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There are six major towns Nicosia, the capital situated inland
in the middle of the Mesaoria plain, and the 5 coastal towns of
Limassol,
Larnaka, Pafos, Kyrenia and Famagusta.
The latter two, in the north and east respectively, have been under Turkish
occupation since 1974 and are accessible to visitors via
organized coach tours.
Cyprus is a country of beauty and contrasts, where you can enjoy the
fabulous sunshine on the beautiful unspoilt sandy beaches or the pleasant
breeze in the cool cedar forests. Choose between the bustle of towns or the
tranquility of villages, both the old and the new.
The climate of Cyprus never fails to delight visitors, and every season
has a charm and beauty of its own. In summer, sandy beaches and clear
turquoise waters beckon swimmers and provide the perfect conditions for
sailing, diving and snorkeling as well as a host of other water sports.
Cyprus was an island chosen by the mythical gods and goddesses of Ancient
Greece who indulged themselves there in sport pleasure and tragedy.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, emerged from the Pafos foam to
become a famous cult figure - centre of attraction for the first tourists
who flocked to the island to worship her.
The Cyprus Mystique
The very name Cyprus, it has been said, shimmers with an ages-old mystique.
Today, history and hedonism are comfortably intertwined on the island.
Ravishing five-star resorts within walking distance of well-preserved Greek
and Roman ruins offer every amenity the modern traveller has come to expect
and more, from knock-out pools, gardens and beachfronts to state of the art
thalassotherapy health spas. One of the most impressive archaeological
sites, the ancient city kingdom of Kourion, overlooks a magnificent stretch
of beaches with a sparkling blue sea beyond. Along the island's sun-kissed
coastline., from Agia Napa in the east to
Pafos in the west, world-class
beach resorts alternate with settings untouched since antiquity.
Venture away from the sybaritic shore - if you can bring yourself to - and
succumb to the slow, seductive rhythms of the interior. There are old
wine-producing villages with atmospheric winding streets and terraced
vineyards. You can often stay the night for a song in cozy renovated
traditional houses, part of the Cyprus agro tourism program. Explore Greek
Orthodox churches nestled in the hills whose walls conceal vibrantly painted
Byzantine frescoes. Many are found among the pine-covered peaks of the
Troodos, where a sublime silence can dissolve all sense of time, not to
mention stress.
Love Goddesses and Sacred Mountains
Along the route that leads from the port city of Lemesos (Limassol) to Pafos,
the roadway opens up to reveal a magnificent stretch of coastline where
chalky white cliffs stand watch over a dazzling aquamarine sea. Here sun
worshippers make detours for a picnic and a swim at Petra tou Romiou, a
boulder that marks the spot where Aphrodite emerged from the sea foam in
ancient times. In the Akamas region, hikers exploring the area's rich flora
can cool off at the grotto where the love goddess bathed after her amorous
interludes.
Throughout Cyprus, the typically Mediterranean landscape is still blessed
with the timeless beauty of antiquity. There are crusader fortresses framed
by tall cypress trees, Greco-Roman theatres carved out of cliffs and
Byzantine monasteries perched improbably on mountaintops. Sophisticated
cities successfully balance the ancient and modern. The capital, Lefkosia
(Nicosia), is surrounded by Venetian walls with heart-shaped bastions;
Larnaka, site of the major international airport, is also home to St.
Lazarus Church and the crypt of the eponymous saint resurrected by Christ.
Near the animated harbor at Pafos are the Roman floor mosaics of the Houses
of Aion, Achilles and Dionysus, their depictions of mythological scenes
amazingly well preserved.
All Eyes on Cyprus
The Cyprus mystique is as much a product of its legendary beauty as it is of
millennia of competing empires, all unable to resist the island’s strategic
allure of the island. The perfect location, of course, never goes out of
style. Nestled into the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a veritable crossroads
of three continents, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean
and an ideal starting point for the discovery of other exotic locales such
as the Greek Islands, Egypt and the Middle East - in fact, mini-cruises set
off for these places from Cyprus almost every day. But close as Cyprus may
be to the world's center stage, it is a distinctive place that can feel
blissfully apart from it all.
Abundant copper in antiquity put small Cyprus on the map. In fact Cyprus (Kypros
in Greek) gave copper its latin name: cuprum. In the late Bronze Age,
Mycenaen Greeks settled on Cyprus and established trade links with Egypt and
the Aegean islands. This is also the period when ceramic art first
flourished. As centuries drifted by, the island came variously under
Persian, Assyrian, Egyptian, and Roman rule. It was during the latter era
that Marc Antony, enraptured by the island's sweet wines, gave Cyprus as a
gift to his lover, the matchless Cleopatra. After a long period of Byzantine
domination, European awareness of Cyprus surged with the Crusades. In 1191 a
fierce sea storm led Richard the Lionheart to put his ship into port at
Lemesos. He claimed the island as his own.
From 1489 to 1571 the flag of Venice flew in Cyprus, until which time the
Ottoman Turks moved in. That era ended in 1878 when Cyprus became part of
the British Empire. Despite a turbulent past, or perhaps because of it, the
Cypriots themselves are a resilient people. They have always remained a
distinct culture - different even from their closest cousins, the Greeks -
and retained their unique character. The Republic of Cyprus achieved
independence in 1960 and is now in line to join the European Union.
From independent travellers to honeymooners, archaeology aficionados to
friends of nature, every visitor to Cyprus finds the island offers layer
upon layer of discovery. Food lovers delight in farm-fresh halloumi cheese
and delectable meze, the local specialty appetizers that mix Western
ingredients with Eastern zest. Travellers on business appreciate the fine
conference facilities and warm, professional service at more than 64 hotels
and resorts, and like incentive groups value the proximity of the beach. And
that golden Old World sunshine - there are generally 300-plus sunny days per
year - is something few can resist. Add it all up and you have an
ideally-situated island that truly has no equal. A place that measures up to
its mystique: Cyprus.
Cyprus: The Cruise Centre of the Eastern Mediterranean
Before the armies of Alexander the Great made their famous thrusts east
toward lands unconquered, their ships called into port at Cyprus to be
readied and refitted. The same strategic location, at the crossroads of
three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa, that made Cyprus a crucial
starting point for Alexander’s expanding empire makes the island a desirable
centre today for a calmer kind of maritime activity: cruising. Whether for a
cruise that originates there, as a port of call or a fly and cruise option,
today Cyprus is among the premier cruising destinations in the
Mediterranean.
As the easternmost island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is a natural point of
departure for exploring this amazingly diverse region. Throughout the year
locally based cruise lines help locals and tourist alike get a first hand
perspective of the splendors of ancient Egypt, major attractions in Israel
and Lebanon and, of course, the Greek Islands. Every year there are around
800 such “mini-cruises” leaving from the port of Limassol (Lemesos), one of
the leading cruise ports in the Mediterranean, carrying around 250,000
passengers.
Port of History and Civilisation
Many international cruise ships utilize Cyprus as a major port of call on
their international European and Mediterranean itineraries. Every year more
than 30 of the finest international cruise ships make more than 80 calls at
the ports of Limassol and Larnaka carrying in excess of 100,000 passengers
to visit the major attractions of Cyprus. |
Go Safari! 4x4 Jeep Safari to Kykkos and Troodos