Polis Cyprus - a vision from the past

Polis Cyprus was known in ancient times as the city of Marion, one of the city-kingdoms founded by the Mycenaeans when they came to Cyprus between 1400 and 1100 B.C.

It was destroyed after many battles between the sucessors of Alexander the Great, Antigonus and Ptolemy and its inhabitants were transferred to Paphos.

One of Ptolemy's descendants, Philadelphus, founded a new city on the ruins of Marion, calling it Arsinoe after his wife.

The city kept its name of Arsinoe until the Middle Ages when it became known as Chrysochous and later as Polis Chrysochous.

Today, Polis Cyprus is a small town yet it has all the amenities you could want for a relaxing holiday or indeed as a location to buy a holiday/permanent home.

Whilst not so picturesque as its neighbour Latchi, it has a bigger selection of shops, a wide choice of restaurants and a charming square where everyone goes to chat and chill out.

Everything is available to buy now in the Polis area, even marmite (if you don't come from the UK you may not understand this strange custom - marmite by the way is something you spread on your toast - love it or hate it, it's a bit of an acquired taste.)

Things to Do in Polis Cyprus

camp near the beach at the popular campsite
shop for souvenirs or unusual gifts at one of the many small stores near the main square
watch the world go by with a coffee or a beer in the square
book a self-guided cycling tour or hire a quality bike to explore the area
have a meal at one of the many good restauarants - we recommend Moustakkalis (look for the owner with the big moustache!) near the square and Archontariki which is near the Cytanet phone shop

When to visit Polis Cyprus

Polis is very quiet in the Winter months (December to end February) and some of the restaurants DO close for a couple of months between January-February but don't let that put you off. Restaurants popular with the locals are ALWAYS open as are most of the fish restaurants in Latchi.

The best time to visit, in our opinion (as we are nature lovers), is between mid October and end April. It gets VERY hot in July and August but on this side of the island, there is usually a strong sea breeze which makes it seem a little cooler.

Where to stay

£££ Natura Beach Hotel - Quiet and relaxing and very popular with outdoor types and nature lovers. The hotel operates on "green" principles and most of the fruit and vegetables come straight from the hotel garden

£ Stefanos apartments - In the centre of Polis, these apartments are always kept to a very high standard unlike some of the older properties which need a little T&C!

Our verdict:

Polis retains all the charm of a quiet Cyprus village yet has everything you could want for an enjoyable holiday.

Busy and vibrant in high summer, peaceful in winter, Polis is the perfect place to make your home, as many foreigners are now discovering.

NB: Anyone looking to buy a home in Polis, Cyprus may want to do it sooner rather than later before prices reach the levels in other parts of the island.

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