Thursday, April 12, 2012

Bit of a panic now re: how expensive it is!Can locals help?

Hi,





Have just read the post below and am now in panic mode as we are going self catering.





I would be very grateful if those experts our there or locals could please give some advice about decent restaurants with set price menu%26#39;s (and how much they are) as there is no way that my boyfriend and I can afford the prices mentioned in the post.





Many thanks in advance,





Bex




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Hi,



I have read post as well, we are going in June and we normally go half board but we booked our holiday in August last year and decided to go B %26amp; B, I know the Euro is not good against the £ and we are expecting to pay more, will have to do homework before we go, as to where we can get a meal that won%26#39;t break the bank. we don%26#39;t normally skimp, but I hate to be ripped off. we love cyprus but!!!!!!! if expensive will be our last.




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Well, I%26#39;m panicking with you as hubby %26amp; I want to return to Athena Royal Beach, nr Pahos in the next couple of months %26amp; now we%26#39;re unsure. Last went there in July %26#39;07 %26amp; can%26#39;t say it was cheap then. We were B+B; s%26#39;pose we may look at HB or AI.



Will be keeping an eye on the relevant threads.



Regards




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Bex - you will find as you walk around that the menus are displayed outside the restaurants/tavernas.Look before you go in and resist all attempts to entice you until you are happy. If there are special deals they will be advertised - you wont be able to miss em !!! For lunches we buy rolls, tomatoes, cheese, fruit etc



Always take a mini jar of coffee and teabags but thats it. A bottle of wine from the supermarket in the fridge for nightcaps is a must (and I cant believe that is more expensive in Paphos than UK!)



Eating out we have always shared a starter , had a main course each and had the house wine or local beers. Just remember if you eat where you have a harbour view then you will probably pay for it ! Take a walk up the side streets.



We have friends who go to Paphos and eat out for breakfast lunch and dinner, insist on buying British brands of beer and they spend so much more than us - and we dont skimp. Try not to fret and enjoy your trip.




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This site will keep you busy to give an idea of prices... http://www.cypruseatout.com/





No idea if the menus are up-to-date, but I do know a restaurant that has been added in the past couple of months.





Any menu that has £s is Cypriot Pounds... don%26#39;t get led astray... it%26#39;s only Euros now.





Marion




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Please try not to panic too much. This time last year we were all in serious panic mode about water shortages in Cyprus and we had a thread which went on for about 180 hits but we all survived the lack of water and I%26#39;m sure we will all cope with the price increases. Shop around, set yourself a budget and don%26#39;t aim to go above it. DIY breakfast %26amp; lunch and evening meal out - you really don%26#39;t need to spend a fortune. Look for local meze houses and steer away from steak which is extortionate because Cypriot beef is pretty non existent and has to be imported. Eat as the Cypriots do, fresh salads, pork, chicken, %26amp; fish.



The last few years I%26#39;ve gone to Cyprus I have taken between £1,200 and £1,600 for 2 people - I know that seems a lot but holiday money just runs away with you. Ice creams, drinks, water, sun beds etc etc. Sun beds %26amp; parasol at 3 euros per day x 14 x 2 people is 84 euros. Perhaps consider buying your own blow up lilo or mat for the beach - that%26#39;s what I%26#39;m doing this year.



I know a couple (and this is serious) who only take £300 (GBP) with them for 2 weeks. Mum does all the cooking in the apartment, she does a shop at the local supermarket when she arrives in Cyprus, they never eat out, don%26#39;t drink alcohol and aren%26#39;t interested in clubs etc. They are there to relax in the sun with good books and they have a fabulous time in their own way. I%26#39;m not advocating you do that because I certainly couldn%26#39;t but it just shows you can enjoy your own type of holiday within your own budget.



Above all keep an open mind - where there%26#39;s a will there%26#39;s a way!




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I wish everyone would calm down!!!





Have a budget and live within your means.





Maybe if we all did that in the first place then this world wide recession would not be sending all into a panic.





I have read the posts and many say, be aware that the main tourist areas, such as the Harbour, as it will be more expensive and may be not the best value, well nothing has changed there. It would be the same world wide, in Spain, France, Turkey, Greece %26amp; Egypt.





Shop around, look for where the locals eat %26amp; drink, buy local produce and steer clear of British imported products.





Cyprus has a wealth of cultural %26amp; historic places to visit that are inexpensive as well as the beach and lovely weather.





Costa Coffee back in the UK isn%26#39;t cheap!!! (but you do get whipped cream %26amp; marshmellows.)





Go out there, have a good time, just be careful and thoughtful with your money as it won%26#39;t stretch as far this year not only in Cyprus but wherever you are!!!





Chin up





Stewart




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Nice one Kath - just thinking the same - all the dire warnings( water shortages and Euro prices) last year nearly put us off but we didnt find it had gone up much at all. Also folks returning from annual trips to Egypt, USA etc have found things more expensive this time because of the low rate of the pound against all currencies - well except Iceland !!!!




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Well at long last the pound is ralling against the € it now stands at 1 GBP = 1.12861 EUR





By the time most people come over it should rise even further





Kev




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If you are selective about where you shop, eat and drink, you will be able to stick to a budget.



I don%26#39;t know where the lady shops who pays €6 for eggs (!), but yesterday I paid €1.15 for 6 medium eggs. A large (huge) village loaf is less than €2, and you can get cartons (like milk cartons) of local wine for the same. A large tin of Heinz beans will be around €2, but a local brand will be less than half that. Pork is really cheap, chicken similarly priced to the UK, and beef expensive. There%26#39;s a huge choice of fish which can look pricey, but only because it%26#39;s priced by the kilo. Have the assistant weigh it and tell you the how much first. These prices are typical for Pantonious/Carrefour/Orphanidies ie supermarkets - NOT kiosks. If you have a car, %26quot;Pop Life%26quot; - a shop on the same roundabout as the big Debenhams, always has good prices on trays of 24 cans of pepsi/coke, and cans of beer/lager. Go early in your holiday and stock up.



Most restaurants are now offering set price 3 course meals from €10 up, and like earlier posters have said, the further from the harbour you eat, the better deal you%26#39;ll get. Having said that, I often have coffee at the harbour and pay around €3. I think that%26#39;s an acceptable price to pay in such a beautiful spot.



Like all eurozone destinations, Paphos feels more expensive, but with a bit of planning you can still have a great holiday.



Happy travels



Pat




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Thanks Pat - useful advice

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