Three or four years ago I had friends over staying at our house, while driving down to Pissouri Quay we stopped for our friends to pick some grapes that were inviting this, he took a handful, before getting back in the car, then an a very large calibre machinegun opened up just to the side of us, with the two British soldiers having a good laugh at us all ducking for cover, the noise was horrendous, they were blanks of course and they were shooting towards at least three hundred other British army men coming over the near by hill, they had small tanks though...we drove on to that beach taverna that was full of service men as it usually is on a Sunday, we had our usual suet meat pudding and big chips..still shaking a little..but seeing the funny side of stealing a few grapes..
see this link to Brtish forces on Cyprus http://www.sba.mod.uk/
This area IS a sovereign base. you will be on British soil when visiting this area, although the Cypriots are not happy about this..
By the way both the beach tavernas are usually closed in winter, or I would be over there more often..
