Villa Mare is an ideal holiday home for vacations or workations, as well as a special place for people who wish to rest, enjoy, explore and really spend some quality time in nature – it is a unique getaway! It can accommodate up to eight adults comfortably and provides for a mix of teenagers, children, toddlers or infants. It is ideal for individuals, couples, families or a group of friends. to soak up the Cyprus sun and reconnect with nature. The Villa is ideal for individuals, couples, families or a large group of friends.
The Villa accommodates up to eight adults comfortably and can provide for a mix of teenagers, children, toddlers or infants. This is an ideal holiday home for family vacations, as well as for couples who wish to just get away and really spend quality time together – it is a very romantic hideaway! The Villa is suited for large families and groups of friends who want to holiday together and just relax and have fun! The Villa is large enough that even the more introspective souls can find a peaceful slice of heaven in which to quietly read and listen to the birdsong and the waves breaking on the beach below. If peace and quiet is what you are searching for as a writer, artist or thinker, this traditional, dreamy Mediterranean villa can be your haven! The house which is decorated with beautifully curated traditional Cypriot objects, includes a fully functioning kitchen, large living room with a stunning arch window looking out to sea with a woodburning stove, four bedrooms each with its own character and two large, newly renovated bathrooms, one of which you can bathe while viewing the sea! The master bedroom enjoys access to a spacious sun-bathed balcony with uninterrupted sea views. We have just completed a new extension, allowing all bedrooms to be fully private, and providing a second bathroom with a delightful walk-in shower! We have also given the outside an added touch of magic; there is a new patio area with built-in seating for eating and lounging and an outdoor BBQ and sink, ideal for cooking as you look out to the distant horizon over the sea! The Villa Mare boasts a beautiful garden with numerous local herbs and flowers including jasmine, roses, lavender, rosemary, colorful geraniums and bougainvillea, almond trees, olive trees, carob trees and a lemon tree. There are multiple areas for sitting outside and enjoying the Mediterranean weather. The sea is within walking distance, down a relatively steep path, and there are a cluster of fine little ‘secret’ beaches just a short drive away by car, or bicycle. There are truly breathtaking hiking paths on the hills surrounding the Villa, with wildflowers, hidden springs and endless flights of spring and autumn migratory birds (Beeaters, wheatears, greater spotted cuckoos, cranes, honey buzzards in the Spring and autumn).
Address: 8 Cikmaz Stree, 9944 Kayalar, , Cyprus
Size: 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms
Beds: 3 Double beds, 1 Queen size bed, 1 Couch
HISTORY OF THE HOUSE:
Villa Mare was built in the early 1870’s. The first half comprised the stable (now the living room which was extended to the north during the renovation), the “snug room” Neraida with the fireplace in the corner and the two rooms above, originally only accessible by the outdoor stairway. Later around 1872, the kitchen and the adjoining bedroom Thalasa overlooking the sea, with which it did not communicate, were added, along with a detached stable on the west side of the main house. The doors between the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom were opened during the renovation. Note that when the house was purchased, the bench in the living room along the south wall opposite the arch, then consisted of a series of mangers for the donkeys or mules stabled there. In one of the mangers lay two axes similar to the damaged piece on the chest, which had surely been found at the Neolithic settlement and brought to the house as curios or useful tools for breaking the hard shells of almonds from the numerous trees growing in the neighborhood! The latrine for the whole complex is the domed structure in the center of the property, and the domed chicken coop of similar construction just west of the latrine was still in use, as was the oven behind the house. Water was carried to the house in earthenware jars from a spring above the village and a few hundred yards to the east of our house. Note the original niche by the front door with its well-worn stone base for the house’s clay water jar. The house was completely renovated along with the stable behind it (described as a “room” in the kotchani or Title Deed) in 1972 and 1973. The structures originally had traditional flat roofs of mud packed on top of a bed of seaweed (poseidon grass collected on the beaches below the village) covering bamboo mats supported by hand-hewn Cypress beams. The squared beams decorated with grooves along their lower edges would have been installed when the top floor roof was renewed in the early years of the 20th century. The walls consist of fieldstones bonded in mud mortar (mud, tempered with chaff) covered with a rendering of sand and lime mortar. During the renovations the rendering was removed and most of the building inside and out was rendered with cement. The floors in Neraida, Thalasa and Thea were paved with traditional gypsum slabs about 18 inches square and one inch thick known as marmaras. Myrtou had excellent gypsum quarries producing materials used for interior flooring, stairs, window sills and shelves. If left unprotected from the elements, however, gypsum slowly dissolves. The traditional stone arch in the living room came from a demolished house in Kormakiti village. The present house was too humble and too small to have included arches, either internal or forming a portico, like many fine traditional houses in Lapithos. The bathroom was added and running water and electricity were installed. The work, of a very high standard including all carpentry, was undertaken by Maronites from Kormakiti Village who also worked for the Department of Antiquities, Government of Cyprus. Later on, the house was further remodeled with the addition of a second bathroom and an internal staircase. At that time the outside areas were made more welcoming. Note the various traditional Cypriot jars and pots around the outside of the house. The tall yellow glazed jar standing next to the almond tree was specifically used for storing olive oil. Imported from France and known as a Jarre de Provence or Jarre de Biot it is, like all traditional Cypriot vessels made of red clay, coil made, so no two are identical.
Villa Mare is located above Kayalar (Orga) Village on the northern coast of Cyprus; twenty-five minutes drive from the city centre of Kyrenia/Girne to the West. The Villa is located above one of the last remaining pristine stretches of coastline areas left in the Mediterranean. A handful of secluded beaches are only minutes away.
From Villa Mare you have quick access to explore Northern Cyprus which is a beautiful part of the island, steeped in history. Kyrenia, with its famous little horseshoe harbor lined with restaurants and bars and dominated by the massive Medieval and Venetian castle, lies at the foot of the Five Finger mountain range. Nearby Bellapais has an ancient Abbey, quaint narrow streets with fine restaurants and superb (website hidden) Hilarion, Kantara and Baffavento castles are also situated high above Kyrenia. For the most part, it is still undeveloped. With its crystal-clear sea and wide variety of beaches, from the sophisticated to the deserted (even in high season and some with turtles or wild donkeys!), it is reminiscent of the Mediterranean before it was blighted by mass tourism. Southern Cyprus is also within easy reach. The green and cool Troodos Mountains and the beautiful beaches of Ayia Napa and Protaras are not far away. Latchi and Paphos can be reached by a wonderful adventure-filled drive, and of course any of the small villages are at your fingertips. Interesting archaeological sites abound as well as museums, concerts, festivals and community events. Cyprus has a rich history and has much to offer. What is more, it truly is an island for all seasons, with long hot summers and mild winter months. The people are welcoming, the food and wine excellent and inexpensive and driving is still a pleasure and on the left! The setting is one of complete tranquillity; you can hear the distant call to prayer and the offshore breeze whistling through the trees at the bottom of the garden, which is especially noticeable during the full moon. Yet the coastal road into Kyrenia boasts a wide selection of restaurants, supermarkets, beach clubs/discos, bars and casinos and you will be spoilt for choice. In addition to the usual water sports, scuba diving and paragliding is offered and there is a fantastic go-kart track. What more can you want?
Cyprus:
Whether exploring the historic Kyrenia Castle, taking a day trip to the Troodos Mountains, shopping for succulent citrus fruits at a local market, or sipping a robust Cyprus coffee with the locals at a mountain village cafe under the shade of olive and cypress trees you will feel the sincerity of the Cypriots shine through wherever you go. Today Cyprus is a singular marriage of ancient history with a modern infrastructure, providing a contemporary lifestyle. One will feel the friendliness almost instantly when you arrive, as stress evaporates and relaxation becomes an art form.
A car hire is a must, and we can help put you in touch with a local car hire that many guests use, thus you will be able to explore the entire Island. Villa Mare is a great hub for this. We can also help with a taxi pick-up/drop-off to one of the Islands three airports. Bicycles are highly recommended for your stay and we can put you in touch with a local bike rental service.
Distances from Villa Mare:
Capital City of Nicosia: 42 Km (26 Miles)
Port Town Kyrenia: 28 Km (18 Miles)
Ercan Airport: 62 Km (38 Miles)
Larnaca Airport: 84 Km (45 Miles)
Paphos Airport: 146 km (90 miles)
