Vacation Rentals on Cyprus
World > Europe > Cyprus
Travel destination Cyprus.
You can choose from 95 vacation rentals and holiday rentals.
Search within this region with detailed search options.
|
Destination
|
|
(7)
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
|
(62)
Aphrodite Hills (3), Argaka (1), Chlorakas (1), Coral Bay (4), Emba (3), Goudhi (3), Kalavasos (4), Kato Paphos (2), Nea Dhimmata (1), Paphos (4), Pendakomo (7), Peyia (3), Pissouri (6), Polis (7), Pomos (2), Secret Valley (1), Tochni (10)
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Overview of Cyprus |
| Size |
|
9,250 sq km (3,571 sq mi) |
|
| Population |
|
772.000 |
|
| Language |
|
Greek is the official language. The Greek Cypriot dialect is different from mainland Greek. Turkish is spoken by
Turkish Cypriots. English, German and French are also spoken in tourist centres. |
|
| Time Zone |
|
2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT). |
|
| Electricity |
|
220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used. |
|
| Clothing |
|
Lightweight cottons and linens during summer months; warmer mediumweights and rainwear during the winter. |
|
| Religion |
|
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic and Christian 4%. |
|
| Currency |
|
Cyprus Pound (CYP)
Currency Converter |
|
Location of Cyprus
|
| Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean. The third largest island
in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia). The landscape of Cyprus varies between rugged
coastlines, sandy beaches, rocky hills and forest-covered mountains. The Troodos Mountains in the
centre of the island rise to almost 1952m (6400ft) and provide good skiing during the winter. |
Climate on Cyprus
|
| The climate on Cyprus is typically Mediterranean, with very hot summers in July
and August. Inland temperatures can soar over 40°C (105°F) but refreshing respite can be found at higher
altitudes and along the coasts. Cyprus can suffer drought years and summers are usually cloudless and
almost always completely dry. Winters are usually moderately wet with 5°C (42°F) to 15°C (59°F). |
Best Time to Travel to Cyprus
|
| Cyprus is blessed with beautiful weather due to the intense Mediterranean climate.
The summers in Cyprus are long and dry, starting in the middle of May until late October. The average
temperature in summer is between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius. A winter holiday in Cyprus requires to pack
for all kinds of weather, but the reward is a clear atmosphere (great for photographers), no tourist
crowds and the chance to ski in the morning and have a drink on a sunny terrace along the harbour in the afternoon.
|
Events in Cyprus
|
Cyprus has 21 theatres and 19 cinemas. Performing arts vary from international stars
like Pavarottti and Ibrahim Ferrer (Buona Vista Social Club) to Cypriot traditional Dancing events. In summer
even more - often open air theatres and historical sites - cultural venues are staging cultural events,
ranging from classical music, Greek and Cypriot tradional dancing, contemporary ballet and ancient
Greek theatre. Also live music and traditional Cypriot dancing is performed in many tavernas and bouzoukias
around.
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation as well as the separate municipalities organise festivals
and cultural events such as the Moonlight Concerts (during full moon) in Lemesos, Pafos, Ayia Napa and
Paralimni and local summer festivals hosting national ballet, theatre, concerts and other performing arts.
Popular yearly festivals and cultural events in Cyprus are the Lemesos Carnival parades (February), the Ancient
Greek Drama Festival (August) and Wine Festivals (September/October).
Horse Racing in Cyprus is organisated by the Nicosia Race Club every Wednesday and Saturday (Sunday during
winter) at the horse racing track in Lefkosia (Nicosia).
The natural features of Cyprus create a vast range of sports and activities to choose from. The Cyprus
mountains are favourite hiking and mountain biking destinations. Being an island Cyprus also offers all
sorts of water sports: diving, sailing, fishing, wind surfing and canoeing. Other popular sports in Cyprus
are golf, horse riding, tennis and during the winter months skiing. For those who seek relaxation and
pampering there are plenty of spa and health centres around Cyprus. |
Society in Cyprus
|
| As the third largest island in the Mediterranean, with its unique proximity to Europe,
Asia and Africa, Cyprus has been coveted, won and lost by countless civilisations over the centuries.
The people of Cyprus owe their individuality and warmth to the fact that they are the product of an amazingly
colorful history. Perhaps that's why Cypriots have a special knack of making visitors feel at home as soon
as they step off the plane or ship. That warm welcome, plus the unhurried pace of daily life, makes Cyprus
an instant favorite of anyone who goes there. Drop into almost any country tavernas, or join the locals at
a town market, and you will feel the atmosphere of a way of life that has remained essentially the same
for centuries. The island has proved irresistible to many famous historical personalities, such as Cleopatra,
Alexander the Great, Leonard da Vinci and Richard the Lion Heart. As you can see, a delight in having a good
time is at the heart of the Cypriot personality. Observe the fun Cypriots have when they go out - perhaps in
large family groups - to eat and drink, and you will see how important a lust for life is on this enchanted
island. Get to know the people, and you will probably be invited back to a Cypriot home to enjoy a meal of meze.
Then, you'll truly learn the meaning of the word "hospitality" and find out why Cyprus is called the "Island of Love". |
Food in Cyprus
|
Cyprus cuisine is closely related to that of Greece, but the island’s unique
position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East has added exotic dimensions that
make it particularly varied and delicious. Emphasizing fresh local ingredients, regional herbs and
spices, and the light use of natural olive oil, the Cypriot palate is quintessentially Mediterranean
in character.
Within the very large range of the Cyprus cuisine, three favourites are Meze, a
rich collection of more than 20 different appetizers and savouries. Tava, a lamb stew with plenty of
onions and tomatoes, and Stifado, beef or rabbit stew casseroled with wine vinegar, onions and spices.
Among the items you can also expect to be served: Loukanika, coriander-seasoned sausages, soaked in red
wine and smoked; Koupepia, grape leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice; Lountza, smoked pork, often
served in sandwiches with halloumi, a delicious soft cheese, (usually grilled) made from thyme-fed sheep
and sometimes spiced with peppermint; Sheftalia, grilled pork sausage, afelia, pork marinated in wine and
coriander; and Ofto Kleftiko, chunks of lamb cooked in a sealed clay oven and seasoned with bay leaves.
Seafood dishes include calamari, octopus in red wine, barbouni (red mullet), and sea bass. Some common
vegetable preparations are potatoes in olive oil and parsley, pickled cauliflower and beets, zucchini,
kolokasi (a sweet potato-like root vegetable) and asparagus. There are also the Greek classics taramosalata,
fish roe blended into a creamy pink dip of pureed potatoes with parsley, lemon juice and finely chopped onion;
talatouri, cool mint and cucumber flavored yogurt with a dusting of garlic, a variation on the Greek tzatziki.
Cypriot desserts often consist of fresh fruit, served alone or with a selection of sweet pastries or fruit
preserved in syrup. These include loukoumades, Cyprus doughnuts with honey syrup, daktyla, ladyfingers with
almonds, walnuts and cinnamon, and shiamali, orange semolina cakes cut into squares. In cafes, popular snacks
include kolokoti, a pastry triangle stuffed with red pumpkin, cracked wheat and raisins, and pastellaki, a
sesame, peanut and honey syrup bar. There is also galatopoureko, a cream-stuffed phyllo pastry. A traditional
sweet treat is loukoumia, cubes of gelatin flavored with rose water and dusted with powdered sugar.
Cyprus wines, famous in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages, are more than maintaining their tradition by
becoming increasingly competitive in the International market. The quality of Cyprus table-wines ranks with the
best in the world and the great variety provides a match for every kind of food and every palate. |
Visa for Cyprus
|
| Nationals of the USA, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and
the EU can stay in the Republic of Cyprus for up to three months without a visa. The UN Green Line,
which separates the Greek and Turkish Cypriot regions, is currently open and travel between the regions
is legal and straightforward. EU nationals with a valid passport can cross from the north to the south
at any time. Travellers may enter the Republic only through the legal ports of entry: Larnaka and Pafos
international airports, or the seaports of Limassol and Pafos. |
|
|
