of the iconic images of Cyprus. The rock is said to be where Aphrodite, the ancient goddess of love, rose from the sea and was born. Dramatic, rugged scenery provides a backdrop to the beach. A taverna is nearby. Getting there: Bus 631 from Paphos Harbour station, 70 from Limassol station or by car. Parking is available via a tunnel under the road. Governor's Beach A seemingly endless string of bays with backdrops of chalk white cliffs characterise the southernmost shores of Cyprus from around Pissouri through to Zygi. This landscape is particularly evident at Governor's Beach, which with Lady's Mile was a favourite of the governor when Cyprus was under British rule. Here, you can sunbathe on platforms created by the rocks. Watersports abound and the rocks are popular for fishing and snorkelling. The beach has golden sands and shallow waters, making it a popular spot with locals, especially those from nearby Limassol. The fish tavernas here are bustling in summer. Getting there: By car. Parking available by beach. Mackenzie Beach This Blue Flag beach lies to the south of Larnaca's medieval fort, its busy Finikoudes esplanade and the city centre. As such, the beach is popular with locals relaxing at the weekend and holidaymakers from the nearby hotels. The beach is known for its safe, shallow waters and its long stretch of fine, clean grey sand, together with palm trees that provide a tropical backdrop. You can try out activities like windsurfing and sailing here, plus join a diving team for the chance to see one of the world's most famous dive sites, the Zenobia shipwreck, which lies just off its shores. Getting there: On foot from the Finikoudes or by car. Parking available by beach. Nissi Beach The young and trendy tend to head for this Ayia Napa beach, often after a night of clubbing. Here, you'll find a bustling beach of people, sunbeds, parasols and paragliders. Add to the mix water-skiers and windsurfers, and you have a lively holiday spot, with buzzing bars and beachside tavernas adding to the atmosphere. From here you can take the walkway or cycle path to Makronissos Beach, which is a glorious, half a mile-long stretch of sandy beach often frequented by quad bikers. Just inland are the Makronissos tombs dating from early Roman times. Getting there: Intercity Nicosia to Larnaca bus route or by car. Parking available by beach. Fig Tree Bay This long, crescent-shaped sandy beach sits neatly in its own cove on Cyprus's easternmost coast at Protaras. It takes its name from the many fig trees that dot its lush countryside backdrop. The beach was awarded a Blue Flag due to its cleanliness, safe waters and an eco-management programme that has made it one of the finest beaches on the island. In fact, it is often referred to as being one of the best beaches in Europe. Watersports, sunbeds and refreshments are available. A small uninhabited islet lies just off the seashore and can be reached by swimming in the shallow waters. Getting there: On foot from central Protaras or by car. Parking available by beach. How we choose Every beach in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of areas and styles, from popular city beaches to lesser known corners – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Carole French is Telegraph Travel's Cyprus expert. She was captivated by the island two decades ago and lives in a village surrounded by her own olive groves near Paphos. When not exploring archaeological sites or art galleries she's probably sipping a brandy sour.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Family faces £40k bill as man left on organ-support after falling ill on holiday
Ian Wright, 47, and his wife Sarah, from Northumberland, were on holiday in Cyprus when he suddenly became very ill and he is currently in in Nicosia General Hospital The family of a British man are facing a staggering bill of more than £40,000 to fly him home after he became seriously ill while on holiday in Cyprus, leaving him on dialysis, a ventilator and multi-organ support. Ian Wright, 47, was watching Newcastle's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal with friends he and wife Sarah had flown out to visit in Tala, near Paphos, when he became unwell ill, just six days into the holiday. Sarah initially suspected Ian had food poisoning, but he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis with necrosis soon after being admitted to a medical centre in Tala. Haulage worker Ian has been in Nicosia General Hospital since Friday, May 30, and has spent much of that time on dialysis, a ventilator and multi-organ support. Ian's mum Monica Muckle, 67, flew out to the Mediterranean island and has been by his side since May 22. She is desperate to bring her son back to their hometown of Cramlington, Northumberland. However, for Ian to make the journey home in his current condition, he would need to be flown by private jet accompanied by a doctor and paramedic at a cost of £40,995. The family are fast running out of money to prolong their stay in Cyprus, with Monica telling ChronicleLive: "We are absolutely heartbroken because if we have to go home on Monday, he's here on his own. "The thought of it is just horrendous. He knows we're there, and the thought of going in on Sunday and saying to him we've got to go home and not even be able to tell him that he's going to be following us because we just don't know." Ian and Sarah have an annual travel insurance policy, but Ian did not declare that he had seen medics about high blood pressure and high uric acid in the UK. Therefore, Ian's travel company AXA have declined to pay out. A GoFundMe page was set up by Sarah's friend and colleague, Lucy Wareing, which has raised almost £9,000. That was originally to cover the family's expenses in Cyprus before the full severity of his case was known. However, they are trying to use as little of that as possible, so that they can put any money raised towards Ian's repatriation. Monica said: "We're trying to keep hold of money we have got from the fund. We want him home and we don't want to be spending money that's going to go towards helping him to get home." The family hope that they could use Ian's workplace pension to cover some of his repatriation costs, but do not know how long it will take them to access it. Monica says she has been working until the early hours of each morning contacting charities, but most support families in repatriating loved ones who have died abroad. They are also in contact with the British Consulate in Cyprus, who are helping the family with translation and interpreting, and getting regular updates from the hospital. Monica said: "As you get older, you realise how important it is to put things like that on the travel insurance. We're not holding out any hope where that is concerned. "We're not trying to scrounge, that's why we're looking into the pensions because if we can get that, maybe it won't be enough for all of it, but it could cover a fair proportion and maybe we can crack on getting family and friends to help us a bit more. We don't want to beg for money, we want to be able to get the money through whatever ways we can. We're still having to take it a day at a time, but we just want him home."
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
The Greece trip that made me a Neilson holiday convert
I lost count of the number of fellow guests at the Neilson Messini Beach Club who told us this trip was not their first visit to the sprawling fitness resort which sits on a private beach near Kalamata in the Peloponnese region of mainland Greece. One couple we made friends with on the first evening, while our toddlers played (in the excellent playground), sheepishly told us they had visited twice the previous year alone. This conversation repeated many times in several forms over the first day or so. I remember thinking that it was a nice hotel, but that there was nothing particularly distinctive about it. We appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmland and olive groves, meaning no popping to the shops to waste money on European crisps and olives. Initially, there was no wow factor and I struggled to understand what all the fuss was about. But after a few days, the penny dropped. Very simply, it's just no-nonsense, wholesome fun. It's a haven of unassuming and limitless have-a-go opportunities which attract Brits who like doing lots of different activities on holiday. You don't need to leave the complex per se, but if you wanted to hire a bike and take yourself off, you could. Equally, Kalamata, famed for its olives, is just a 30-minute taxi drive away, and home to pretty tiled streets and gorgeous tavernas. The influx from our London Stansted flight seemed to be a mix of families with very young children, or older couples; I suspect the demographic changes somewhat during school holidays to more families. Out of school holidays, I considered the price point to be something of a steal compared to other similar trips – all in, with most of our food included, it was £2,077 for three of us, including flights. Prices rise during the school holidays but, even then, factoring in childcare, food, flights, accommodation and the facilities, I can see why these trips are so popular. They are absolutely value for money. In May, the crowd seem to be cyclists, racquet sports enthusiasts, or simply sun-chasers who want to do yoga and aqua-aerobics (the latter being a very entertaining daily staple in the freezing but beautiful 50m pool). I had to adjust my mindset to enjoy the holiday – I'm not one for group organised fun as a general rule. I enjoy being left alone to swim, train or ride my bike with no interaction. But Neilson attracts a really nice crowd and despite being very happy alone, I discovered I enjoyed the group vibe. During the organised 1.5km sea swim, I met some lovely people, and surprised myself by happily chatting both pre and post-swim. It was a similar scenario during the organised bike rides. You could choose to keep your head down and simply enjoy the sights, but I thoroughly enjoyed chatting away to a man I met who was from the same part of Devon as I am. He was there with his adult children and grandchild, celebrating his and his wife's 30th wedding anniversary. Another aspect I appreciated was the sense of calm that permeates the resort. Despite the array of activities and enthusiasm of many of the guests, it's a non-competitive space. You're not fighting for lane space with an Olympian, but swimming alongside Alex who is taking tentative steps to train for an ironman and seeking support with his technique. Other resorts aimed at fitness fanatics can sometimes seem a little elitist. While there's certainly space for some healthy competition at Neilson Messini, the vibe is more have-a-go and have fun in a judgement-free environment, whether it's trying windsurfing, sailing or Hyrox – it's all there. Equally if you don't wish to engage in coaching or lessons, all of the equipment is available to simply hire out, while the excellent facilities are free to use solo when classes are not taking place. I found plenty of time around the timetable to swim lengths in the pool (go between 8am-9.30am), or use the excellent functional gym area (I found early afternoon best, and it was nice to be in the aircon). Beyond the activities, there is room to simply chill out and relax. My happiest times at the resort were playing with our daughter in the pool, or splashing in the shallows on the beach. If you want to catch up with a book on a lounger, you can. And if you want to do so away from younger guests, there is an adults-only pool at the Buca part of the complex. Similarly, there are adults-only parts of the restaurants where you can dine in peace, if you wish. What's on offer Guests can take part in everything from pickleball and tennis, various gym-based classes, cycling and watersports – from windsurfing and sailing, to open water swimming. If you are a keen cyclist and want to get out on the road, take your own pedals and shoes, and – sorry Neilson – I would suggest your own helmet. I found the slightly sweaty one I inherited a little revolting, but between the ick and a head injury, I opted for the ick. I'd also recommend taking a wetsuit if sampling watersports in May. The water temperature in the ocean was 18 degrees, so still quite chilly. We tried everything on offer between us and both thought the cycling and open water swimming were the best activities. If I would offer any feedback it would be for the resort to put on more than two open water swims a week, and increase the number of road bike options – the classes are popular and it was tricky to secure a spot. As newbies, we didn't realise the classes book out in advance, so make sure you book your activities ahead of travel. Families The resort itself seems to be particularly popular with families with children who are keen to participate in activities away from their offspring while they're safely entertained in the popular Kids' Club. Our three-year-old refused to join in, despite the facilities and entertainment looking perfectly good. We frequently saw our friends' three-year-old being taken about the resort by the Kids Club reps, doing everything from swimming lessons to sailing and building sandcastles. The Kids Club itself is run by a noisy gaggle of young graduates, usually in face paint, who keep all ages entertained, from tiny babies to teens. The youngest children are split into year age groups, while the older children have more of a range. All of the staff are first aid trained and the baby carers have early years qualifications. Our daughter did engage in the bi-weekly toddler splash swimming lessons with the resident swimming teacher, Emily, however, and she loved it. The lessons were entirely age-appropriate and we felt her confidence improved in the pool during our stay. We are a same-sex couple and chose Greece because it is known to be gay friendly. We find travelling with our child internationally brings a whole new dimension to being aware of our safety, particularly in airports or when engaging with security staff – it's never fun navigating security with a distressed toddler, trying to explain that you're both her parents. Mercifully, we had no trouble with the Greek officials we encountered. We were, I think, the only gay couple at the resort that week, but the crowd Neilson attracted meant there wasn't a single moment we got the feeling someone had an issue. It was refreshing and relaxing in equal measure. The rooms The rooms are clean and functional with comfortable mattresses. Our room did not have a bath (we were in the sea view pool rooms), but our friends staying in the garden rooms did. I think the garden rooms were slightly nicer than the hotel and pool rooms and being away from the main hotel means they're certainly quieter. We had a double/twin room with a sofa bed that folded out for our daughter. There was more than enough room and storage, and the balcony was sizeable too. You don't end up spending much time in the rooms, but they were perfectly nice, clean and practical. We found the two-hour time difference particularly useful with a little one, as it meant we could enjoy a relatively late meal together before all going to bed at the same time. If parents want a later night to enjoy the entertainment, the Kids Club also offered a sleep club service, where the children all have little beds laid out in the creche. Parents then transport the sleeping baby back to the room using one of the array of Nipper Sport buggies at the resort. And that's another handy thing – if you don't want to bring a buggy, the resort will lend you one of theirs. Food We're vegans, so the idea of a package holiday buffet fills me with trepidation, but I was happily disabused of my prejudice every mealtime. The food is the most wonderful array of Mediterranean wholefood goodness, with plenty of options for us. There was something different every night – and carnivores and pescatarians looked well served too. There was a particularly nice-looking paella that caught my eye and the baked fish looked amazing. For us, the food was genuinely top-notch and a real selling point for the resort – and makes the package seem like a real bargain. There's a separate buffet available for children at 5pm, should they require an earlier snack. Here, expect kid-friendly slices of cheese and ham, pasta with the sauce separately for children who require their food in such a way, and of course every version of a potato a child might need. For three nights of the week, the buffet is closed, however. On these nights, you can chose to eat at the pool bar or venture out. On one such night, we went to Oinopantopoleion in Kalamata, on the recommendation of our new friends, and ate locally-sourced gourmet small plate food in a stunning courtyard, washed down with excellent local wine. It wasn't a particularly child-friendly place, but our daughter was happy eating the hot potato chips for the evening. I'd heartily recommend this restaurant for a special treat away from the resort. Getting there When I learned the flight was a package flight from London Stansted, I immediately tried to find out if there was a Heathrow option. Alas, no dice – it was the first week of May and the flight options were limited to Bristol, Stansted or Manchester. Our flight was with Jet2 and I was assured all other passengers would be Neilson guests, which meant no elbow-jostling with excitable stag and hen parties. Anyone familiar with Stansted will know it's not for the faint of heart, however. Neither is finding a (very narrow) space in the vast carpark which appears to be miles from the airport. Not wanting to navigate this with a toddler for the very early flight, we used Holiday Extras to pay £220 to stay the night at the Radisson Blu on the airport site and park as part of the package. It was well worth it and took a lot of stress away from attempting a fraught airport dash in the early hours. Friends we met on the trip stayed nearby with their parents and paid extra for a meet and greet service at the car park – a much more palatable option with a three-year-old in tow. The actual flight is only a little over three hours, but it's worth buying food at the airport before departing, especially with children. Prices Off-peak: Prices for a 7-night stay at Neilson Messini Beach Club start from £692pp which includes flights, transfers, activities, kids' clubs and club board for two adults and one child sharing a hotel double or twin with a sea view departing from London Stansted on 4 May 2025.
