About Cyprus
With sunshine 340 days a year, and temperatures that rarely dip below 17 degrees Cyprus is an ideal holiday destination. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, with a rich, friendly culture and a much healthier way of life than you’re probably used to.
Cyprus is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, where legend has it the goddess of love arose from the waves. Hence the moniker ‘The island of Aphrodite’. Its cultural influences are a heady mix of Western Europe, Asia and Africa but Cyprus has a definite personality of its own.
Being an island, it is not hard to find a glorious stretch of golden sand to lay your towel. Some will be quiet and secluded, in romantic coves or bays and others packed full of
other travellers. All of the main beaches on the island are blue flag rated so you are assured of nice surroundings on which to top up your tan!
Cyprus is incredibly visitor friendly and the way of life is very relaxed and informal. Although Greek is the official language of the island, most people speak English. As the island was once a British protectorate it shares a lot of similarities with the UK. Cypriots drive on the left, the legal and banking systems are based on UK ones, and the power is 240v.
Here is a brief outline of the main places to visit in Cyprus.
Nicosia
Nicosia is the capital city of Cyprus and is situated in the middle of the island on the Mesaoria Plain. It has been the capital of the island since the 10th century and has the culture and history you would expect from somewhere over 1000 years old. The city itself dates back to at least 672 BC where it is recorded as being the city-state Ledra. Somewhere between then and 348 AD the name changed to Lefkosia, which is Greek for Nicosia.
Although there is much history and culture to experience in the city, it isn’t all about old stuff. Nicosia is a thriving, bustling, cosmopolitan place with a mixture of influences from Middle Eastern to Byzantine.
Places worth visiting are: The Byzantine Museum and Galleries, Famagusta Gate, Cyprus Museum, Kanakaria Mosaics, Ayios Ioannis Cathedral and the trendy Ledra shopping street with the viewing point into ‘no-man’s land’ at the end.
Limassol
Limassol, or Lemesos in Greek, is the second largest city on the island. Nestled comfortably between the Troodos mountains and Akrotiri Bay, it is the tourist and trade hub of Cyprus.
The city is the epitome of a package holiday destination. A long coastline populated by hotels and holiday apartments. The tourist strip with its bars, restaurants and nightclubs and of course the beaches which get pretty busy during high season.
Don’t think that Limassol doesn’t have anything else though. With an ancient and diverse history spanning thousands of years. Although the early history of the city is sketchy, there have been archaeological finds dating back to 2000 BC. The modern city is thought to have been built after 1191 when Richard the Lionheart destroyed the neighbouring city of Amathus.
The Tiffany shopping centre opened on the 30th May 2009 which is the islands largest mall. Well worth a visit for all you shoppers!
Places worth visiting are: Limassol Castle and museum, the bazaar, municipal gardens and Limassol District archaeological museum, winery tours and definitely the September wine festival, the ancient site of Kourion, Kolossi Castle, Pissouri beach and the Troodos foothill village of Omodos.
Larnaca
Larnaca enjoys a relaxed and leisurely atmosphere. Sited on the south of the island, it is home to Larnaca Airport and the second busiest commercial port.
Founded by the Phoenicians as Kition in around 668 BC, Larnaca is Cyprus’ oldest city. Archaeological remains date back almost 6000 years that indicate a settlement of one kind or another up until the present day.
Now Larnaca is one of the islands major seaside resorts. The many beaches around the city, including the blue flagged Phinikoudes and McKenzie beaches make this a popular tourist destination. A wide variety of tavernas, restaurants and bars mean there is something going on almost 24 hours a day.
It isn’t all tourist faire on offer for the traveller though. In the city there are six museums, the ruins, and cultural events held almost daily.
Places worth visiting are: The ruins of Kituim, Larnaca Fort, Larnaca Archaeological Museum, Pierides Museum, Ayios Lazaros church, Kamares aqueduct, and the mosque of Umm Haram.
Paphos
Paphos has an interesting and beguiling history. According to Greek myth, the goddess Aphrodite landed on the coast of Paphos which spawned a cult of worshippers in the city. Originally there were two towns on the site, Kato Paphos or Lower Paphos and Ktima or Upper Paphos. These two have gradually grown into a more or less single entity joined by a main road.
Kato Paphos is the tourist centre, complete with all the trapping that it brings. Lots of bars and clubs serving the hundred of tourists and neon lights as far as the eye can see. Ktima is where the culture is and is distinctly separate from Kato Paphos as it has escaped the tourist boom.
There are so many historical and archaeological sites within upper and lower Paphos that UNESCO decided against listing them all separately and simply added the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List.
Places worth visiting are: Paphos Archaeological museum, Byzantine Museum, Tomb of the Kings, The Mosaics of Paphos, the Odeon, Paphos Castle and the Baths of Aphrodite.
Ayia Napa
Now more associated with twenty something clubbers than with the culture and history of the rest of Cyprus, Ayia Napa is the islands top tourist destination. Despite this, there is still a rich history to consider. Legend says a local hunter discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary in the 15th century, which was named the Virgin Mary of Napa. A monastery was later built on the site and the name shortened to Aiya Napa.
The beaches around the town are busy, but some of the best that you will find on the island, and the world. Calm, shallow seas and sand which stretch for miles along the coast have earned the EU Blue Flag for cleanliness and water quality.
Places worth visiting are: The Agia Napa Monastery, Thalassa Museum, The Makronissos Tombs and the world famous Aiya Napa Festival in the last week of September.
Protaras
A few minutes’ drive from Aiya Napa is the smaller resort of Protaras. Unlike all of the other destinations listed here, Protaras is a purpose built town for tourists. It consists mainly of bars, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. The emphasis here is for the family traveller, and the whole town is geared around this.
The main draw of Protaras is the magnificent Fig Tree Bay, which has 10 miles of Blue Flag beaches which slide gently into a crystal clear Mediterranean.
With none of the history or culture of other Cypriot destinations you could be fooled into thinking that there is nothing here. On the contrary, if you want a lovely, relaxing family holiday then this is the ideal place to visit.
