These Christmas villages attract Israelis – without the frost

There is nothing to do, the Israelis love Christmas. The trees, the lights, Santa Claus, the mulled wine, say what you will about the Gentiles, but they know how to produce an iconic holiday. Usually when you think of the “Christmas market” you think of distant and cold destinations: December in Vienna, Krakow or Paris may be a magical experience, but also icy, and it’s not easy to walk around for hours in temperatures close to zero, no matter how much mulled wine you drink.

Of course, there is always the possibility of experiencing Christmas here in Israel, in Nazareth, Haifa or Jaffa, but if you want to find the average between a vacation abroad and the immediate surroundings, let us suggest Cyprus. In recent years, the nearby island nation has launched the “Christmas Villages” initiative: starting in November, the villages in the mountains of Cyprus wear red and green with a combination of a European Christmas market and an atmosphere you know well from vacations in Cyprus and Greece.

Cyprus, as you well know, is the closest European destination you can reach from Israel: by the time you take off, you’ve already landed. Accordingly, the weather is also similar to Israel, for better or worse: true, we expected a more significant winter at this time of the year, but there is something nice about experiencing Christmas with a short T-shirt and a light jacket. Whether you stay mostly in the urban area of ​​Limassol or head up to the island’s mountain villages, you’re guaranteed to spot Christmas decorations around every corner.

In Limassol itself you can find luxurious hotels: at the “Parkline” hotel you will find an amazing view of the sea, a variety of restaurants, a spa, a large and well-equipped gym, and a variety of pools. For a less family atmosphere, those who want the casino experience can go to the well-known and well-known “City of Dreams” hotel, which includes a huge casino. Even those who don’t want to blow their Euros on roulette or blackjack will be able to enjoy a high-class hotel, albeit without access to the sea, but with a variety of gourmet restaurants and rooms with a view of the sea or the mountains.

If you want an authentic Cypriot experience, it is recommended (like everywhere you go abroad) to go to the restaurants where the locals eat. In the case of Limassol, it is “Sikminia”, a restaurant that serves local, simple, and insanely delicious Cypriot food. Meat dishes cooked for hours on a wick, fish and meat, classic Greek salad – everything you can expect from a restaurant in the Hellenic Islands. If you want the local-culinary experience up to The end, and if you also want to get drunk like Cypriots, it’s worth trying the local KEO beer, which unfortunately is not imported to Israel (isn’t it haram? It’s 40 minutes from here) and the official alcoholic drink of Cyprus: “Zivnia”, which is produced from grape pomace (what’s left after making wine), similar to the Italian “grappa” or the Greek “raki”/”tsipouro”.

Most of the Christmas atmosphere is found, as mentioned, in the villages themselves: eight villages scattered along the island, among them Lafakra (which is known for its lace-like silver jewelry), Picardo, Kakopetria and the most impressive of all, Kalofangiotis. The Israeli names may be hard to remember, but all the information can be found in an orderly manner on the website of the Cypriot Ministry of Tourism, Visit Cyprus. The eight villages include Christmas markets which are currently open on Saturdays and Sundays, and from December 22 to January 6 will be open every day with traditional Cypriot food, sweets, children’s toys, activities, drinks and souvenirs. In the small Christmas markets in the villages you can find most of what you expect in a classic Christmas market, even if in a small Enfin.

In the end, the tradition of Christmas in its current form is rather “dressed” on Cyprus, as on other countries. The familiar image of Christmas, Santa Claus in red clothes, a snow sleigh drawn by reindeer, a decorated fir tree, comes from northern and much colder countries, from Germanic and Nordic peoples. On the other hand, Christmas started right here in the vicinity, between the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem and Rome, the capital of the empire that turned Christianity from a fringe sect into an imperial religion. In short, either way, if you want to feel the Christmas atmosphere at 20 degrees instead of minus 20 degrees, the Christmas villages of Cyprus are just what you need.

*The reporter was a guest of the Cyprus Tourism Bureau