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 | Agrotourism – an alternative way of holidaying |
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Nowadays many people who grow up in the city have never experienced any life in the countryside. They only know how cows looks like by watching advertisements or movies. They have never picked an apple from a tree as all the food they need is provided by big supermarkets. But in the end do we not sometimes get tired of the big city life with all the noise and hectic behaviour? Are we not looking for a place to escape to?
The answer to this question is a program called Agrotourism which is sponsored by the EU and heavily supported by Tourism Organisations around the globe. This kind of tourism considers the new trend of visitors to experience an alternative way of holidaying. People can benefit from the rich traditions of village people at first hand: the simple rhythms of rural life, folk customs, daily activities and the taste of the traditional cuisine. They can participate in baking bread, picking fruits and vegetables, horse-back riding or work in a vineyard. With this way the Tourism Organisations hope to support the production of traditional product that are economically no longer competitive and would otherwise probably vanish, such as the preservation of fruits and jams as well as the conservation of herbs. The revival of customs and traditional festivities protects the human memory and provides a channel between the agricultural regions, especially mountainous areas with a developing economy, and the large population centres. In other words it contributes to the environmental, economic and social development of rural areas.
Within the philosophy of Agrotourism numerous houses in country villages have been restored. Some guesthouses are built in a traditional style offering a simple but comfortable accommodation; others offer a holistic retreat in an accommodation that is completed by organic gardens, bird sanctuaries and the serving of home-grown products. This new style of holidaying can be experienced mainly in wine growing regions as Italy, France, Spain but also in Greece, Cyprus and even oversees.
Let’s have a closer look how Agrotourism has been established in Cyprus.
Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea possesses inexhaustible historical, natural and human riches. It’s rich dramatic history can be traced back over nine thousand years; an island so coveted over the centuries that it has been invaded and claimed by a fascinating mixture of civilizations from near and far all of which have left their culture and shaped its character (http://www.kypros.org/Cyprus/tourist.html). It is mainly visited because of its golden beaches and extraordinary coastlines. But in the end it has much more to offer. In order to introduce Agrotourism and get it well organised the Cyprus Association of Agrotourism has been established. It deals exclusively with holidays in the Cyprus countryside. Today Agrotourism is an autonomous, vibrant part of Cyprus tourism hosted in traditional lodgings of historical value throughout Cyprus, ready to offer a new, alternative holiday ideal (http://www.yourcyprus.com/agrotourism/). In Cyprus there are 380 rural villages with about 58 lodgings in Agrotourism.
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One of these lodgings is the Kontoyiannis House in Kalavassos, Larnaca which was officially opened in 1995. Originally the house belonged to the Kontoyiannis family and was built through the 1840s. After being unoccupied for 30 years it was carefully renovated in 1983 in order to keep the unique character which represents the traditional Cyprus village houses. The house was converted into four spacious self-contained apartments by Christalla Vassiliou under a sheme by the Cyprus Tourist Organisation. She offers a holiday that is close to the traditions and the identity of the country. During a stay you are welcome to pick your fruits in the orchard or walk the mountain trails.
For more information on the Kontoyiannis House or for any bookings visit the tobook.com website (Kontoyiannis-House). If you are interested in an unforgettable holiday, want to enjoy the hospitality and friendliness of the villagers and get to know original customs and daily activities go and get involved as actually Agrotourism is not something you can describe but something you have to experience.
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