Once described as a ‘leaf floating in the Mediterranean’, Cyprus lies in the easternmost part of the Mediterranean linking Europe, Africa and Asia. Due to its position, it has long been used as a ‘stepping stone’ between the three and offers travelers excellent flight connections from many international and provincial airports.
Cyprus has diverse geography with a central spine of mountains, large open plains, forests and beautiful coastal areas with fishing harbours, golden beaches and small secluded coves with crystal clear water.
The island is proud of its luxurious accommodation, excellent conference facilities, as well as cultural and fun events all year round.
Cyprus boasts of having a wonderful weather with more than 340 days of sunshine and in the winter it is possible to swim in the morning and be skiing by lunchtime, as transportation from one place to another is quite easy and comfortable, due to the short distances between all places of interest and venues !
(Also visit Cyprus Facts & Traveler’s Tips)
A brief history of the island
Cyprus, although a small country, has a rich cultural heritage with more than 10.000 of history, which is evident from the vast number of ancient monuments and sites, castles and forts around the island.
Cultural heritage of a people is its most important asset, its identity and a sense of continuation through time. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It has had a tumultuous history. The Mycenaeans Achaeans brought their civilization here, establishing the first Greek roots 3000 years ago.
Many others passed through, including Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British. Splendor of Byzantium, founded by Constantine the Great at Constantinople, encompassed the island of Cyprus.
An armed struggle breaks out in 1955 against colonial rule, which lasts until 1960 when the island is granted independence.
Since 1974, Cyprus has been under the Turkish occupation.
In Cyprus you will find prehistoric settlements, ancient Greek temples, Roman theatres and villas, Early Christian basilicas, Byzantine churches and monasteries, Crusader castles, Gothic churches and Venetian fortifications.
In villages, old customs and traditions are still kept alive. Young people still engage in lace-making, wine making, pottery making, oil making, botanical gardening, goat and sheep farming in the beautiful rural villages of the island just as their ancestors did before them.
Nicosia
Nicosia (also Lefkosia) is the capital of Cyprus. It is the biggest city of Cyprus with the population of 314.00 people. Nicosia is a modern, dynamic capital with lots of shops, modern shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment.
As the last divided city in Europe; Nicosia enjoys a certain degree of international notoriety. However, the Cypriot capital does have a rich past (its roots go as far as 670 BC) and it offers a unique experience for its visitors.
The old walled city of Nicosia is very exceptional and definitely the place to head for first. Encircled by strong fortress walls built by the Venetians in the 16th century, the enchanting old city is scattered with medieval buildings preserving the nostalgic atmosphere of years past, monuments of historical interest as well as little shops, cafés and taverns. The old city is mainly pedestrian-only.
The new Nicosia developed outside the walls became a contemporary business and cultural center, with modern facilities of a cosmopolitan European capital.
· (Distance from Larnaca international airport to Nicosia: 50 km)
Limassol
Limassol (or Lemessos) is situated in the south of the island and it is Cyprus’ main industrial and maritime area and the second biggest town of the country. Its population is about 230.000.
Situated at foothills of the Troodos Mountains, the modern resort of Limassol has become a Mecca for tourists looking to chill out in the clubs and bars. It is both Cyprus’ main commercial center with impressive shopping malls, elegant boutiques and one of the biggest resorts on the island. Limassol is also one of the busiest ferry ports in Cyprus, with regular sailings to destinations across the Middle East.
The old city centre is worth visiting, because of its vibrant community. The old city is relatively untouched by the streams of tourism and it maintained the traditions of Cypriote life: meze restaurants, wine and beer cellars, places to sit outside and just watch people passing by.
Limassol offers a great variety of activities and a great number of museums and archaeological sites for those interested. Places of interest include the Berengaria Castle, the place where Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria, Kolossi Castle, the ancient city of Curium and its still functioning amphitheatre, Apollo Sanctuary and many others. It is worth mentioning the restoration of the stone built municipal open air market to a contemporary place of cultural events.
Limassol is well-placed to access some of the island’s best beaches, Troodos Mountains, wine producing villages and wineries.
· (Distance from Larnaca international airport to Limassol: 70 km)
Paphos
Paphos is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District with the population of 80.000 people. It is the second largest Southern resort of Cyprus and also UNESCO world heritage site.
Since November 2008, the new Paphos International Airport started its operation.
For those who love history, Paphos is a sheer paradise. It is full of places and remnants with either historical or legendary background, like: Aphrodite’s birth place (Petra Tou Romiou), St.Pauls’s pillar, Tombs of Kings, the Medieval Fort of Paphos, Baths of Aphrodite, Roman villas, Byzantine churches and basilicas, sanctuaries, castles from the Crusade times, pre-historic settlement and a lot more.
Paphos consists of two areas: the coastal resort area (Kato Paphos) and the town itself (Pano Paphos) which is located slightly inland. The central point of the town is a charming fishing harbour. Located here, you will also find Paphos Fort and many taverns and open air cafes all serving excellent food and the catch of the day.
The town centre just up the hill from the harbour is much more elegant and there are a number of sights worth seeing including the covered market, a handful of museums and some impressive Roman mosaics.
Those with a sweet tooth might want to visit Yeroskipou, a village to the south from Paphos, where loukoumi (Cypriot type of Turkish delight) is made.
· (Distance from Larnaca international airport to Paphos: 140 km)
Larnaca
Larnaca is situated on the east coast of Cyprus. It has a population of 135.00 and is the island's second commercial port and an important tourist resort. The brand new international airport of Larnaca is also situated here.
Larnaca, with its palm-lined waterfront promenade, ancient fort and historic quarter offers a distinct antique flavour to its visitors. Today the city is a relaxed place well-loved for its easy going attitude and friendly people.
Hotels and resort-complexes are springing up rapidly on the outskirts of the Larnaca.
The nearby beaches are beautiful and they keep improving markedly along the coast, making Larnaca a good base for exploring the island. Larnaca’s nightlife is quite vibrant and the town centre has good collection of bars, cafes and taverns.
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