AYIA EDUCATION
It has a reputation as a hedonistic party hotspot, but CLAIRE SPREADBURY learns there’s more to Ayia Napa on a family holiday in Cyprus
DURING the flight, Rosie, my eight-year-old, keeps calling this place Whya Napa, and I can’t help but snigger. Why indeed, would any family take their kids to the garage music capital of the late-Nineties? Surely all Ayia Napa is good for is stag parties and Inbetweeners-style holidays?
If you head into town, that’s exactly what you’ll see; pavements weighed down with cheesy bars, bustling restaurants and tat shops (though I have it on good authority from Rosie that the massive, inflatable pink flamingos hanging from most of them are high-quality goods), with the odd bank, strip club and fast-food joint thrown in for good measure.
Drive a little further out, however, and you’ll find palm-tree-lined roads, rusty red soil and beautiful beaches.
With the uncertainty of Brexit, opting for an all-inclusive package at a decent resort is an economical holiday solution. And with Ayia Napa sitting on the glorious southeast coastline of Cyprus, it’s a surprisingly good base.
WHERE TO STAY
WE’RE staying at Thomas Cook’s Sunwing Sandy Bay, a four-star resort with all the pools (six different areas), restaurants (two and a snack bar) and mini golf a family of four could ever need. It’s even spent a bit of time in the limelight, as the backdrop of Channel 4’s The Secret Life Of Five Year Olds On Holiday.
My children, Rosie and five-yearold Poppy, are in heaven the second they walk into the big white lobby and are greeted by Lolli and Bernie (a giant giraffe and bear), who pop up at the pool for cuddles and high-fives, and even host daily 20-minute pool parties for enthusiastic tots and tweens.
WHAT’S THE RESORT LIKE?
IN the family apartments (there are 360 rooms in total), there’s a bedroom with a small terrace, massive shower, fridge freezer and some simple cooking equipment, and an L-shaped sofa which, weirdly, is what the kids sleep on.
Fino is the main restaurant, where you can fill up on the buffet. They cater for kids, vegetarians and various allergies too, which is a godsend when your dairy-intolerant daughter only has eyes for the ice-cream machine.
There’s also an a la carte menu and you can eat in Andrea’s Kitchen, which was easily our favourite restaurant. There’s a BBQ on Tuesdays, offering up a great selection of grilled meat and veggies, plus salads and healthier kids’ options.
The (free) wine is also pretty good, as is the local Keo beer. And if you get a chance, sup on a small glass of Commandaria – a Cypriot dessert.