and me !..

(I also took pictures of all the notes and coins....! !)

When I used to work at the bank I took all the foreign coins customers handed in and put them all in the coin collection globes in the airport rather than putting them in the bin!! Every year I get back and find unused currency in hand luggage pockets and put it in the piggy which I forgot to empty!!! So this year I must remember to empty it and fill the airport globe. I may even find some euros I forgot about to put towards a meal at one of the expensive restaurants

I still have one of everything too!.
Do miss the good ol' cyprus pound, can't get used to euros had to get all my money out before i went to the check out in carrefour today. It's like monopoly money!!

CourtneeLouise x

Hi all,

Have just returned from a fab week in Protaras. Weather was unbelievable, far better than I ever expect for May. Actually cant quite still believe I have been. In light of what I paid for this holiday I seriously didnt believe that there would be seats on the aircraft for us, and then if there was - well there would not be any accommodation etc. Anyway all went absolutely perfect, in fact better than most of my pre-planned holidays and this one was only booked as a 'last minute' week. Last visited Protaras in 2001 and since then some of the Restraurants still remain but now many new ones. Didnt have one bad meal whilst there. Some of the Restaurants we visited because of the reviews I had read of this site and thought them well worth a mention. Zizis Italian on top road was a brill Italian, very welcoming and the best cutlery all week!! The Corner at the end of the Strip was really nice, very welcoming staff, if not a bit creepy! Slightly pricier but all in our party enjoyed our meals and the vodka tomato soup was to die for. We went ot the American Indian on top road for a less formal meal - in my opinion not worth it - not very good quality food and for the same money you can eat a lot better. By far the best , in my opinion, was Nicholas Tavern on the strip opposite the big Chinese. We visited this Restaurant on our 2nd night and again on our last night. Again I had read reviews on this site and decided to try. Aboslutely brilliant. Nicholas is so very friendly and the food is cooked to order. All fresh and way way too much. In fact I think we had more food on our table 'on the house' than we ordered and paid for. Can highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Protaras who enjoys quality food (especially meat). a VERY freindly atmosphere at exceptionally reasonable prices. I would also mention another favourite of ours for during the day was Zafiros on the walkway from Protaras to Penera - lovely relaxing views and very reasonable and nice food.

Hope this review of a couple of eateries is of some interest to anyone due to visit Protaras. Each to their own opinion of course but I visited Nicholas Taverb and Zafiros purely on what people had posted on this site and I was not disappointed.

Anita

Anita,
So very happy you enjoyed Nicholas, we love it and always have 3-4 meals there during our 2 week stay and as you say he always gives you free this and that, my husband and myself love white wine and he always has a different one for us to try and we have been going since 97..
Another favourite since last year is No1 restaurant, its always full of locals (a good sign) and the food is gorgeous, can't wait for June to be in Protaras again....Bring it on....

We have just come back from Ayia Napa - absolutely brilliant holiday and we are gutted to be back home.
If you are going to Ayia Napa this summer you MUST try Raphaels Restaurant. It is on the road leading to the Harbour (Nissi Avenue I think). The food is wonderful, the staff are great and very friendly/funny. We have two very fussy children but they both loved the food and asked to go there every night!! If you do go, try the Kleftico - out of this world. Hope you all have a great holiday.

Raphaels Restaurant. It is on the road leading to the Harbour (Nissi Avenue I think).

Lovely place to eat It's just past the Napa Plaza Hotel (Peppers Bar) on Makarious Avenue heading to towards the Harbour

Does anyone know if there are any new restaurants in Protaras worth visiting,as we have been visiting the area for the last 12 years we seem to have exhausted them all.
Did try and love the No1 for the first time last year and a new one opposite Fools and Horse which did lovely pizza's.
15 more sleeps......

Hi

Have read through all of, well most of the posts, and wondered if any of you who have been to Protaras before could give me recommendations for family friendly restaurants, we are cyprus virgins going in mid July, 2 ads and a 4 year old.
Do any of the restaurants have kiddy areas, like slides/swings as part of them?

Have made a list of the ones you've all mentioned over and over, so probably have enough for my cheap week in the sun, but just in case are there any family oreintated places, with the exception of MacDs of course!!

Also eating out evenings only, and the occassional day time snack - do you think 500.00 enough for a week spends, as we don't get a chance to booze all night these days

Yianna Marie has a bouncy castle for the kids of an evening. Flintstones also has a bouncy castle and other smaller items but they also have childrens shows on regular throu out the week.
There is also a kids mini golf, go karts just along from Flintstones and another one at the opposite end of the strip, Fantastico think it's called.

I'd budget for a wee bit more though, possibly 120E per day just to be on the safe side.

flooz - my children are older but I noticed lots of places with play areas. Also the kids menus weren't all the usual nuggets and burgers. Most places would do a child's portion of anything on the menu.
I think you might need more than £500 though.
We spent just over £1000 in a week,about £800 on food and drink , admittedly some booze involved but by no means all night. Soft drinks cost as much or more than beer.

thanks for all the replies - budget has been increased to a grand I really hope we don't spend it all but at least we won't run out!
intend taking my diet food/shakes for during the day and eat only at night so hopefully the cash will last!

so glad the little one will be able to have proper food and not just junk - her favourite is fish!

have started the holiday shopping and the countdown is well under way!! 3 weeks today woohoo!

Got back 2 weeks ago, can't really believe Its been and gone....had a wonderful time as always, ate in No1 Happy Days a couple of times, the rest of the time we ate in Nicholas Taverna and I have to say it gets better and better every year..... he really looks after you, he must have given us a free bottle of wine every night, starter,and his wifes home made Taramsu is to die for, didn't much fancy going anywhere else, when your treated so well.
We normally go to the Japanese but we went on a vey busy Saturday, waited to get a table, then two locals came in and were seated before us so walked out in disgust!!!!......
Don't like to got to the restaurants who offer set menus, did that last year and didn't think much of them, of yes we did have a pizza in the place opposite Fools and Horses and that was lovely.... we normally have a Mexican but whenever we went past there was no-one in them.

Found another place offering good value for money and some good food !

The Point bar and restaurant in Pernera

Its on the old site of the waterloo pub on the junction near the Elamaris hotel and Speedy Gonzales mexican.

we walked past it several times thinking it only had waffles and crepes which isn't our cup of tea - however they did lots of different topping for them both sweet and savoury if you like them.

On another passing we noticed they did sandwiches and only feeling like a snack thought we would try it out and were we glad we did !!

They had trouble getting all the proper posters and menus printed having only just opened up in the middle of the Cypriot holiday season so things were delayed !

Turns out they also do baked potatoes with any topping, sandwiches on bread of your choice with a massive selection of toppings to pick and choose from as well as an all you can eat buffet !! Best still they were doing a Pint at €2 and the food was very cheap !

some photos (note the sign above the place hasn't even been painted yet !)

The Point bar and restaurant

some of the bill boards

my sandwich on Lebanese pitta with varying meats and cheese I'd selected

all you can eat buffet - salads and pickles etc

all you can eat buffet - bean salads and coleslaws etc

all you can eat buffet - hot food, potatoes etc

all you can eat buffet - hot meats and stews

also note several more dishes are added in the even and specials like kleftiko are put on at a good price.

We went in during the day and have about 5 drinks each plus a good sandwich and only paid €25 !

Steve

Looks good Steve! Cant wait now 2 wks on Sunday!!

Just back from Ayia Napa again and we were gutted to find that Mai Thai was no more - now a 'genuine greek' restaurant. We've had some lovely meals there in the last couple of years.

Ate well this year in Le Medici, Clarabels, Flames and the roast (or was it grilled?) bananas with caramel and cinnamon sauce in Moo Moo's were wonderful.

Just back from Protaras
The restaurants were pretty much the same, a few new ones and the ones we felt worth mentioning are:

Astoria (just off the strip on the road towards Yianna Marie) Fantastic service, very friendly funny staff and the food was excellent! Best kleftiko I've had in there and the moussaka was lovely as well. Had some impromptu Greek dancing while were there which was very funny. Went three times in the end. Around 40 euro for the two of us for two courses each with wine and water.

Molti (on the strip opposite the Love Boat)
New restaurant and decorated really nice in white and dark colours with glass front. Very attentive and friendly staff but not in your face. Had fabulous steaks in there and also 'Chicken To Bed' (or something!) that was great too. Went there twice. Again around 40 euro for two courses each for two with wine and water.

Mojito (in Pernera opposite Fools & Horses)
Lovely bar, went there for lunch on our last day and wished we'd been in there before. Food was a little slower than other places but well worth the wait. Good fresh food and plenty of it. Was nice to have a proper cold sandwich rather than everything being toasted. Good prices too.

K

Got back from Pernera on Sunday night, once again didnt have a bad meal in the whole fortnight. Some new restaurants we tried this time and would recommend were Sizzlers and Mojitos in Pernera and Chi Chis Mexican in Protaras. Went back to a few we had visited previously and they were all as good as before, Chopsticks Chinese, Ifalos, Speedy Gonzales Mexian and Shalimar Indian to name but a few in Pernera. Cant wait to go back next year now

For breakfast I would recommend Mojito's the best breakfast we have had yet! also Steen's with the endless cups of tea and fantastic views. Mojito's was always jam packed on a night so the rest of their meals must be good too! Staff at both venues were great and our little boy was made to feel very special with books and pens in Steen's to keep him entertained and mint leaves in Mojito's to feed his collection of toy animals!