Lifestyle

The Polis region

The Santa Marina Project is in the village of Ayia Marina which is situated in the Polis region. The town of Polis Chrysochous is approximately 7km from the Santa Marina Project and is the main town in this area. Polis is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional Greek meal, have coffee with the locals or simply kick back and relax on the beach. It has large supermarkets, beachfront restaurants, water sports, SCUBA diving and beautiful beaches. In this town, one can find a fascinating 600 year old olive tree which still produces olives. Polis also has a marina at Latchi harbour where you can take boat rides around Chrysochous Bay. In town you can find, private doctors rooms, a hospital, a post office, pharmacies, a police station, bakeries, banks, hotels, internet cafe's, a bus station, gyms, disco clubs and bars. Nearby is the famous five star Anassa hotel which was voted hotel of the year by the World Travel Agents Association. This hotel is often frequented by famous international celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, members of the British, Monaco and Middle Eastern royal families and world famous business people.

The area surrounding the town, known as the Polis region, includes many different traditional Greek villages including the village of Ayia Marina where the project is taking place. These villages produce many different fruits and vegetables that supply most of the island and as a result the area is covered with citrus groves, olive groves, avocado groves, mango groves, grape vines, watermelon plantations and many more. This is an important feature because it illustrates how lush and fertile this region of the island is compared to other parts which makes it a much more desirable place to live.

The Akamas Peninsular is a wild undeveloped finger of land jutting into the mediterranean sea within the Polis Region. It is an area of outstanding beauty with wild landscapes, deep gorges and wide sandy bays and is a nature reserve where no urban development takes place. Almost all the geological strata found on Cyprus is represented in Akamas. This coupled with the varied topography has led to a wide variety of microclimates which in turn has led to the large bio diversity and sheer natural beauty of the area. This is particularly unique to this part of the island as most other parts have a more harsh white limestone landscape.

Akamas and the surrounding Polis region have a wide variety of fauna and flora. Cyprus has 1750 plant species, of which 127 are endemic. The number of species found on Akamas is approximately 530, of which 33 are endemic. The variety of fauna is equally impressive - 168 birds, 12 mammals, 20 reptiles and 16 butterfly species. Of particular interest is the Moufflon which is thought to be one of the original ancestors of modern day sheep. This animal is an endangered species with only 2000 left on the island and it is unique to the island of Cyprus. Many people who hike through the mountains near Ayia Marina often find Moufflon in their natural habitat.

In Akamas one can find the Baths of Aphrodite, a waterfall and pool where legend says the goddess escaped to bathe when not attending to lovers. It is set aside as a preservation area and retains a sense of untouched beauty. Near the baths there is a magnificent beach cove called Sta Loutra where a massive rock juts out of the Ocean making it an interesting bathing spot for snorkelers

This area has several mountain trails that lead to spectacular pine forest valleys which can be accessed easily from these villages. Many people use these valleys for hiking or 4x4 rides. These valleys have fresh water mountain streams that lead to dams which are used to irrigate the fruit and vegetable orchards and plantations in the villages. Fresh mountain drinking water, which is harnessed from the source in the mountains, is brought directly to these villages in the Polis region. These water sources are unique to the Polis region and make it an attractive feature to the Santa Marina Project.

Cyprus has some of the cleanest and most un-polluted waters in the mediterranean. 49 Beaches on the island have been awarded the exclusive "Blue Flag" eco-label . The "Blue Flag" is awarded to beaches meeting strict criteria relating to environmental education and information, beach management and quality of bathing water. The Polis region has 15 "Blue Flag" beaches all within a short driving distance of the Santa Marina Project.

The village of Pomos is a traditional fishing village approximately 3km’s from Ayia Marina which has a small fishing harbour and a delightful beach pressed up against steep granite cliffs. This is an exciting area to explore with many different rock pools.

Traditional Greek Weddings are a unique and interesting attraction which one can find in the villages. All the surrounding villages attend these weddings making them massive festive gatherings of up to 3000 people. Even tourists attend to soak up the festivities and to get a feel for the culture on the island.

There are currently four golf courses on the island near Ayia Marina and plans for a new golf course is currently underway situated approximately 4km’s from the Santa Marina Project between Polis Chrysochous and Ayia Marina.

The WRC championships, a massive off road rally event comes to Cyprus every year. This event passes through the mountains near Ayia Marina and thousands of people gather to support and be a part of this exciting event.

In the region there is Lara Beach, a scenic undeveloped beach where Green and Loggerhead Turtles lay eggs during the summer. The Green Turtle is particularly rare and is a protected species. Volunteers assist with the preservation of the turtles including placing wire-mesh cages over nests to thwart scavenging foxes. This area of Cyprus is completely undeveloped and is worth the effort to visit.

On the island there are many Modern and Ancient Byzantine churches such as Ayios Raphael which is in the nearby village of Pachiamos. Many tourists come to visit this particular church as Ayios Raphael (St Raphael) was believed to be a miracle performing saint.

Cyprus has a vast and rich historical background with archeological finds dating back almost 10 000 years. Throughout history, important leaders have seized upon the strategic location of the island, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Through the large amounts of archeological remains on the island, one can follow the footsteps of historical giants such as, Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Marc Anthony, the apostles of Christ, Richard the Lionheart and many more. This exciting historical element can be found throughout the island in a number of different museums.

These are some of the exciting features that can be found nearby the Santa Marina Project with many more which will be left for you to explore. There is no doubt that this is a special location on the island which makes this development a lifestyle project.