Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, very sunny and picturesque. An island with a big heart that welcomes its guests and welcomes them as its friends. It is located in the warmest part of the sea – the eastern part, where the swimming season lasts longer than at other resorts – from May to November.
Wonderful Mediterranean climate, amazingly clean beaches and warm sea, rich excursion program. Many attractions from different times – from ancient Greek to Roman, from medieval to architectural monuments of the Ottoman Empire – will give history and excursion lovers routes for beautiful and easy walks. Traditional Cypriot cuisine will appeal to all connoisseurs of Mediterranean traditions, and national hospitality in Cyprus has been honed over centuries.
10 Facts about Cyprus
– Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world. It is actually divided in half, but the Cypriot part has a population of about 300,000, and the Turkish part has less than a hundred. In the very center of the old city there is a checkpoint through which the transition between the southern and northern parts is carried out.
– Driving on the left in Cyprus
The steering wheel of cars, even rental cars, is on the right. Such rules were established by the British colonialists. If you are used to driving on the right, be careful. Passengers and the driver must wear seat belts during the trip.
– The weather on the island is almost always sunny
The sun shines on average 322 days a year in Cyprus! If clouds occasionally appear during the summer months, Cypriots are in seventh heaven. Holidays on the island’s beaches are most popular from May to November.
– There are more cats in Cyprus than in any other country in the world! However, this is not an accident. These animals were brought here by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, in the 4th century. The island was dominated by drought, during which it was full of poisonous snakes. Cats were meant to be effective tamers of unwanted reptiles. They were taken by ship to the south of the island. The cats’ first habitat was a nearby monastery, and the monks began feeding and caring for the cats. This monastery exists to this day, and it is called the Cat Monastery of St. Nicholas.
– Despite the conflict with Turkey, Cyprus is one of the safest places not only in Europe, but throughout the world. The average crime rate is about 15% of the European average!
– The oldest wine in the world is produced in Cyprus
When visiting Cyprus, you should definitely try the local Commandaria wine. It dates back to 2000 BC. and was a favorite of King Richard the Lionheart. This is a delicious sweet with a high alcohol content.
Cyprus is an island of grapes, and not only wine is made here, but also moonshine. It is called “zivania” and can be found in any supermarket or specialty store. It is very popular among Cypriots, and we can safely say: zivania is the islanders’ favorite strong drink!
– It was in Cyprus, off its coast, that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and fertility, was born, emerging from the sea foam. Near Paphos is Aphrodite’s Rock, which is also shrouded in legends.
– It is said that Leonardo da Vinci visited the village of Lefkara in the 15th century to buy lace for the altar of Milan Cathedral. We are sure that picturesque Lefkara really inspired him.
– Officially, the beaches of Cyprus are the cleanest in the world. Europe and held this title for more than ten years. 99.1% of all bathing waters on the island are classified as “excellent quality”.
– The famous Cypriot cheese Halloumi dates back to the medieval Byzantine period.
Delicious halloumi cheese is certainly not a recent invention, it was mentioned in an Egyptian cookbook dating back to the 14th century!
