Cyprus [edit this]

[Change image] | [Upload image] Aphrodite - The Island of Love
For those Cyprus devotees who know and love the island this introduction may have little to offer other than as a reminder of just what the island is all about. For those not yet familiar with Cyprus, the best (and often used) adjectives that would top the list when writing copy such as this, would undoubtedly include 'sun-kissed','sharply contrasting','unhurried', 'irresistible', 'fascinating' and such like.

This is not to suggest that the island is perfect. Like any venue it has its 'warts and all' negative points but, on balance, we suggest that many thousands of visitors have been delighted for every one that has encountered any failings. The people themselves, at the root of Cyprus's famous hospitality, are a fascinating blend of Roman, Byzantine, Greek and British influenced characteristics and traits.

The Cypriots, however, are proud of their individuality and warmth of character.

They will welcome strangers into their homes and lives much quicker than those from the countries which influenced Cyprus over the years. The heady mix of Mediterranean weather and cuisine, a low cost of living, and the ease with which one can communicate, makes Cyprus such a favorite among the West Europeans, particularly the British.

In many parts of Cyprus you will find a life style little changed from centuries ago, when the pace of life was slower and simple pleasures were gained from an equally simple life.

Wherever you travel in Cyprus you will not be far from blossoms, fruit and the sights and sounds of the Mediterranean.

Cyprus has made sure it caters for more sophisticated demands with widespread facilities for fishing, golf, cycling, sailing/yachting, swimming, nature treks, and water sports.

There can be few more pleasurable experiences than sitting in the open air on a balmy Cyprus night enjoying a full scale 'meze' in the company of Greek friends.

Eat, drink and be merry, indeed.

Although Greek is the national language of Cyprus, English is spoken almost everywhere with the exception of some remote villages.

Just bathe in a certain spot when Aphrodite's rocks stand out of the sea and legend says you will live five years longer.

According to Homer Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love and beauty, was born from the soft sea foam near Paphos.

In Paphos itself, take a trip back through Christianity at the St. Paul Pillar and St.Solomon Catacombs Enjoy the picturesque harbour and castle.

Change history
Write up by TravellingMap on 27 January 05
Minor corrections by giorgio on 27 January 05


Top Destinations in Cyprus
Limassol
Nicosia
Paphos
Larnaca
Girne
Levkosa
Famagusta
Troodos mountains
Ayia napa
Northern Cyprus
Lefkara
Kyrenia


Show all destinations in Cyprus
_____________________________Accommodation

This is no World66 image. It was found elsewhere using Google image search. Other copyright conditions may apply. [Change image] | [Upload image] About hotels:
It is a bit strange, but if you want to travel around a bit in Cyprus, it might be difficult to find a cheap hotel sometimes. There are of course many hotels but very often outside the city center at the beach side: and then it is a little bit as everywhere worldwide on the beaches, that means one big hotel close to the next. If you want to stay in center and/or old part of the cities, you will find out there are four cathegories of hotels.

- City Hotels, quite expensive, int. standarts, about 50-100$ double room B&B

- Hotel/Apartments, here you can rent a small flat, sometimes two or more rooms, often wich kitchen. You can stay here sometimes even with 4 or more persons together (if you travel with friends for example). You should find one for about 40-50$ per flat.

- Small Hotels, hard to find, B&B for travellers, about 30$ double room

- Guest House, lowest cathegory, less comfort but quite clean, often used by arabic workers staying on Cyprus, no shower inside the rooms (might be difficult for single travelling women!), about 18$ double room.

[Add Accommodation]Louis Nausicaa Beach Resort [edit this]

Protaras with its golden beaches, is situated on the south-east corner of the island, and is the ideal area to watch the sunrise over the calm Mediterranean waters, gradually lighting up the beautiful coastline.

World66 rating: [rate it]
address: P.O. Box 33083, 5310, Cyprus
CostOfDoubleForANight: CYP 53-173
Check availability (sponsor) Louis Ayios Elias Village [edit this]

Protaras with its golden beaches, is situated on the south-east corner of the island, and is the ideal area to watch the sun rise - the calm waters of the Mediterranean, gradually lighting up the beautiful coastline with its craggy cliffs.

World66 rating: [rate it]
address: P.O. Box 33096, 33096, Cyprus
CostOfDoubleForANight: CYP 40-141
Check availability (sponsor) Mike Ward [edit this]

*******Cyprus Villas

We stayed in a villa that was surprisingly inexpensive. The town we stayed in was Paphos which has a really beautiful seaside feel to it with harbour front restaurants and cafes.

The villa was close to the sea and had pretty much everything in it to make the perfect holiday in Cyprus.

World66 rating: [rate it]
email: mikewardonline@yahoo.com 
address: 3 redhill road
CostOfDoubleForANight: 50
tel: +2634883357
costofdoubleforanight: 50
url: www.rentcyprus.co.uk 
zipcode: 7600
____________________________Eating Out

This is no World66 image. It was found elsewhere using Google image search. Other copyright conditions may apply. [Change image] | [Upload image] Cypriot food is a blend of Greek and Turkish influences. Barbeque, salads, and Greek/Turkish coffee are very popular. Meze, appetizer plates that can be a full meal (similar to Spanish tapas) are a specialty of Cyprus. Salty halloumi cheese, lightly grilled and served hot, kebabs, olives or some feta cheese are just a few items you might see. The winemaking industry is ancient on Cyprus Limassol is at the center of wine country. The village of Omodos, a town built in the era of the Lusignan Crusaders around the Monastery of the Holy Cross, in the Troodos Mountains north of town, is home to a traditional wine press or linos. Local bottles of red and white, as well as glasses almost fresh from the press can be sampled. The Laona vineyard in the nearby village of Arsos offers tours of its facilities, as does the Kilani Winery, in the less-frequented Kilani village. In Limassol, the KEO brewing company offers tours of its facilities.
____________________________History

This is no World66 image. It was found elsewhere using Google image search. Other copyright conditions may apply. [Change image] | [Upload image] Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on religion language and close ties with their respective motherlands. Greek is predominantly spoken in the south, Turkish in the north. English is widely used. Cyprus has a well-developed system of primary and secondary education. The majority of Cypriots earn their higher education at Greek, Turkish, British or American universities. Private colleges and state-supported universities have been developed by both the Turkish and Greek communities.

Cypriot culture is among the oldest in the Mediterranean. By 3700 BC the island was well-inhabited a crossroads between East and West. The island fell successively under Assyrian Egyptian Persian Greek and Roman domination. For 800 years beginning in AD 364 Cyprus was ruled by Byzantium. After brief possession by Richard the Lion-Hearted during the Crusades the island came under Frankish control in the late 12th century. It was ceded to the Venetian Republic in 1489 and conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1571. The Ottomans applied the millet system to Cyprus which allowed religious authorities to govern their own non-Muslim minorities. This system reinforced the position of the Orthodox Church and the cohesion of the ethnic Greek population. Most of the Turks who settled on the island during the 3 centuries of Ottoman rule remained when control of Cyprus - although not sovereignty - was ceded to Great Britain in 1878. Many however left for Turkey during the 1920s. The island was annexed formally by the U.K. in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I and became a crown colony in 1925.

Cyprus gained its independence from the U.K. in 1960 after an anti-British campaign by the Greek Cypriot EOKA (National Organization of Cypriot Fighters) a guerrilla group which desired political union with Greece or enosis. Archbishop Makarios a charismatic religious and political leader was elected president.

Shortly after the founding of the republic serious differences arose between the two communities about the implementation and interpretation of the constitution. The Greek Cypriots argued that the complex mechanisms introduced to protect Turkish Cypriot interests were obstacles to efficient government. In November 1963 President Makarios advanced a series of constitutional amendments designed to eliminate some of these special provisions. The Turkish Cypriots opposed such changes. The confrontation prompted widespread intercommunal fighting in December 1963 after which Turkish Cypriot participation in the central government ceased. UN peacekeepers were deployed on the island in 1964. Following another outbreak of intercommunal violence in 1967-68 a Turkish Cypriot provisional administration was formed.

In July 1974 the military junta in Athens sponsored a coup led by extremist Greek Cypriots hostile to Makarios for his alleged pro-communist leanings and for his perceived abandonment of enosis. Turkey citing the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee intervened militarily to protect Turkish Cypriots.

In a two-stage offensive Turkish troops took control of 38% of the island. Many Greek Cypriots fled south while many Turkish Cypriots fled north. Since then the southern part of the country has been under the control of the Government of Cyprus and the northern part under an autonomous Turkish-Cypriot administration supported by the presence of Turkish troops. In 1983 that administration proclaimed itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus", recognized only by Turkey. UN peacekeeping forces maintain a buffer zone between the two sides. Except for occasional demonstrations or infrequent incidents between soldiers in the buffer zone, there had been no violent conflict since 1974 until August 1996, when violent clashes led to the death of two demonstrators and escalated tension. There is little movement of people and essentially no movement of goods or services between the two parts of the island. Efforts to reunite the island under a federal structure continue, however, under the auspices of the United Nations.
______________________________Getting There

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[Add Mode of transport]how to get there [edit this]

There are non-stop flights from all the major cities of Western and Eastern Europe with Cyprus Airways and the National airlines of the European countries.

Major gateways from Europe are: Athens, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Milan, Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Malta, Moscow, Budapest, Sofia, Bucharest, Warsaw and Prague.

From the UK

Cyprus Airways ( www.cyrusair.com.cy  ) is the National carrier of Cyprus. They operate scheduled flights from London (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted), Birmingham and Manchester to Larnaka and Pafos.

British Airways ( www.britishairways.com ) also operate scheduled flights, which depart daily from London Heathrow to Larnaka, and Air 2000 ( www.air2000.com ), which operates from Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle to Larnaka and Pafos.

First Choice Airways who operate from and to Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Cardiff, East Midlands and Stansted.

Helios Airways Ltd, who operate flights from and to: Dublin, Luton, Stansted, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham.

There are also a number of chartered flights to Cyprus from the UK, mainly during the summer season, but most of these can only be bought as part of a package. more..