Canaries or Cyprus for Christmas?

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Curiousity killed the cat

I think your children would prefer Cyprus, it really is an all-rounder holiday place. Ayis Napa for nightlife and beach, Limassol for nice hotels, and Paphos is pretty. I would suggest Protaras, it's near Ayia Napa but tamer and has lovely amenities and beach. There are also waterparks in both Ayia Napa and Limassol, which are great fun.

In the winter you could also go skiing in the Troodos mountains for a day, or two.

I really wouldn't recommend the North Turkish side of Cyprus. It's not very touristy, which can be a good thing, but i found it to be dirty, dull and not very entertaining. I also had a number of unpleasent experiences there, namely food poisoning and being leered at and a man tried to feel up my friend. I'm sure this isn't the same as everyone but the North side is very different, it's Muslim and not as civilised or "Western". you will get stares from some people too, especially if you are very fair.

However most people i met there were extremely kind.

If you do pick the Canaries, then i would recommend Tenerife. Fuerteventura is too cold and windy, Gran Canaria is too humid and Lanzarote is a bit dull and the beaches are cr*p to be quite honest!!

I hope this helped and have a great time, wherever you decide to go :) If you have any questions just email me from my profile page, because i've been to both the places you're talking about :)

PS I'm not 100% about temperatures and weather in Cyprus or Canaries.

SYJ

With young kids I would suggest Cyprus for your family as it is an island really geared towards kids . Maybe the Canaries (many islands to choose from) in a year or two when they are older to appreciate what is on offer.

hard_n_tender26

I'd say Cyprus. Excellent hotel units with great facilities for children.

jimporary

Canaries is warmer. Cyprus will be too cold for sea swimming, so the fact that the Med is generally quieter water (and therefore beaches more suitable for kiddies than the Atlantic) is irrelevant at Christmas. On the whole, I'd opt for Canaries, purely on the basis of weather. Even there, it can be a bit cool at that time, but it's about the furthest south you can go at a reasonable price, without needing anti-malarial medication, which is not worth the unnecessary risk, with kids.

Does your budget include a babysitter? I'll come!

PS Madeira is wonderful. I would choose it for me! But there are probably more child-friendly facilities for you in the Canaries, unless the contributor who mentioned Madeira can give you some specific pointers. Madeira is not that good for children even in summer, because the sea-bottom drops away steeply to enormous depths and you don't get sandy beaches which shelve gently - but there are a few of these on the southern coasts of the Canaries. Canaries tends to be a cheaper destination too, and is further south and so a bit warmer.

candygreekgirl!â™¥

canaries
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j12

Go to Madeira instead :D
It's family friendly, and it's near the Canaries.. Portugal is very safe to go to! :D The weather's nice, it's got loads of nice scenery.. I suggest you go to Madeira instead of those two

reene

Canaries.

kevina p

Hi, I would say Cyprus, either Paphos, Limassol or Larnaca. Cyprus is very child friendly i go every year, but to the southern side not the occupied northern side as it is too much like Turkey.

anlarm

I will not get mad at questions on Cyprus being asked under Greece. It's just lack of knowledge.
Cyprus is not part of Greece, it's another country. The south part known as the Rep. of Cyprus, is where Greek Cypriots live. The north (unrecognized Turkish Rep. of Northern Cyprus) is where Turkish Cypriots live. It's a long and complicated story of ethnic conflicts. This is not the place to go into that.
To answer your question, Cyprus (both sides) is a lovely place to spend your Christmas. Usually the weather is quite good (around 15-20Celcius). Some northern Europeans may go in the sea for a swim, but not us Cypriots. There are many hotels on both sides with indoor and outdoor pools.
It's a good place to have a holiday with your children. People are very friendly (on both sides), food is great, and you will get special attention for your kids.
I do not want to sound 'nationalistic', but the north is much cheaper although it may take longer to fly there. There are two routes you can take:
1- Fly CTA (Cyprus Turkish Airlines) via Turkey (one hour stop over)
2- Fly with any airline to Larnaca (south) and take a taxi (it can be arranged) to go to your hotel in the north. With the EU Green Line regulations, EU citizens can enter the island from either side, and can stay on either side. It is completely legal.
Check with your local travel agencies about prices, flights, package tours, family discounts etc. Both parts of the island are beautiful. People are just lovely (am I promoting too much?).

kyreniachap

Yes, please do try North Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots love kids, and most places are extremely family-friendly. No, it won't be warm enough to swim in the sea, but there is plenty to do if you base yourself at a resort hotel, for example. Certainly your money will go further in the north than in the south. If the kids get fed up with beaches, they can explore Crusader castles, Roman gymnasiums (and Roman toilets - we know what they like to look at) or even a picnic In a ruined abbey in the mountains. Have a look at the web sites below for some ideas.

Madeira is not really a kid's place, very hilly and more about plants than beaches, unless you opt for a really good hotel. The Savoy in Funchal has a sister hotel, the Savoy Resort, which is really swish. The neat part is, if you stay in the old part of the hotel it's cheaper, but you can use all the facilities of the new resort, which the half-term kids I met there loved! Not a cheap island, however, overall. My fave tour operator for Madeira is Jules Verne - may look fusty but their service is brilliant and they are not expensive.

gokoglan

if i were you i'd prefer the northern part of the island which is the turkish part. prices are much less then the greek part and the people are much friendlier. i ve been there last summer and everything was perfect..you wont believe the prices also...very cheap

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