Most visitors to Protaras and Ayia Napa never venture more than a few hundred metres from the sea, and with beaches like these who could blame them? Yet just inland lies a cluster of farming villages where everyday Cypriot life carries on much as it has for generations. Old men argue over backgammon outside the coffee shop, grandmothers sell potatoes from the back of a pickup, and the church bell still marks the rhythm of the day. A morning spent here is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to understand the real Cyprus, and it is rarely more than a 15-minute drive from your villa.
What are the Kokkinochoria?
The name means the red villages, and you will see why the moment you leave the coast road. The soil here is a deep rusty red, rich in iron and famously good for growing potatoes. Cyprus potatoes from this corner of the island are prized at home and abroad, and in season you will see fields being irrigated, harvested and replanted almost all year round.
The villages usually counted among the Kokkinochoria include Paralimni, Deryneia, Sotira, Frenaros, Liopetri, Avgorou, Xylofagou and Achna. Each has its own character, but they share a relaxed pace, a strong sense of community and a central square where everything happens.
The kafeneio: where village life happens
If you want to see village Cyprus at its most authentic, find the kafeneio, the traditional coffee shop. Usually set on or near the main square, it is part social club, part news exchange and part debating chamber. Traditionally it has been the preserve of older men, but visitors are welcome, and ordering a coffee and simply watching the world go by is a perfectly respectable way to spend an hour.
How to order a Cypriot coffee
Cypriot coffee is finely ground and brewed slowly in a small long-handled pot called a briki, then served in a small cup with a glass of cold water. The key is to order it with the right amount of sugar, because the sugar is boiled in with the coffee:
- Sketos – no sugar, strong and bitter
- Metrios – medium sweet, the most popular choice
- Glykys – sweet
Don't stir it once it arrives, and stop drinking before you reach the thick layer of grounds at the bottom. Sip slowly; nobody in a kafeneio is in a hurry.
Tavli and the art of conversation
The clatter you hear is almost certainly tavli, the local version of backgammon, played at lightning speed with plenty of good-natured trash talk. If your children are curious, a travel backgammon set makes a lovely souvenir, and evenings by the pool are the perfect time to learn.
Village by village: what to look out for
Liopetri: baskets and a fishing harbour
Liopetri has a long tradition of basket weaving, using reeds and cane gathered locally, and you may still find handmade baskets for sale. The village is also known for a memorial at the site of a barn where EOKA fighters died during the independence struggle of the 1950s, a place of real significance to Cypriots. Down on the coast, Potamos Liopetriou is a picturesque creek lined with small fishing boats, and the fish tavernas nearby are a favourite with local families at weekends.
Sotira and Frenaros: Byzantine chapels
Both villages are home to small medieval chapels that sit quietly among the houses and fields. Frenaros is known for the little stone chapel of Agios Andronikos, while Sotira has several old churches dotted around the village. They are modest rather than grand, but that is part of the charm. Opening times vary and some are only unlocked for services, so treat any visit inside as a bonus.
Deryneia: a view across the divide
Deryneia sits right beside the buffer zone, and from the Cultural Centre of Occupied Famagusta you can look out over the abandoned district of Varosha. It is a sobering and thought-provoking stop that helps visitors understand modern Cypriot history. It suits older children and teenagers best; check opening times before you go.
Paralimni: the big village
Paralimni is the largest community in the area and the administrative centre for Protaras. Its large central square is dominated by the church of Agios Georgios, and the surrounding streets are good for bakeries, small shops and everyday errands. It is a nice contrast to the resort strip and a good place for an evening stroll with the locals.
Taste the villages
Food is never far from the conversation in Cyprus. Pop into a village bakery for a koulouri (sesame bread ring) or savoury pastries, and look out for seasonal treats such as flaounes, cheese-filled Easter pastries. In the tavernas, try koupepia (stuffed vine leaves), kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb) and, of course, chips made with the local potatoes, which taste noticeably better than anything back home.
On Sundays, the smell of souvla drifts over the villages as families gather around charcoal grills in their gardens. If you are staying in a villa with a barbecue, buy your meat from a village butcher and ask them to cut it for souvla; they will happily give you tips.
Panigyria: village feast days
Every village church is dedicated to a saint, and on that saint's feast day many villages hold a panigyri, a traditional fair with stalls selling sweets, toys and household goods, often with music in the evening. Look for the stalls selling loukoumades (honey-soaked doughnuts) and soutzoukos (grape-must and almond sweets). Dates follow the Orthodox calendar and vary, so ask your villa host or check local listings during your stay.
Practical tips for visiting
- Go early or late. Mornings are lively and cooler; many small shops close in the early afternoon and reopen later, and some traditionally close on Wednesday afternoons. Hours vary, so don't count on anything being open at lunchtime.
- Dress respectfully in churches. Cover shoulders and knees, and keep voices low if a service is taking place.
- Learn a few words. Yia sas (hello), efharisto (thank you) and kalimera (good morning) earn warm smiles.
- Carry some cash. Small kafeneia, bakeries and roadside stalls may not take cards.
- Drive slowly. Village streets are narrow, and tractors have the right of way in practice if not in law.
Where to base yourself
The beauty of the Kokkinochoria is how close they are to the coast. A 3-bedroom villa with a private pool in Protaras puts Paralimni, Deryneia and Sotira within a short drive, while a 3-bedroom villa with a private pool in Ayia Thekla is ideally placed for Liopetri, its fishing harbour and the quieter western villages. Larger groups might prefer a 5-bedroom villa with a private pool in Pernera, a handy base for both beach days and village mornings.
Spend one morning swapping the sunlounger for a coffee in the square and you will come home with a far richer picture of Cyprus.
When you are ready to plan your stay, we would love to help you find the right villa for your family.