Cyprus

[Silly Yak]

I know lots of people are apprehensive about travelling and eating out abroad so thought I'd share my own experiences with you.

All I took with me was a packet of four Kellogs marshmallow rice krispie bars, a pkt of plain crisps and a mars bar. They were 'emergency rations' in case I was hungry. The mars bar even came back with me!

We travelled with JMC on their Cyprus airplane and had a gf meal on both flights. Going out, the meal was chicken and veg and I had a gf bun (which I din't eat anyway), fresh fruit salad whilst my hubby had cake and it was pleasant as airline meals go. Coming back we had bacon, scrambled egg, potato hash and tomato for breakfast. There was no bread for me but I wasn't bothered. However the Cypriot steward was, so he brought me some cheese and a fat, juicy apple!! I got the better meal.

We were half-board at the Ledra Beach Hotel in Paphos and the choice of food was superb. Every morning I had a range of fresh fruits to choose from, then made sure I had protein in the form of freshly cooked omlettes, or boiled eggs and salad, or bacon egg and tomato, or cheese....... I didn't need to top up with bread and was glad I hadn't taken any. I must admit that I drooled when I saw my husband's pancakes!

Every evening the chef came round with me to tell me what I could have but offered to cook me anything I liked if there was nothing there I fancied. He made a special soup with cornflour every night and if I ordered anything different - like a steak - he made a sauce of my choice and brought my meal to the table for me. I felt totally confident in all the restaurant staff as they were aware of my diet even by the pool bar. I watched people selecting from the salad bar and the main buffet bar and didn't see anyone 'cross contaminating' as there were plenty of ladles and spoons available. Staff were always on hand keeping everything clean.

Eating out, which we did every lunch time, was never a problem as again there was a range of gf foods to choose from - Greek salad, kebabs, omlettes etc etc. I always checked that there was no flour used and took a copy of the Greek and Turkish translations with me. If I chose something I shouldn't have they were quick to point it out to me.

We decided to hop over to Egypt on a two day cruise so booked whilst we were in Cyprus. The tour operator spoke to the shipping line and was assured that I would be catered for. There was no problem at all. Our Ukranian waiter checked everything out for me in advance and before I left the table after the first evening meal he had planned with me what I could have for the second evening! Even the packed lunch was ok although they did put crackers and cake in the box! However, I checked it before we left the ship and swapped them for boiled eggs from the dining room. My crisps came in useful, as did a rice krispie bar.

Apart from the crisps I didn't eat any bread or potatoes the whole holiday as I'd decided in advance to cut out carbohydrates for a month. I certainly didn't starve and have put on a kilogram whilst I've been away..... maybe that was the ouzo??

So folks, I think it is entirely possible to eat healthily when you eat out abroad.
Vee

[Silly Yak]

Posted by Sue S on GF board

Last summer I went on a last minute deal to the Eleni Village complex just outside Paphos in Cyprus.
We were on a half-board basis and I have nothing but praise for the standard of catering and the helpfulness of the chef and restaurant staff. I spoke to the restaurant manager on the first night and he spoke to the chef who happily came out to meet me every evening when I went in for dinner to go through each of the dishes to let me know whether they were ok for me or not. The service was buffet style and the range and variety of salads and hot dishes was outstanding. The salads were unusual and plentiful and, if there was nothing I fancied in the selection of hot dishes, then he was happy to cook some plain chicken for me.

The breakfast was also buffet style with plenty of fruit, cheese, salad, eggs, bacon, potatoes etc. I steered clear of the cereals as you can never be too sure!

The Eleni village complex is very family orientated so definitely somewhere to avoid if you are not keen on children and lots of “joining in” activities!

There is a snack bar which served lovely omelettes and even jacket potatoes so I never went hungry and in fact ended up putting on some weight but this could have been due to the cocktails! All the gluten-free supplies I took ended up staying in my suitcase! I met a lady who was on her first holiday following diagnosis (I'm an old hand at this now, having been diagnosed 10 years ago!) and she was delighted that the hotel staff were so helpful.


We flew with Air 2000. When we booked the holiday, I asked for a gluten-free meal on the plane but the clerk in the travel agents was not sure that they catered for coeliacs and told me that she would order a vegetarian meal for me! I tried to explain that this would probably be no good but with little success so armed myself with the good old Sainsbury “pot” meals and some chocolate and rice cakes for the flight. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I received a gluten-free meal on both the outward and return journey!

Sue

[Silly Yak]

From UK Coeliac board

Thanks for all the help before I went away, my trip worked out really well.

Cyprus air was great, a gf meal both ways and the outward one was better
looking than the standard meal. The one coming back was a bit of a
disappointment though, spinach omelette and no orange juice..I can't believe
the breakfast orange wasn't gf and wonder why I didn't get one with my
breakfast meal.

I had no problems with food while I was away either, in fact it was kind of
odd going into a taverna and being able to choose from dozens of things on a
menu, I've got so used to being only able to have one or two items from a
lot of the menus here in the UK. I was completely stuck for choice, lots of
fish or plain meat, rice or chips, veg, salads etc. I even had a 'breakfast'
one morning and just asked that the sausage be replaced with another slice
of bacon.

The other odd thing was that despite drinking half a litre of wine with my
meal each evening I never once got a headache or felt ill..in the uk I can't
drink more than one glass really without feeling the twinge of a headache
the next morning.

I took gf pitta with me for lunch (tesco's latest gf item)which I warmed
through in the oven, and multigrain bread for toast in the morning.

Cyprus was great, well worth a trip before it gets too commercialised.
Everywhere on the island they are now building tourist accomodation, we were
approached several times in the main resorts for time share or to see if we
wanted to view new villas and apartments.

Debra

[Silly Yak]

Cyprus
Posted by Glenda on 6/8/2005,
GF board

Been back from Cyprus a week now and just got round to posting about my GF experience there.
We were staying half board in an hotel and the first night a gave the waiter a translation in Greek copied from the Coeliac UK holiday guide. He then passed it to the chef.
I took 3 fresh Glutafin loaves and asked the hotel to put 2 in the freezer for me to have later in the week.

The meals were buffet style and each night I would ask the chef which ones were ok for me. Only trouble is one chef one week said something wasn't ok whereas the next week it was! Maybe they used a different recipe. Anyway I wasn't ill at all for the whole 2 weeks.

Breakfast was help yourself to fruit, cold meat, cheese, cereal and full cooked breakfast. I stuck to fruit, bacon, tomatoes and egg either boiled or fried. There was a toaster which I used to toast my bread. I forgot to take my toast bags so risked the contamination risk which was a bit naughty.

Any lunches we had out I stuck to salad. Most days having had a cooked breakfast I just had an apple or orange and one of my Eat Natural snack bars that I had taken with me.

One day I did have sardines. I asked if these were cooked in flour and the waiter said yes so I declined. But he said straight away we will grill them for you 'no flour, no problem'! they were delicious.

The flight with Easyjet was very good. GF meal both ways which had been confirmed at check in. A mysterious pasta salad appeared with my meal on the flight back which was identical to the one my husband had so I gave that to him not risking the pasta. The hot meal was marked GFML and was fine.

All in all a reasonable experience although I was a bit wary about the buffet meals as I said I was not ill but anyone who is super senstive may not have been so lucky.

[Silly Yak]

Paphos
Posted by Hugh Brown on 23/10/2005

GF board

Just back from Paphos .Gluten free bread available by order from zorbas bakeries I used one about 1/2 mile from harbour heading in coral bay direction .
Ate out most nights at theos at the harbour grilled fresh fish , garlic tiger prawns, kleftiko all delicious and no priblems when asking about ingredients etc

[Silly Yak]

Back from Cyprus
Posted by Lucy (leics) on 28/10/2005

GF board

Hello all, hope everyone is ok.
Have been back from Cyprus for a few days but not had chance to report back, so here goes.

We flew with Thomson and had an excellent meal there and back. Going, i had an omlette, bacon, mushrooms, tomatos etc (it was a breakfast meal) and coming home it was cajun chicken with potato wegdes and a dessert. Got a lifestyle roll with both meals. Received my meal first so there was no chance of getting it mixed up.

We ate out for at least 1 meal a day, i would recommend the 'village salad' (normal salad with olives and feta cheese)- seems a safe bet wherever you go.

One restaurant where we ate a few times i would particularly recommend, the Harmony restaurant. I showed the waiter my translations, but he already understood about CD, and was able to tell me which dishes had sauces thickened with cornflour. I recommend the chicken valencia!! The address is:
Harmony Restaurant
Kissonerga Road
opposite Altantica Hotel
Paphos
(Its on the main road towards Coral Bay.)

I was surprised at the amount of foods available in the supermarkets, it seemed most was imported, so it either said GF, or you could refer to it in directory.

I got Greek and Turkish translations from CUK, but didn't really use them as the staff were helpful in all the restaurants. I fortunately wasn't ill once. I took lots of bread, but chucked most away as i didn't eat much at all.

If anyone is still reading...sorry for the long message, but i was quite anxious before i went because it was my first holiday since dx, so i hope this helps if anyone else in the future is thinking of going and needs reassurance.

Lucy

[Silly Yak]

From UK Coeliac message board

Cyprus


....booked a GF meal last September on a First Choice flight to Skiathos and had excellent meals both ways. The stewardess said there are now almost as many "special" meals of one sort or another as normal ones. The meals came boxed nicely with a printed label saying Glutenfree Meal so it was not a veggie - there were plenty of those!
I found I had to book the meals direct with the airline as the FC booking agent for the flights did not have a box to tick for special meals other than normal and veggie. But he did give me a phone number for the airline who answered at once, took the request efficiently and sent me a confirmation letter next day. Good experience all round- and the flights were on time!
John

***************

I've been to Cyprus (southern, Greek part) for the past 4 years and had no problems. I can't say what it's like in the Turkish part. English is widely spoken and there is a Greek paragraph explaining the problem on a site at www.sci.fi/~keliakia/tiedote/kielet.htm" \l "kreikka . I found that this was understood by many restaurants. The Greek and Mediterranean diet includes lots of plain grilled meat and fish, so although the choice is limited as in this country when eating out, I still avoid sauces. The cuisine is also quite international in many restaurants. I've not self-catered, so I can't comment on availability of GF foods. Regards, Martin

*******************

Self catering in Cyprus is easy. Check out the supermarkets the locals use - I don't remember the name, something like "Orphades". Even the small one I used had a gluten free section. Helen in Scotland

*******************

[Silly Yak]

Re: Cyprus
Posted by Lucy (leics) on 1/5/2006 GF board

... i went to Cyprus in October. I rang CUK who sent me the Greek and Turkish translations which were really good because they explained about contamination and what food you can/can't eat........


I went to the restaurant below a few times whilst on holiday, they were very accomodating and thickened my sauces with cornflour.

Harmony Restaurant
Kissonerga Road
opposite Altantica Hotel
Paphos (Its on the main road towards Coral Bay.).......

[Silly Yak]

Re: gluten free holidays
Posted by a.j.merceij on 12/8/2008

GF board

Ledra Beach Hotel, Paphos,
Hotelstaff have many experience GF diet.

Eleni Village complex, Paphos, Show greek translation to the restaurant owner, then every day he will suggest a ...menu.

Harmony Restaurant, Paphos, Owner knows all about CD and gf diet

[Silly Yak]

Protaras, Cypus Holiday Feedback
Posted by Trish on 2/9/2008
GF Board

….Thought it might be helpful to give some feedback on my holiday to Cyprus. We stayed at Capo Bay Beach Hotel, Fig Tree Bay in Cyprus.

Certainly not a cheap package, but good location on lovely beach, lots of water sports if you want them. Close to all the bars etc but no noise - very English. Clean hotel, helpful staff with good English. Rooms a little small, but good lifts, excellent shower, personal fridge at no cost.

We went HB but you can do B&B if preferred. Food of a good quality - no limp salads or fatty meat. Not a huge variety but enough for most choices. A mix of Greek and international cuisine and with something for the kids.

I took Greek and English message cards which seemed to help - this was my first time abroad since dx. Some of the waiting staff weren't Greek so the cards didn't help, but they got me someone who could talk Greek or English, who then fetched the Head Chef. I got into the habit of meeting with the Chef at the beginning of each meal and being walked through everything that was available from the buffet. As they are French trained most sauces start with wheat flour, which meant more of the 'dry' food was more suitable. Most nights I had a choice of two - four dishes. The odd night we were down to one but I was always offered something to be cooked for me - jacket potato, chicken and chips. I suffered on the pudding side as Greek pudds are very pastry based, but could have mousse, creme caramel, meringues and cream, plus there were cheeses available. Good BBQ on the saturday night.

Can't say I felt all the Chefs fully understood, one was a coeliac/Gluten Intolerant herself, others kept getting cheese/cream confused with gluten. Think I got glutened once in 12 days - not a major hit, more at the trace level, but them i'm still trying to get a negative EMA test and have ongoing stomach probs so never quite sure what is going on.

All in all I have to say they were helpful, patient and tried to do everything they could. It wasn't really a large enough hotel to have its own GF stuff at breakfast which is how it was in Tenerife last year.

For lunch I had an omelete of ready prepared salad from a bar or supermarket. Not sure i could have coped self catering as there wasn't any special products in the resort that I found and most resturants were bread (pitta, garlic) and pastry orientated, although did see a steak resturant. They all seem to cook their chips separately so you can have them, though most were frozen rather than proper.

I certainly enjoyed the holiday, even though it rained - once for 10 secs while we were in a bar.

Trish


www.capobay.com/?page=location

[Silly Yak]

Re: cyprus
Posted by Ann on 27/6/2009
GF board


We were in Paphos last May (2008). If you go down to the harbour and look for the Mc Donalds there is a cut through into the road that has the main supermarket. It has a 'free from' section and I managed to buy all that I needed from this one shop. ...