LifeAfter50Travel Tips to European Countries - Cyprus

These LifeAfter50Travel Tips are a general overview of the country being discussed and are a synopsis rather than a detailed travel description.

About the Country

Cyprus is an island that is located in the Mediterranean Sea and is inhabited with mountains on the north and south. The south coast, however, is covered with plains. The capital here is Nicosia and he temperatures are hot from the Mediterranean climate while the winters are noticeably cooler. The currency used here is Cypriot Pound.

Culture

The languages spoken are Greek, English and Turkish. There is a mixed culture of Greek and Middle East. The locals are very friendly and welcome outsiders with an open heart. They will always make you feel at home! A handshake will do just fine while greeting someone. It is customary to offer a guest a small gift when invited over for dinner. You can dress casually, but the be sure not to wear your swimsuit! Leave those for the beach. Social functions usually call for formal dressing.

Sightseeing

The country is full of vineyards, 12th century buildings, orchards and monasteries. More than likely you'll be snapping away with your camera, but be careful when photographing outside. It is forbidden in military areas and you need to get special permission for taking pictures in places like museums and art galleries. Most of them don't allow flash photography.

There are plenty of taxis so you can be sure you'll be able to get around without any complication. Of course, tipping your driver is customary.

Electricity

240 V, 50 Hz

Getting There

The Port of Famagusta in Ammochostos and the Port of Kyrenia, as well as the airport of Ercan, have all been declared as illegal 'ports of entry', so you must be aware of this while your making your travel plans.

Cyprus Airways is the national airline and connects most of the major cities in Europe. Over forty airlines serve the airport of Larnaca, that are 5 km away from Larnaka and 50km away from Nicosia. There is a lack of buses and trains in and out of the airport, but there are taxis. Some of the services offered at this airport are duty-free shops, a bank, tourism and hotel information, restaurants, car hire, post office and reservation office. The other airport, Pafos, is 15km away from the city and it takes about 35 minutes to get there from the airport. It has the same facilities as the Larnaca airport.

The major ports of Cyprus are the Limassol port and Larnaca port that actually connect other ports of Middle East and Greek. Ferry and cruise services are provided here as well.

Cyprus Island isn't connected by roads to other countries, but roads run across Cyprus that connect all the cities and villages. Buses run on roads on all days except on Sunday and they run to mid-night during the summer. Tourists can hop on a rural bus to go through the remote villages, but consider yourself warned! They are very slow. If you're planning to hire a car, it's recommended to book in advance, especially in the summer. Always remember to carry a National driving license or International driving permit.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2. 1l of spirits (over 22 per cent volume) or 2l of fortified wine or sparkling wine
3. 2l of still wine; 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
4. 800 cigarettes or 200 cigars or 1kg of tobacco
5. 10l of spirits, 20l of fortified wine, 90l wine, 110l beer

Most of the food items and items relating to agriculture are prohibited. Explosives and firearms are a major no-no for obvious reasons!