Cyprus

Cyprus Travel Guide

Key Facts

Territory:

9,251 sq km (3,572 sq miles).

Populace:

1.2 million (2015).

Populace thickness:

128.5 for every sq km.

Capital:

Nicosia (Greek: Lefkosia; Turkish: Lefkoşa).

Government:

Republic.

Head of state:

President Nicos Anastasiades since 2013.

Head of government:

South: President Nikos Anastasiade since 2013. North: President Mustafa Akinci since 2015.

Power:

240 volts AC, 50Hz. English style plugs with three square sticks are utilized.

The incredible origin of Aphrodite, Cyprus is every last bit the Mediterranean – sandy shorelines, old cloisters, established remnants, thyme scented mountains, terracotta houses and, obviously, the required party resorts loaded with sun-looking for 20-year-olds.

Cyprus has dependably been at the junction amongst Europe and Asia. In old times, a progression of domains quarreled about its seaports and mountain strongholds, which ensured amazingness over the eastern Mediterranean. These realm manufacturers abandoned a mind boggling legacy of chronicled relics: old Greek and Roman remains, Crusader strongholds, compelling Venetians city dividers and towering mosques and minarets deserted by Ottoman trespassers.

Until the 1970s, Cyprus was a languid backwater, however an overwhelming common war saw the island split into Greek Cypriot and Turkish states. In the south, the Greek Republic of Cyprus developed into a present day European state, while the Turkish north 50% of the island stays disengaged, perceived just by Turkey and well off the standard vacationer radar.

After Partition, visitor advancement went into overdrive in the Greek portion of the island, with the rise of Ayia Napa, Protaras, Limassol, Paphos and a string of other bundle occasion resorts along the southern coast. This is one face of Cyprus – whitewashed estates, sunbathers, banana-vessel rides, disorderly clubs and crowds of youngsters getting a charge out of rankling summer daylight.

Inland, the old Cyprus continues, with excellent towns loaded with UNESCO-recorded holy places, quiet mountain trails and vineyards that have been delivering wines since antiquated times. A comparative old-world climate overruns in the isolated capital, Lefkosia (Nicosia), where calm paths lined with Turkish mosques and Byzantine chapels go to a sudden end at the Green Line, the accepted fringe between the two enclaves.

The north is something else once more, more Turkish than Greek, even down to the menus on eatery tables, yet studded with old remnants and emotional Crusader mansions. While wild advancement is occurring along the coast around Famagusta (Gazimagusa) and Kyrenia (Girne), the remote Karpas Peninsula offers an adventure back in time, where antiquated vestiges spill out onto brilliant shorelines that see more ocean turtles than human guests.