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CYPRUS -Divided Country, Travel Guide |
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Nestled intoeastern part of Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus isthird largest island inMediterranean. Cyprus history forpast onezero,zerozerozero years has seen civilizations come and go and famous historical figures such as AlexanderGreat to Cleopatra stake their claim here. According tolegend, Aphrodite,Greek goddess of love and beauty was born here. From independent travellers to honeymooners, archaeology enthusiasts to friends of nature, adventure lovers to people enjoying lazy days onbeach visitors to Cyprus find offers to everyone's taste. Food lovers feast on farm-fresh halloumi cheese and delectable meze,local specialty appetizers that mix Western ingredients with Eastern zest. Business travelers appreciatefine, modern conference facilities and warm, professional service at numerous hotels and resorts. Since oneninesevenfour there have been two countries onisland of Cyprus -Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus andsouthern Republic of Cyprus. So you can actually visit two countries forprice of one. We invite you to getdelightful taste of what both Greece and Turkey have to offer: beautiful sunny beaches, small charming villages, ruins of ancient civilizations and distinctive local cultures.
HISTORY: Cyprus (Kypros in Greek) gave copper its latin name: cuprum. First Greeks settled on Cyprusinlate Bronze Age (one,sixzerozero B.C.) and established trade links with Egypt andAegean islands. During this period ceramic art first flourished. AlexanderGreat wrestledisland away fromPersians . As centuries passed by,island came consequently under Persian, Assyrian, Egyptian, and Roman rule. The Roman emperor Marc Antony gave Cyprus asgift to his lover,beautiful Cleopatra. Then camelong period of Byzantine domination. Forhundred years until onefivesevenoneflag ofRepublic of Venice flew in Cyprus, whenOttoman Turks occupied it. In oneeightseveneight Cyprus became part ofBritish Empire. It gained independent status in oneninesixzero. Cyprus History - Recent Past and Present: A Greek, Archbishop Makarios, becameelected president. On onefive July oneninesevenfourCIA-sponsored, Greek-organised coup overthrew Makarios and replaced him withpuppet leader. Turkey responded by invadingisland and Greece quickly pulled out, butTurks did not stop and tooknorthern third ofisland, forcing oneeightzero,zerozerozero Greek Cypriots to flee their homes. In onenineeightthree Turkish Cypriots proclaimedseparate state, naming itTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Peace talks have been held sporadically, but Cyprus remains divided.
ATTRACTIONS:NICOSIA: The island's capital city is divided in two parts byUN-patrolled Green Line, which separatesRepublic from Northern Cyprus. Nicosia isfriendly, laid-back place, with good restaurants, museums, andlively art scene.A visit here should give youless touristy view ofcountry than you'll get if you stick tocoastal towns. The old town , insideonesixth-century Venetian walls, ismost interesting part of Nicosia,home to numerous little shops where you can bargain directly withowners. The Cathedral of St.John houses some outstanding frescoes. The Cyprus Archeological Museum exhibitspriceless collection of Cypriot antiquities and art treasures. Visiting Nicosia gives youchance to crossGreen Line and to exploreTurkish part ofcapital city. Passing through"no man" zone withinGreen Line, where everything is left untouched sinceoneninesevenfour military action, seeing houses covered with bullet holes leaves unforgetable impression. The Turkish part of Nicosia is smaller, has less things to see, but carries its own charm and specific culture. More about going toNorthern Cyprus- here. PAPHOS: One ofmost beautiful parts ofisland, place where, according tolegend, Aphrodite arose from fromfoaming waves. Amongsouvenir shops you'll see Saranta Kolones,Lusignian fortress destroyed byearthquake inonethreeth century; it's mostly fallen columns and sewer tunnels. The underground Tombs ofKings dated back tofourth century are carved out ofsolid rock, some of them are frescoed and are thought to have beenburial sites of aristocrats and high officials. In Greco-Roman times Paphos wasisland's capital, and it is famous forremains ofRoman Governor's palace, House of Dionysos , with its stunning mosaics which is nowmajor tourist attraction. There issmall harbour andupper town slightly tonorth wherelarger shops, offices and town administration are based. TROODOS MASSIF: The Troodos region mountains, incountry's south, are unforgettable. This is wherehighest point onislanond - mount Olympus (one,ninefivetwom, six,fivezerosevenft) located. Kykkos Monastery, inwestern Troodos, isbest known Christian Orthodox monastery. Built inonetwoth century, it's been completely renovated and containsmuseum of religious icons includingicon of Christ andVirgin Mary painted by St. Luke himself. OnThroni Peak inregion there istomb of Archibishop Makarios,first Cyprus President. COLOSSI CASTLE: Built byCrusaders (Hospitallers,Order of St. John of Jerusalem) inonethreeth century this castle served as their headquarter. This well-preserved castle , restored in oneninethreethree isgood example of military architecture of that period. A spiral staircase leads up toroof andrestored battlements. There are also plenty of citrus orchards inarea, and you can pick up some of country's juiciest oranges inmarkets here. SALAMIS: It wasmost important pre-Christian city in Cyprus. You could easily spendday here, exploring these very extensive ruins that includefully restored Roman amphitheatre,gymnasium with marble baths, andmosaics,temple of Zeus, numerous statues offourth century. Byzantine remains includebasilica of Bishop Epiphanos (fourth century AD). The necropolis of Salamis covers seven sq. km (almost threesq.miles) towest oftown. It containsmuseum showing some offinds. Close tosite isvery nice beach, so bring your swimming suits.
ACTIVITIES: A country of resorts, Cyprus has plenty of places where you can try water sports. If it's windsurfing or sailing you want, head topeninsulas and capes, wherewind is strongest. There's also at least one sea-diving site in each ofbig resorts. Mountain biking and hiking are possible all overisland, with specially marked trails insouthern hills, onAkamas Peninsula and inTroodos. Although hardly renowned for its skiing, Cyprus does haveresort onnortheastern face of Mount Olympus, but it's not exactly world standard. Forgolf fan there are several courses,most popular are inPaphos district. Spear-fishing (without aqualung) angling, fishing with vertical lines or trolling arepermitted methods for which no licence is required. Birdwatching trips and social events are organized for members andgeneral public. Horse-riding can be enjoyed at special centres, professional training facilities, equipped with instructors who provide lessons for beginners and advanced riders. want, head topeninsulas and capes, wherewind is strongest.
GETTING THERE AND AROUND, ACCOMODATIONS: The Republic of Cyprus has airports at Larnaka and Paphos, you can bookflight from most of Europe andMiddle East. North Cyprus hasinternational airport at Ercan, only Turkish airlines fly there. By sea, you can get to Greece and Israel fromRepublic's port in Lemesos. There are ferries from North Cyprus to Turkey, but you cannot exit Cyprus this way unless you entered from Turkey. Bus services run within and between towns every day except Sunday, they are cheap, frequent and efficient. Visitors may travel betweenNorth andSouth. two and three- day cruises from Cyprus to Jerusalem, Cairo and Jordan are very popular among tourists. They can be booked through any travel agency onisland. Prices start from $threezerozero USD. nine-oneone-night Eastern Mediterranean cruises with Cyprus' Limassol as one of ports of call would cost you from $one,twozerozero USD. Hotel prices start from $sixfive USD/room in peak season when booked through our agency.
WHEN TO GO, WEATHER: The climate here is typically Mediterranean, with very hot July and August. There are over threezerozero sunny days per year. Mid-May to mid-October isideal season for swimming, sunbathing and watersports. Temperatures are cooler inmountaneous Troodos area, making it ideal for hiking or simply relaxing. December and January aremonths of wet and cool Mediterranean winter. Troodos is ideal for skiing at this time. The first flowers bloom in January, and by mid-February there are fresh green meadows and blooming almond trees. March days are still cool (daytime temperatures around onenineC or sixfiveF, nineC or fourzeroF at night). In April and intomiddle of May spring is in full force. This isideal time for nature hikes and off-road adventures. The most pleasant times to visit Cyprus are April-May and September-October.
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