Cyprus

Welcome to Cyprus, an island of legends that basks year round in the light of the warm Mediterranean sun. Today Cyprus is a modern country that effortlessly marries European culture with ancient enchantment. Here you will discover a compact world of alluring beaches and fragrant mountain peaks, vineyards studded with olive trees and ancient ruins that stir the imagination, citrus groves and old stone villages where sweet wine flows as freely as conversations at the local café.

Akamas Peninsula
The Akamas Peninsula is in the far west of Cyprus at its most westerly point. Named after the son of Theseus, hero of the Trojan Wars and founder of the city kingdom of Soli. The Akamas Peninsula is an area of outstanding natural beauty deep gorges, a wild landscape, wide sandy bays. It is also an area of great biodiversity and ecological significance. Home to 530 plant species, a third of the total for Cyprus, 126 of which are endemic to Cyprus. An unspoilt wild place thanks to its inaccessibility.

Kyrenia
Situated on the north coast of Cyprus, Kyrenia, with its 6,000 year long history, unique remains of countless civilisations, miles of natural beaches, calm sea, and mild climate is an idyllic Mediterranean town. Kyrenia's charming and tiny harbour, full of yachts and fishing boats, is framed by the colossal hulk of its Crusader castle. With the backdrop of the jagged mountains behind and the calm sparkling sea in front, the harbour has an intoxicatingly serene atmosphere.

Lefkosia
Once enclosed by a star shaped wall, Lefkosia's boundaries today are dictated by the UN's Green Line, which makes the city the world's only and hopefully the last divided capital. Lefkosia remains a friendly, laid back place, with good restaurants, museums, and a lively art scene.

Activities and Tours

Ancient Vouni
The palace at Vouni dates back to the 5th century BC and at one time there were nearly 140 rooms. Cisterns carved out of the rocks were used to meet the demand for water and there are examples of ancient hot-baths. Excavations have uncovered eathenware jugs blackened by the fire that destroyed the palace containing gold and silver bracelets, ornamented silver cups, and hundreds of coins.

Cyprus Musuem
Outside the town walls of Nicosia is the very fine Cyprus Museum, with everyday objects and works of art ranging in date from the Neolithic period to Roman times (about 5800 B.C. to A.D.300). The museum has a fascinating collection of Cypriot antiquities and treasures from the Neolithic Age to the Early Byzantine period. The history of the island is chronicled in displays that run in an anti clockwise direction around the museum.

Kolossi Castle
The castle today looks very well with really impressive square shape. It is a very well built castle similar to a tower, which reminds us any similar towers in Europe. Based on military architecture of the castle, offered satisfactory security to the area. It was strong enough to resist any attacks, as strong as the Kyrenia castle, and that is why it was considered to be impregnable.

Library of Sultan Mahmut
This building made from hewn stone with a single dome in the middle and two domes up front, was built during the period of Sultan Mahmut II. in 1829 by Ali Ruhi who was the Governor of Cyprus at the time. Two columned domes in this classic plan with outward walls faces North South and West have marble panels displaying the words "Masallah" (meaning God Forbid).

Salamis
he ancient city of Salamis became the capital of Cyprus as far back as 1100 BC. The city shared the destiny of the rest of the island during the successive occupations by the various dominant powers of the Near East, viz. the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, and Romans. The ancient site covers an area of one square mile extending along the sea shore.

St Hilarion Castle
The St. Hilarion Castle lies on the Kyrenia mountain range on the island of Cyprus. It was originally a monastery, named after a monk who allegedly chose the site for his hermitage. Later fortified by Byzantines, it formed the defense of the island with the castles of Buffavento and Kantara against arab pirates raiding the coast. Some sections were further upgraded under the Lusignan rule.

Tombs of the Kings
Spread over a vast area, these impressive underground tombs date back to the 4th century BC. They are carved out of solid rock with some being decorated with Doric pillars. High officials rather than Kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the locality its name.

Travel Tip and useful information

Climate
The climate is temperate and Mediterranean with dry summers and variably rainy winters. Summer temperatures range from warm at higher elevations in the Tröodos mountains to hot in the lowlands. Winter temperatures are mild at lower elevations, where snow rarely occurs, but are significantly colder in the mountains, where there is sufficient snow for a seasonal ski facility.

Time Zone
Cyprus is 2 hours ahead of GMT (+2 GMT).

Population
Cyprus' estimated population is 730,000 of which 87.5 percent belongs to the Greek Cypriot community and 12,5 percent to the Turkish Cypriot community. Greek and Turkish are the official languages of the Republic but English is widely spoken and understood, and is regularly used in commerce and government.

Transport
Bus services run within and between towns every day except Sunday. Those between major southern cities are cheap, frequent and efficient. If you want to travel on a Sunday, you'll need to get a service taxi.

Currency and credit cards
The currency of the Republic is the Cyprus pound. Visitors in possession of any of the following international credit cards may contact the appropriate bank for the withdrawal of cash.
Visa Card, Diners Club, Arte Blanche, Mastercard, American Express.
More than 15.000 shops, restaurants and hotels accept at least one of the above Credit Cards. Establishments with P.O.S. accept also VISA ELECTRON and MAESTRO.

Dress Code
April to May Medium weight and summer apparel, light woollies or long sleeved cotton for the evenings. June, July, August Warmest months of summer very light weight clothing. September to October Warm days, cool October evenings light weight apparel for the day and medium weight for the evenings in October. November Pleasantly warm days medium weight apparel. December to January
Winter time for Cypriots... Autumn for our foreign visitors! It may rain occasionally yet the promise of glorious sunshine is still there.
February The possibility of exceptionally warm days.

Safety and security
Crime in Cyprus is, comparatively, at a very low level. The Police is always ready to assist anyone who needs help. In case of emergency, one may telephone 199 or 112 (in all towns). All policemen speak good English.