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Cyprus is one of the most popular countries for travelers. Incredible views, a warm climate, and clean sandy beaches are just a small part of the benefits that attract foreigners. Once you get there, you will ask yourself, why you haven’t been there before. Usually, travelers don’t even know the simplest thing about the country they’re going to. We have prepared the main information about Cyprus, the so-called “passport”, to make your life easier.
Location
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is located about 80km (50 mi) south of the coast of Turkey, west of Syria and Lebanon, northwest of Israel, north of Egypt, and east of Greece. The island is shared by the Republic of Cyprus, Northern Cyprus (a country recognized only by Turkey), and the British. The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Square: 9.251 km²
Population: 1.22 million
The capital city: Nicosia (Lefkosia).
The largest cities: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, Paphos, Morphou, and Kyrenia.
Currency: Euro (€)
Language: Greek and Turkish (official), the most popular foreign languages: English, Russian, French, and German
Climate
Summer: Long dry (from mid-May to mid-Okt)
High temperatures with cloudless skies, but the sea breeze creates a pleasant atmosphere in the coastal areas.
Temp: range between 38° C and 27° C.
Sea Temperatures: range between 27° C and 22° C.
Winter: mild (from Dec to Feb)
Winters are mild with rain and snow in the Troodos Mountains.
Temp: range between 5° C and 0° C.
Cypriot cuisine
The depth and the quality of Cypriot traditional food are astonishing. There are a few key factors that influence the unique combination of tastes and ingredients.
First of all, there is a large range of varieties of culinary that have an impact (Cyprus cuisine is a close resemblance to Greece’s traditional cooking).
Secondly, Cypriots often use the freshest and locally grown ingredients.
Generally, Cypriots prefer to have long-lasting lunches and late dinners. Due to this fact, some restaurants are not opened until 7 p.m.
As for the variety of cuisine in restaurants, you can any cuisine that you want: Cypriot traditional, European, and more other variants.
The national food is considered to be healthy and contains a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, Mediterranean food, meat (chicken, pork, lamb), cheese, olive oil, and herbs.
A shortlist of the most popular Cypriot traditional meals: Halloumi, Tarhana, Sheftalies, Koupepia, Souvlakia.
Winter and summer tourism
The quality of your time-spending in Cyprus doesn`t depend on the time of the year. You can have both relaxed and eventful vocations. Cyprus offers loads of excursions, extreme activities, wandering places, and simply cleaned beaches with the clear blue water for sunbathing and swimming.
Winter
There is a myth that winter in Cyprus is not the best time of the year for vacation, but it`s not true.
Winter Cyprus offers you a big variety of events, excursions, and activities. It is related to the high, in contrast to the European winter, temperature. Here are some points, about what to do in winter:
- hiking ( the high time, due to the temperature);
- have an excursion (for ex.: Paphos, Nicosia, rural villages…)
- boat trips;
- wandering;
- skiing ( the best place is mount Troodos)
Summer
The best time to visit Cyprus in Summer is mid-June or mid-August due to the extremely high temperature. It can bring you some discomfort if you want to have an active vocation far from the sea. You can do such types of activities as:
- scuba diving in Larnaca;
- exploring the Akamas Peninsula;
- swimming in the Adonis baths and waterfalls;
- having an excursion ( Kurion, Paphos..).
Find more about the most entertaining and gripping vocation in Cyprus in our blog.
The best resorts (2022)
Grecian Bay Hotel
(Ayia Napa)
Nissiblu Beach Resort
(Ayia Napa)
Constantinou Bros Asimina
Suites Hotel (Paphos)
Alexander The Great
Beach Hotel (Paphos)
Almyra
(Paphos)
GrandResort
(Agios Tychon)
Elysium Hotel
(Paphos)
Capo Bay Hotel
(Protaras)
Elexus Hotel & Resort
& Spa (Kyrenia)
Grecian Park Hotel
(Protaras)
5 interesting facts about Cyprus
- Cyprus is one the oldest wine produsing place in the world.
- Cyprus officially has the cleanest and safties cities in Europe.
- Cyprys is the only place, where cheese Halloumi can be produced.
- The oldest perfumes were founded in Cyprus.
- The Goddess of love Aphrodite was born near the Paphos, Cyprus.
Airports
Larnaca international airport (the biggest)
Less than 5km outside of the coastal city Larnaca
Paphos International Airport
6.5 km southeast of the city of Paphos, Cyprus
Available transport
Public transport compared to using both options: buses and taxis.
Taxi: Base fare – €3.42, Price per km – €0.73
Bus: 1 Euro- one way, 2 Euro- daily
(Children under 12, Cypriot soldiers, students for free)
You can also rent a car. The cheapest rental fee is €5 per day. Nevertheless, be careful due to the left-sighted traffic.
Friendly tips: Even if buses are the cheapest option, the most convenient way to travel is by car. But you can not get used to the particular traffic system. We highly recommend you choose a transfer. It will save you time, help you avoid stress and unexpected situations. You can easily plan your vacation with AtoB Transfer and choose the most suitable option from a wide variety of cars and facilities. Book our transfer service and forget about worries!
You can also find more about the historical attractions, top places to visit, and other interesting facts about Cyprus in our blog!
