DRIVING IN CYPRUS

Because Cyprus, like Great Britain, is an island, there has been no great pressure from neighbouring countries to change the driving system from left to right. So, in this manner, as in many others, Cyprus seems more than happy to retain its colonial heritage, so people from the British Isles can feel right at home!

ELECTRICITY

Cyprus, like the UK runs on a Voltage of 220-240 Volts. It even uses identical 3-pin plugs to the UK, thus cutting out the need for inconvenient travel adaptors.

LANGUAGES OF CYPRUS

The native tongue of Cyprus is Greek. English is by far the second most spoken language (by over 90% of the native population). Indeed all road signs, direction signs, shop signs and restaurant menus are written in English. Furthermore, the growing tourist trade in recent years is also resulting in other languages being widely spoken such as German, Russian and French.

CYPRIOT CURRENCY

The currency system in Cyprus is decimal, with one Cyprus Pound made up of one hundred cents. Coins are in circulation from one cent to fifty cents, notes range from one pound to twenty pounds. In January 2008 the Cyprus Pound will be replaced by the Euro.

MOBILE PHONES

You can use your mobile phone in Cyprus however calls, including local calls tend to be very expensive.
The cheaper option is to replace your SIM card with a Cypriot SIM called So Easy (same as Pay As You Go in the U.K.). The Cypriot SIM together with a Cypriot number can be purchased at Cytanet shops. If your phone needs unlocking, this can also be done at Cytanet shops.
You can top up your SIM at Cytanet shops or at some local supermarkets.
Not only local, but worldwide calls will now be much cheaper.
Please remember to retain your 'old' SIM for use when you return home.

SHOPPING IN CYPRUS

In Cyprus, shopping is less hectic than in most European countries, a less stressful and more relaxed experience by far.
Many internationally known stores, such as Next, Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, Mothercare, Woolworths, Marks & Spencer's, just to name a few, are all present throughout Cyprus.

FOOD & DRINK

Cyprus offers local and imported beers from about CY£1.00 per pint, a wide range of wines from around CY£1.00 per bottle and even a good quality bottle of local brandy from as little as CY£3.00.
Thanks to the island's sun kissed slopes, Cypriot wine is a delightful drink and quite possibly amongst the most under-rated wines on the planet. In this unspoiled Country, flavours seem somehow more intense.
With regards to food, Cyprus offers an excellent variety of fresh and inexpensive fruit, vegetables, meat and fish.

TOBACCO

Tobacco is very inexpensive in Cyprus compared to the UK. Local cigarettes are available from around CY£1.35, imported cigarettes from around CY£2.30.

CLOTHING

Clothing in Cyprus can be bought at very reasonable prices, because Cyprus is used as a manufacturing base by various UK clothing manufacturers.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

In Cyprus, the weights and measures system used is metric, i.e. kilos, litres and kilometres, etc.

CHURCH SERVICES

Although Cyprus is a primarily Greek Orthodox country, Catholics and Anglicans also hold regular Sunday services.

THE NAME CYPRUS AND ITS ORIGINS

There are several ideas regarding the origin of the name 'Cyprus'. The generally accepted theory being that Cyprus originates from 'Kypros', meaning copper. According to this version of events, Cyprus was named after copper because it was one of the earliest places in the world with a significant output of this metal. Its extraction and exploitation brought economic life and prosperity to the island.

THE JEWEL OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of some 793,000. The most easterly of the Mediterranean islands, it is flanked by Asia, Europe and Africa.
With its excellent climate, extreme natural beauty, famous historical sites and its friendly and welcoming inhabitants, Cyprus is truly the jewel in the crown of the Mediterranean holiday destinations
There are two main mountain ranges on Cyprus: Pentadaktylos (1023m) in the northern area and Troodos, the highest peak of which is Olympus at 1951 metres above sea level, in central southern Cyprus. Troodos was once an island of volcanic rock from which 11,000,000 years ago the island of Cyprus was created by tectonic forces.
Cyprus is divided into 6 provinces: Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta & Kyrenia.
Cyprus covers an area of 9,251 km/sq; it is 225 km long (from its eastern most to its western most tip), 94 km wide at its widest point, and has 853 km of coastline.
Snow is a very rare phenomenon in the plains, though its frequent enough in the mountains to give a skiing season each winter.
The sources of all the rivers of Cyprus of any note, are to be found in the Troodos range and the area is accordingly of enormous importance for the water supplies of the island and many of the dams are found in the region of the Troodos mountains.