# Cyprus - best place for a single 40 year old expat to live?



## Tomster (Apr 3, 2014)

Hi,

I have just left Thailand after 5 years straight there as an expat, and 14 years in total of going back and forth between there and the UK.

My plan is to be in Europe for the summers and back into into Asia for the winters, so I am looking around for a suitable bolt hole.

I am currently in Kalamata, Greece and whilst it's absolutely beautiful, there is not enough to do for a single guy (or for this one at least).

So I plan to fly into Cyprus this weekend and stay for around 3 weeks. I'll probably get a holiday villa rental but could do with some ideas on where would be good to try first? Paphos seems like a good place to start?

One thing that would be great is an active pool league, it's my only real hobby and is generally a great way of making friends quickly when you land somewhere new...

Thanks in advance,

Tom.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I don't know if there is an active pool league in Paphos but there are certainly plenty of bars with pool tables so I would think there is a good chance.
Certainly there is plenty going on to keep a single man occupied.
But don't make the mistake of spending all your time just in Paphos in the bars like so many do. Hire a car and get out and see the island. There is a lot to see despite it being a small island.


----------



## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

After Kalamata Cyprus will seem to have plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy yourself! I did a quick Google search on Pool Leagues in Paphos and these sites came up which I hope will be of interest:

paphospubleagues/Pool - DIVISION 1
Pool,Crib,Domino League Rules

Presumably if you put in Limassol, Larnaka or any other large town you should get similar results.

Cyprus may be a small island but each area has so much to offer so hiring a car and possibly spending some time in the Paphos region and also the eastern part of the island will make it easier for you to explore. I would point out that in the winter months many establishments close down so my choice would be somewhere that is lively all year round.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Talagirl makes a good opoint about places being closed in the winter months. That is especially true on the Eastern side of the island where the resorts are pretty well ghost towns for 4 months. Paphos is much livelier as there are so many expats living here so only a handful of restaurants and bars for 2 months. Also some of the hotels close mostly ones with sister hotels which can accomdate the smaller number of visitors during the winter months while the ones which are closed get smartened up in time for re-opening for the holiday season.

Limassol is by far the livliest place all year round if you like city life. Not sure about the number of British expats there, it seems to be mainly Russians these days.
I lived in Limassol many years ago and loved it then but now apart from the odd day of shopping there I prefer to stay away from it. It has grown too big for my tastes and the traffic is even more scary than Paphos


----------



## Tomster (Apr 3, 2014)

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not worried about the winter months so much as I'll be off to Asia.

What's the North of the Island like - I see there is a pool league up there also?

Is there such a thing in Paphos as villas on or near the beach that are part of a hotel complex? 

Many thanks,

Tom.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

We don't have any members from the North of the island (which is illegally occupied)
so it may be difficult to get any information about it. You could try googling.

I know most of the hotels and can't offhand think of any that have villas in the grounds which they would rent out long term. The few that do have villas only do holiday let in them.
It would in fact be difficult to get a let over the summer at monthly rate because that is the most lucrative time for holiday lets.
You could take a look on owners direct or one of the other holiday rental sites to see what is available then contact the owners of any you like the look of.

Veronica


----------



## Tomster (Apr 3, 2014)

Hi Veronica,

Could you name the hotels that have villas on them, I'm after a week or two so I guess this is classed as a holiday let? 

Many thanks,

Tom.


----------



## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

As UK passport holders our friends found the visa restrictions in the TRNC meant that every 90 days they had to leave the country! Quite simple as they just crossed the border into South Cyprus and stayed for a few days before returning. You get a paper visa which you place in your passport at the border. If you arrive by airplane or ferry you will be issued with the visa upon entry. You can take out residency but that is usually recomended for those who plan to leave there all year round. 

I also haven't heard of hotels with any villas in their complex - the nearest thing would be an aparthotel. Damon Hotels is one example but it isn't on the seafront. Maybe renting a holiday apartment would give you a wider choice?


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I thought you wanted a villa for a few months during the summer, my mistake.
The one hotel the definitely has villas is the Elysium but that is a very expensive hotel. Other than that there are quite a few holiday complexes of villas with reception etc. 
The Aliathon holiday village was supposed to be having bungalows and villas and some traditional village style houses in the new part but looking at the website it looks as though they changed their minds and went for all apartments instead.
I have heard of other hotels with villas but can't recall which they are.


----------



## Geraldine (Jan 3, 2009)

we stayed at the Kefalonitus some years ago which has apartments with a reception area and pool, it is near Fat Mamas on Tomb of the Kings Rd.


----------

