Cyprus

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Quick Facts

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Local name

Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía

Capital

Nicosia (Lefkosia)

Government

Republic

Nationality

Cypriot

Population

778 700^[1]

Languages

Greek, Turkish

Religions

Christianity (Greek Orthodox), Islam

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Calling Code

+357

Time Zone

UTC+2

Daylight Saving

UTC+3

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Introduction

Bellapais Abbey

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Cyprus, a rather extraordinary island of diversity, has as its claim to fame the only divided capital in the world (ever since the Berlin Wall fell). The contentious territorial disagreements between North (Turkish) and South (Greek) Cyprus were brought to UN-led discussions in 2002. In the past visitors had to make a choice which half to visit. Today crossing the border (green line) is easy as long as the visitor has valid visas for both sides.

Seaside resorts, generally lacking in class, cater to the hordes of tourists which flock to the island. The ancient remains of the Roman, Byzantine and Greek empires (all of which invaded Cyprus at some point), make up for this poorly realized development. And away from the coast, Cyprus' natural attributes stand strong; at Troödos Massif, stunning mountains provide the ideal setting for a skiing trip.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

Cyprus is divided into six districts

• Nicosia (the capital)
• Famagusta
• Kyrenia
• Larnaca
• Limassol
• Paphos

Cities

• Nicosia - The capital
• Limassol
• Larnaca
• Paphos
• Kyrenia
• Famagusta
• Akrotiri

Sights and Activities

Roman and Greek Ruins

Paphos archeological site

© All Rights Reserved Exposure

Cyprus is littered with amazing ancient Roman and Greek ruins. One of the most interesting ruins is Salamis, an ancient city state north of Famagusta at the mout of the river Pedieos. This city state dates back to the 11th century BC and continued to be inhabited until the late Roman period. This city boasts some excellent ruins including a theater, gymnasium and baths. Many of the statues of the gods have been damaged by early Christians once they came to power on the island. There is also a stunning temple to Apollo outside of Limassol in the ancient city of Kourion and some excellent ruins in Paphos.

Beaches

Cyprus has been known throughout the European world for having amazing beaches. There are stunning beaches to found across the island and the hot dry climate makes it perfect almost year round to enjoy the coast. There are great beaches to found in many cities like Ayai Napa, Paphos, Polis, Laranaca, Limassol and Protaras. Remember these beaches can get very crowded with European tourists during the peak seasons and to book accommodation far in advance. Other then that sit back and enjoy the sun and surf.

Troodos Mountains

Troodos Mountains are stunning mountains that run along the western side of Cyprus. These mountains have something to offer any tourist. For the wilderness nut there is great hiking, forests to explore and skiing in the winter. For the cultural explorer there are several amazing Byzantine monasteries and churches, some of them are even UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some of these churches and monasteries are even built on the peaks of these stunning mountains.

Kykkos Monastery

Kykkos Monastery is about 30 km west of Pedoulas and is one of the wealthiest and most famous monasteries in Cyprus. This Byzantine monastery was founded in the 11th century to the Virgin Mary. The monastery changed many times over the next thousand years although always remaining an important place for the Greek Orthodox population of Cyprus. The first president of Cyprus started his career here by being a monk and when he died was entombed in the monastery. Remember to walk around and look at the amazing gardens and public places.

Hamam Baths Omerye

The Hamam Baths Omerye is a 14th century building restored to operate as a Turkish bath. The site's history dates back to the 14th century, when it stood as an Augustinian church of St. Mary, built by the Lusignan (French) and later maintained by the Venetians. In 1571, Mustapha Pasha converted the church into a mosque, believing that this particular spot is where the prophet Omer rested during his visit to Lefkosia. Most of the original building was destroyed by Ottoman artillery, although the door of the main entrance still belongs to the 14th century Lusignan building, whilst remains of a later Renaissance phase can be seen at the north-eastern side of the monument. Couples on Mondays, men only Tue/Thu/Sat, women only Wed/Fri/Sun. €20/two hours, incl. towels, disposable underwear, tea, sponge etc.

The location of Hamam Omerye is in the heart of the old town at: 8 Tyllirias Square, 1016 Lefkosia - within the ancient Venetian walls. Find your way to the 'Ohi' Round about, then head straight all the way until you find the Omeriye Mosque on your right - you can't miss it. Turn right here and the Hamam Baths are on your left.

Other Sights and Activities

• Kolossi Castle is an amazing Middle Ages castle outside of Limassol.
• Hala Sultan Tekkesi is a 7th century mosque on the edge of Larnaka Salt Lake.
• Agios Lazaros Church is an amazing church in Larnaca.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Cyprus has a typical Mediterranean climate with warm or hot summers from May to September and mild winters, when most of the rain falls. Still, Cyprus in genera is drier compared to countries more towards the west in the region. Along the coast, temperatures during the day average between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius, dropping to a balmy 22 degrees at night. Inland, the lower areas are hotter during the day but feel less sticky during the night. Some higher located inland areas feel pleasantly warm during the day, which can be relief when you are visiting in summer. Nicosia has average highs in summer of around 37 degrees Celsius, sometimes hitting 44 degrees during July or August.
Winters are mild, generally between 16 and 19 degrees at daytime. December and January are the wettest months, coastal areas being wetter compared to inland places like the capital Nicosia.

For up to date weather and forecasts info please visit the My Cyprus Weather website.

Getting There

By Plane

Larnaca International Airport (LCA) is the main international airport, followed by Paphos International Airport (PFO). Both are found in Southern Cyprus, and receive flights from throughout Europe and select destinations in the Middle East.

The main airport in Northern Cyprus is Ercan International Airport, which is only recognised as a legal entry point by Turkey and Azerbaijan (as well as Northern Cyprus itself of course).

Cyprus Airways is the national airline, with its main hub at LCA. Another fairly major airline is Eurocypria Airlines.

By Boat

Fergün Shipping Company has ferries travelling between the southern coast of Turkey and the Turkish part of Cyprus. Connections include Alanya-Girne, Tasucu-Girne and Gazimagusa-Mersin.

In the summerseason (May-October) there is a twice weekly ferry between Port Said (Egypt) and Limassol (Cyprus). There might be services available during this season from Haifa in Israel as well.

Getting Around

By Plane

It is not possible to fly between the three major airports on the island. Although it would make no sense to do this because the island is so small.

By Train

There are no railways on the island.

By Car

The island has a great network of roads that are very easy to navigate. Renting a car to drive around is a great way to get around and rental cars are available at the international airports or in most major cities and towns as well as larger hotels. Traffic drives on the right and you need a national driver's licence or international driving permit. Check CTT Carhire for cheap rental cars.

By Bus

Bus companies offer comfortable coach buses between major cities and towns. Companies include Intercity Buses and Nicosia Buses. They run on most days except Sundays, when it is better to take service taxis. These are available through Travel Express.
In the north, there are minibuses between Kyrenia and North Nicosia. For short distances, getting a taxi is an option, but much more expensive.

By Boat

Boats are mostly used to go out diving, snorkelling or fishing but rarely used as public transport because it is slower and other modes of transport are much faster.

Red Tape

If you are a European Union (EU) citizen, you may enter without any restriction as per your EU citizenship rights. If you are not an EU citizen, you will need to obtain a Schengen Visa. This visa is valid for any country in the Schengen zone.

Money

See also: Money Matters

Greek Cyprus has adopted the Euro (ISO code: EUR, symbol: €) as its official currency. One Euro is divided into 100 cents, which is sometimes referred to as eurocents, especially when distinguishing them with the US cents.

Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500. The highest three denominations are rarely used in everyday transactions. All Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides throughout the Eurozone.

The Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, €1 and €2. Some countries in the Eurozone have law which requires cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. All Euro coins have a common design on the denomination (value) side, while the opposite side may have a different image from one country to another. Although the image side may be different, all Euro coins remain legal tender throughout the Eurozone.

The €1 and €2 coins contain the Idol of Pomos, the 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents coins contain Kyrenia Ship and the 5 cents, 2 cents and 1 cent coins contain the Mouflon.

New Turkish Lira is the currency of Northern Cyprus but most shops will accept Euros, USD and British Pounds. The New Turkish Lira ISO code is YTL. It is recommended to spend all New Turkish Lira before leaving Northern Cyprus because the only place outside of Norther Cyprus that recognizes New Turkish Lira is Turkey.

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

North Cyprus Riverside - a 4 star holiday resort in Kyrenia with great facilities and activities.
List of hotels in North Cyprus - A good selection of hotels in Northern Cyprus.

Drink

Famous Bars

• Babylon Bar is a popular, long established bar in a converted 1950's house. Has a large beer garden for the hot summers and cosy log fires for the cold winters. Beer on tap, vast variety of bottled beer and drinks, cocktails and good food. It is located in the main city of Nicosia.

Health

See also: Travel Health

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Cyprus is: 357
To make an international call from Cyprus, the code is: 00

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