One of my favourite things to do on a quiet and uneventful Sunday is go to the market in the Livadia area. My parents, avid market goers, introduced me to this impressive set-up of stalls over a year ago when I was on the hunt for ‘special’ pieces to add to our new house. I remember the first time I went with them. My dad made me laugh when he warned me: ‘This is not Portobello market, ok?’ Of course I knew it wasn’t because I have been to my fair share of markets in Cyprus (even attending a few as a seller) therefore I know how extremely rare it is to actually find a special kind of gem.
The Livadia market turned out to be a little different. For a moment, let’s just ignore the extraordinary amount of rainbow-coloured underwear, cheap plastic toys, bags, shoes and clothes you’ll find when you walk in and let’s go straight to the car boot section. In this part of the market, which is tucked away in the back of the parking lot, you can feast your eyes on an impressive amount of beautiful and glorious ‘rubbish’, typical of any good market. Old vinyls, tin pots, vintage cups and frames, used furniture, books and even organic eggs. Often, if not always, this section gives off a certain ‘old’ vibe so you won’t be seeing things like DVDs and dusty electronics.
Over the past year I have picked up a dressing table mirror, a small dresser, great quality vinyls, tin pots including a brass handmade hanging one and a set of vintage-looking cups and saucers. I use the word ‘vintage’ lightly because most times I do not know whether something is 30 years old or 10 and find it incredibly wrong to label just anything vintage because it looks old. Most times I don’t even care as long as I like whatever it is I am looking at and I am not being taken for a fool.
There are several stores spread throughout the market where you can sit down for a cold refreshment, a sandwich, souvlakia or a full English breakfast. Last Sunday Georgie and I even did some fruit and vegetable shopping. The watermelon we picked up was heavenly.
To get to the market take the Livadia exit on the way to Agia Napa.
For more information check out the market’s Facebook page.
Sidenote: Due to Facebook’s strange ID verification changes, a hiccup has occurred on Georgie’s Mummy Facebook page. It’s so complicated I couldn’t explain it to save my life. I cannot access this page therefore I have been forced out and will not be posting there anymore. If you like this space and would like to keep up with me, please subscribe to the blog and receive an e-mail every time I post about something new. You can do this by commenting on a post and ticking the add-me-to-mail-list box. Feel free to share and spread the word.
