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CountryOnlineFind.com > Reception >
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Cyprus (CY) |
| Continent: |
Europe |
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| Surface: |
9.250 km ² |
| Inhabitants: |
776.000 |
| Capital: |
Nikosia |
International banking code (ISO Codes): |
CY |
| Official language: |
Greek and Turk |
Code: |
+357 |
| Currency: |
Euro |
Number plate: |
CY |
| Routes of Cyprus: |
846 |
Routes towards Cyprus: |
930 |
| Preferred airports: |
Larnaca (LCA), Nicosia (NIC), Paphos (PFO), Ercan (ECN) |
| Principal cities: |
Nikosia, Lemesos, Larnaca, Gazimagusa, Paphos, Girne, Güzelyurt, Aradippou, Paralimni, Lefka, Geri, Ypsonas, Dhali, Xeri, Livadia |
| Airline company based in Cyprus: |
Cyprus Airways, Eurocypria Airlines, Helios Airways |
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Tourist guide Cyprus (Europe) |
The Republic of Cyprus is an island located in Asia at the east of the Mediterranean, 75 kilometers in the south of Turkey and at 100 kilometers in the west of the coasts of Syria and Lebanon. Its geographical location the place thus rather in Asia, while historically and politically, the island is attached rather to Europe. Since July 1974, the island is separate into two, 30% of the territory of the north of the island being asserted by the RTCN, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, not recognized by the international community. Since May 1st, 2004 Cyprus belongs to the European Union and since the 01.01.2008 of the euro area.
Geography: Cyprus is the third larger island of the Mediterranean after Sicily and Sardinia. It extends on approximately 230 kilometers from West in Is and on 90 kilometers of North in the South. The island divides itself in three great geographical areas. First of all, the vast fertile plain of Mésorée extends from bay of Famagouste to that of Limassol and also includes the capital, Nicosie. It constitutes the agricultural attic of the island and is surrounded by two mountainous solid masses, the Massif Central, the solid mass of Troodos, which extends until the South-west and which shelters the culminating point of the island, the Olympe Mount, which rises until the altitude of 1.952 meters, and to the North-East the solid mass extends from Kyrénia whose altitude does not exceed 1.000 meters.
Climate and period of voyage advised: it reigns on Cyprus a Mediterranean climate characterized by moderate and wet winters with temperatures bordering 15°C and of the very hot summers being able even to bring episodes of dryness and temperatures reaching the 35°C. Cyprus is the hottest island of the Mediterranean and its capital, Nicosie, the hottest city of Europe. Thanks to this exceptional climate, the island represents an attractive tourist destination throughout the year. To avoid the too hot seasons, it can be nevertheless judicious to go there during the mid-seasons, between April and May or September and October.
Official languages and spoken languages: in Cyprus the two official languages are the Greek, spoken by approximately 78% about the population, and Turkish, spoken by approximately 18%. English is largely widespread.
Health and vaccinations: on the island of Cyprus, the health system and the sanitary arrangements are satisfactory. To have access to the care and the same rights as the nationals of the host country, it is enough to be provided with the European chart to health insurance which one can obtain in a fifteen or so days from his case of usual health insurance. The children must be provided with an individual chart. It is also recommended to contract a medical insurance repatriation for the most serious cases.
Conditions of entry on the territory: Cyprus belonging in its totality to the European Union since May 2004, the French nationals must simply provide themselves with a national card of identity or a valid passport to penetrate on the whole of the Cypriot territory. Nevertheless to penetrate in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, along the “green line”, it is recommended to borrow only the official points of passage in which it will be also asked to you to present your documents of identity. The line of demarcation is indeed kept by armed guards and certain zones close to the border are even undermined.
For further information concerning vaccinations, the conditions of entry and the security instructions, you can, for example, to consult the site of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Travel and transport: there do not exist to date air links bound for the airport of Nicosie (NIC) which has been closed with the air traffic for 30 years because of the political situation of the country. To join the capital, it is thus necessary to go initially to the airport of Larnaca (LCA), located at forty kilometers, then to borrow one of the shuttles which ensure the connections between the two cities.
Airport Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) bound for Larnaca (LCA), the airline company Cyprus Airways (CY) proposes non-stop flights. Lufthansa (LH) proposes flights with a stopover in Frankfurt (FRA), SCUMS Czech Airlines (OK) propose flights with a stopover in Prague (PRG) and Alitalia proposes flights with a stopover in Milan (MILLET).
Airport of Lyon-Saint-Exupéry-Satolas (LILY) Lufthansa (LH) proposes flights with a stopover in Frankfurt (FRA), Austrian Airlines (OS) proposes flights with a stopover in Vienna (LIFE), Polish Airlines (LO) proposes flights with a stopover in Warsaw (WAW).
Airport of Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) bound for the airport of Paphos (PFO) the company Cyprus Airways (CY) proposes flights with a stopover in Athens (ATH).
The capital: Nicosy, practically located at the center of the island, in the plain of Mésorée, shelters approximately 220.000 inhabitants. Just like before Berlin, Nicosie is the only capital of Europe to being the capital of two official entities, the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, separated by a wall since 1974. The called border “the green line” is managed by blue helmets of UNO. The two parts of the city are very unequally maintained, the Turkish part of the north of the city being poorer than the Greek part of the south. Nevertheless the two parts of the city have some visits interesting to offer. All around the old city, one can admire enclosing walls built by the Venetian ones between 1567 and 1568 which do out of approximately 5 kilometers it tower of the city now cut into two. Thus on the 11 bastions which the ramparts count, half is in the Turkish part of the city. One of the doors, the Famagouste door, was restored and accommodates today the municipal arts center of Nicosie, which is used as place of exposure and conference room. In the heart of the old city draws up the Midsummer's Day Cathedral, built in 1662 by the Nicéphore archbishop. It is decorated splendid murals representing of the biblical scenes and splendid wood sculptures gilded with the fine gold. In the Turkish part of the city, one can visit the Mosque of Selim II of Nicosie, the old Holy-Sophie cathedral, built between 1208 and 1267. Built in a very beautiful Gothic style, the cathedral was transformed into mosque at the time of the catch of the city by the Turks in 1570.
The city also shelters some interesting museums of which the archaeological Museum which exposes objects recalling the history of the island, of which oldest go back to the 8.500 years and most recent of the Byzantine period. The Byzantine museum, exposes a very important collection of the icons, oldest dating from 9th and most recent from 18th. The museum shelters also an art gallery in which oil-base paints are exposed. The ethnographic museum presents Cypriot popular objets d'art of 19th and 20th centuries. One can admire there wood sculptures, jewels, fabrics, tapestries and national costumes.
Tourist sites and places of bathe: with its 700 km of coast and its extremely favorable climate, Cyprus has many natural assets to attract and allure the tourists. The adventures of its animated history are worth to him in today to have a rich and varied cultural heritage, including/understanding several sites classified with the world heritage of UNESCO.
Limassol, the second plus big city of the island, is located on the southern part of the island and shelters approximately 135.000 inhabitants. Its port is most important of the country with that of Famagouste which is located in the Turkish part of the island. Very appreciated tourist destination, the city grew rich by a hotel infrastructure developed very well. Among the historic sites of the city, one can quote the castle of Limassol, built at the 14th century, which shelters today the medieval Museum of Cyprus. It is here in this castle that Richard Lion-hearted married in 1191 Berengere de Navarre, by thus making the Queen of England. The popular Museum of art shelters a very beautiful collection of traditional costumes and objects produced by the Cypriot craft industry.
The city also constitutes a good starting point to go on several archeological sites located in the area.
First of all, one can quote the painted churches of Troodos, located in the homonymous mountainous solid mass. These Byzantine churches, ten, are disseminated in several villages and are as well accessible from Limassol as of Nicosie. Classified with the world heritage of UNESCO since 1986, these churches, built between 11th and 16th centuries, are decorated splendid frescos representing of the scenes or the biblical characters. Also located in the solid mass of Troodos, at an altitude of 1.318 meters, the Monastery of Kykkos constitutes very an good example of architecture and religious art. Built in 1100, this monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary shelters an icon allotted to Saint Luc, as well as a very beautiful collection of icons and treasures.
Amathonte is an ancient city built by the phenicians at the 8th century before J.C. The city was in particular famous for the worship which it dedicated to the goddess of the love, Aphrodite. Among the vestiges, one can still admire an acropolis, a royal palace, a sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite and an agora including/understanding of the temples, the terms and the gantries.
The site of the ancient city of Kourion deserves to him also a visit. The city was probably founded at the 13th century before our era. The excavations updated several buildings of which the house of the gladiators and the house of Achilles whose grounds are decorated with very beautiful mosaics. The city still shelters an ancient theater with sight on the sea dating from 1st or the 2nd century, an agora and a house still containing the human remainders people surprised by the earthquake which shook the city into 77 of our era.
Choirokoitia, located at the south of the island, to approximately 6 km of the coast, is an archeological site classified with the world heritage of UNESCO since 1998. It is about a village dating from the Neolithic era, discovered in 1934 and constituting a single testimony of the life of a company between 7.000 and 4.000 years before J.C.This time, the village sheltered between 300 and 600 people, living agriculture and breeding, whose dwellings consisted of round stone huts, of which some, an about sixty, are still visible.
Located on the west coast of the island draws up the town of Paphos, very tourist city equipped with a very good hotel infrastructure. The city counts nearly 50.000 inhabitants and owes most of its notoriety with the city of Kato Paphos, ancient city dedicated to the goddess of the love and beauty, Aphrodite. Site classified with the world heritage of UNESCO since 1980, the city of Kato Paphos is located not far from the old port of the current town of Paphos, and conceals many vestiges of the Greek Antiquity from of which splendid mosaics representing various divinities. With about fifteen kilometers of Paphos, with broad of cliffs, is Petra tou Roumiou, mythological place of any beauty, which would have seen the birth of Aphrodite.
Religion: the division of the country on the political plan is also reflected in the religions practiced on the island. Thus in the Greek part of the island, the orthodoxe Greek religion is majority, while in the Turkish part, it is the Islam which dominates.
Big cities and possibilities of lodging: Nicosy, Larnaca, Paphos, Limassol, Famagouste, Kyrénia, Agia Napa.
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Flights expensive not preferred towards and of Cyprus/CY
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