Polis stone cottage near Akamas

Polis sits at the northern tip of Cyprus, on the doorstep of the Akamas Peninsula — the island's last stretch of protected wild coast. This 78-square-metre stone cottage is a traditional Cypriot village build: half-metre-thick limestone walls, timber-beamed ceilings, terracotta floors, and a shaded courtyard with a lemon tree and a vine-covered pergola.

The layout is two bedrooms, one bathroom, a compact traditional kitchen and a covered outdoor dining space that is the real living room from April to October. Thick masonry keeps the house naturally cool in summer and warm in the mild winters; a wood stove handles the coldest weeks. Mains water, electricity and fibre internet are all connected.

Cyprus is in the EU and the eurozone. EU buyers acquire freehold on the same terms as citizens; non-EU buyers can purchase one property up to a reasonable size with routine Council of Ministers approval, which is a formality. Closing takes six to twelve weeks. Property taxes are low.

Akamas Beach, the Baths of Aphrodite, and the Blue Lagoon are all within a ten to twenty-five minute drive. Polis town has a small pedestrianised centre with tavernas, a weekly market and a couple of good bakeries. Paphos International Airport (PFO) is a one-hour drive south with year-round European flights.