There is a small Greek island in Europe, which is famous for its hospitality, mild climate and an unusually cozy, almost homely atmosphere, which is so lacking for those who left their native land on New Year's holidays. It's about Cyprus, over which the sky is never tightened by clouds and the sun shines 340 days a year. Moreover, a pleasant bonus is visa-free entry to the island.
Climate of Cyprus and the winter weather
Cyprus is an island of the sun and eternal holiday of the soul. A mild Mediterranean climate allows Cyprus to be in the status of a resort all year round. Even in winter, the thermometer's column almost never drops below + 20 ° C (the lowest fixed temperature is +7 ° C), the humidity is rather low (45-60%). Nevertheless, only the most daring ones bathe in the sea: the water temperature is only 17 -18 ° C.
New Year in Cypriot
The Cypriots are very friendly and hospitable, therefore every holiday on the island they walk "on a broad foot", like one big family . It can be felt even by tourists who are the island is warm, as their . In Cyprus for the New Year begin to prepare ahead of time - the pain More than a month - and all this time in the Republic festive atmosphere . officially holidays begin on December 23 - Cypriots, although Orthodox, but their main winter holiday is Christmas (December 25), and the familiar New Year ( 1 January) is usually celebrated especially brightly by tourists and Cypriot Slavs (about 80,000 people) who live there permanently .
The history of the occurrence of three winter holidays in Cyprus
According to historical reports, the most famous Roman emperor Yu Cesar introduced the calendar A new type in which Calculation begins on 1 January. This month was named in honor of the two-faced god Janus, half of whom faces the old year, and the other looks at the new one. It was believed that this pagan patron helps people prepare for new achievements, successfully complete old businesses and successfully start new ones. He was prayed before the wedding, before childbirth, at the decision of difficult vital tasks and sharp turns of fate.
Later, in Ancient Greece, December 25 was celebrated as a great pagan holiday - the birthday of the Sun itself, and then, in early January, there were "January calends ", which meant the end of the autumn and winter festivities.
The history of the New Year is no less interesting. The church greatly influenced the Greek culture, making adjustments in the form of new customs and traditions. On January 1 (January 14, according to the old style) in Greece, there was a feast of the memory of St. Basil of Caesarea, who was considered the patron of all the lonely and needy. Today, Vasily is in the image of Santa Claus, who every year on the night of December 31, thousands of small Cypriots are waiting with presents.
Another celebratory winter event in Cyprus is the "Feast of the Three Magi" or Epiphany celebrated on January 6 . Traditionally, a festive mass is held on this day, after which the parishioners go to the sea to perform the ancient church rite: the priest throws a cross into the sea, thus consecrating the water, and the notorious young brave men dive after him into the sea abyss . To Tom, who will get the cross, according to the belief, luck and luck will follow the whole next year . After the subject is returned to the cleric, flocks of snow-white pigeons are released into the sky, and music from all the coastal crafts sounds .
Traditions and customs of the Cyprus New Year and Christmas
New Year's holidays in Cyprus last two weeks - from January 23 to February 6. It's always fun and interesting, necessarily enchanting and incredibly sincere. The Cypriots have a lot of wonderful New Year traditions, which add to their holidays a unique highlight.
Despite the fact that in Greece pagan folk festivals were completely eradicated, their features and customs still partially spilled over into modern New Year holidays. For example, it is customary for New Year to dress up in carnival costumes, sing songs, carol, put on masks, decorate faces, dance and dance around the dressed tree. Therefore, for the New Year and Christmas on the streets of the island there are always a lot of people: at midnight people fill streets, fireworks, shout, dance, sing and arrange a real unforgettable holiday. Dances in Cyprus are given special importance: every indigenous resident of the island considers it his duty to dance the Greek people sirtaki during the holiday.
During the New Year's festivities, the decorated squares are put on the main squares of the island on the main squares, biblical scenes are staged, and houses and streets are decorated with luminous garlands, olive branches, and traditional wreaths of berries, nuts, ribbons and even pomegranate, which in Cyprus is a symbol of well-being, success and happiness .On the eve of the New Year, garnets must be consecrated, and then, upon returning home from service, the most fortunate member of the family should take him and enter the house first, with the right foot .After that, he smashes the grenade on the steps of the house from all over, and if the fruit is loudly cracked and split, it means that next year will bring happiness, joy and well-being to the house .
Christmas is more celebrated as a religious holiday, so on Christmas Eve certainly go to church. After the service, they all go home and sit down at the tables that abound with traditional Christmas dishes. For this holiday, as a snack, serve meze (hot or cold), meat is cooked with roast lamb, pork sausages, turkey or chicken, and desserts are baked with loaves, pies with nuts, honey and powdered sugar, and biscuits. From drinks prefer home-made alcohol or compote.
In the New Year in Cyprus, as in Russia, many different dishes are put on the table: salads, cheeses, snacks, fish, meat, poultry, dough products - the New Year's menu depends solely on family preferences .However, there is also a traditional Cypriot dish, without which there is not a single house - it's Vasolipitta, or a pie from semolina flour, to which the housewives always bake a silver coin .The fact is that according to the legend, Saint Basil, at the request of Christians persecuted by the Emperor Julius, hid all their simple savings in dough to hide from the plundering villages of soldiers .Then, he baked a lot of caravans and breads, which he gave back to the needy .Therefore, Vasilopittu is cut into several equal parts so that each member of the family gets a piece, but they always leave one untouched, because in the morning he is taken to church and given to the poor .Well, the lucky one, who got a pie with a coin, can count on the favors of fate all the following year .
| Winter in Cyprus is seclusion, |
| leisure |
| and excursions! |
Cyprus Hotels
A ticket for the New Year holidays should be booked in advance: first, it will cost less, and secondly, it will be possible to choose the tours of interest to you and the hotel you like. Leaving the trip to the travel agency at the last moment, you risk not to fly away at all. On the eve of New Year and Christmas, plane tickets fly out in just a few minutes, and the rooms in the best hotels are booked for a few months.
Most often our compatriots choose as a New Year resort in Limassol - there are a lot of immigrants from Russia, so holidays there are celebrated in the best Russian traditions. You can have fun together with everyone on the street or in a restaurant, and the most active and cheerful is the Dolce night club.
It is generally accepted that the best hotels of the island are located in Limassol. Famous Four Seasons 5 *, Le Meridien 5 * and Amathus Beach 5 * will amaze you with luxurious rooms, highly qualified staff and excellent themed entertainment programs - Christmas and New Year's. The price of the tour includes festive dinners: you will be booked a table in the restaurant at the hotel.
Fun in Cyprus
After a feast, a sound sleep and a pleasant procedure for receiving Christmas gifts, you will certainly want to unwind and explore the island. In the winter months, Cyprus is especially beautiful: at this time almond trees bloom, amazing with their marvelous beauty and exuding an incredibly pleasant aroma. They resemble huge bouquets of delicate pink flowers that turn an island into a fairy-tale country. Therefore, walking through the Cypriot parks will bring you a lot of impressions.
On the island there are lots of ways to have fun, so everyone will find an excursion to their liking. You can go on a jeep safari, visit the water park, stroll through the amazing citrus plantations, cruise on a yacht, ride on donkeys and camels, learn how to catch octopuses or go diving. Fans of skiing also do not have to be bored: in the mountains of Troodos there are special skiing and snowboarding tracks.
Be sure to take time to travel to historical places .In Paphos you will be shown a place where, according to legend, Aphrodite herself was born .You will even have the opportunity to plunge into her bath, which, according to the belief of the islanders, is able to make a woman younger and more beautiful .In Limassol, you should visit the winery, where you can taste different types of wines and buy what you like for your home collection .Also worthy of attention and medieval Byzantine churches in the highlands near Troodos, which will amaze you with their majesty .
Sunny island cold winter
New Year's holidays held in Cyprus - it's always a good mood and a positive emotional charge, which is then enough for a year. This small island gives a lot of vivid impressions and with nothing incomparable sense of coziness and warmth. During the holidays, the islanders become one big family: no matter where you come from, live here all your life or come only for a couple of days. That is why the New Year's weeks spent in Cyprus will be remembered for a long time, and the sunny Greek island will fall in love forever.