Cyprus is one of the more popular holiday destinations for us Swedes. Every year, tens of thousands of Swedes travel to Cyprus to sunbathe, swim, experience historical sites and just enjoy. Cyprus offers a wonderful mix of beautiful architecture, chalk-white beaches and crystal clear water. The best time to travel is during the summer, but even though October-March offers a rainy season, it is about extremely small amounts.
Facts about Cyprus
The capital of Cyprus is called Nicosia and is divided into a northern part where almost 90,000 inhabitants live and a southern part where there are about 200,000 inhabitants. In total, Cyprus has a population of about 750,000. The main languages are Greek, Turkish and English, so as a tourist you do well in your school English. The largest religion is the Greek Orthodox Church.
To tourist in Cyprus
Being a tourist in Cyprus does not pose any major problems and the locals are very used to the tourists. However, respect their religion and culture and behave kindly. In the restaurants and for the taxi drivers, you should drink, although in the restaurants a few extra kroner are often added to the bill from the beginning. The time difference between Sweden and Cyprus is one hour ahead. As a rule, you can drink the water in Cyprus, but if you want to be really safe, it is still recommended that you buy bottled water. Internet access is perfectly ok.
When it comes to accommodation in Cyprus, there is most things, from luxury hotels, to hostels and campsites. It is easy to find somewhere to live, regardless of the size of your wallet. The food in Cyprus has a lot from the Turkish and Greek cuisine, such as Tava which consists of lamb with onions and tomatoes, or Stifado which is hare or beef stewed in wine with onions and herbs. Of course, there are also many good wines in Cyprus.
Getting around Cyprus is not usually a problem as long as you are in the larger resorts. There are many buses that connect different cities in Cyprus with each other, as well as taxis and rental cars. Feel free to take the boat from Lemessos and go on a day trip to Greece or Israel. It is also possible to take the boat to several Turkish port cities, as well as to Lebanon.
Attractions in Cyprus
The church of Ayios Lazaros is one of the biggest attractions in Larnaca. The church is built over the tomb of Lazarus, who after his death was resurrected by Jesus. Here you will find, among other things, a number of beautiful wood carvings from the Baroque period. In Larnaca you will also find an excavation after the city, Kition, which was located on the same site in the 13th century. The remains can be seen, among other things, as the mighty walls of huge boulders.
In the small village of Dhernia you will also find three churches, where the oldest of them, Ayai Marina, has roots dating back to the 15th century. Of particular interest are the many icons you can see in the church. Ayia Napia is a classic place in Cyprus and basically an old fishing camp. Many tourists go here both to sunbathe and swim, but also to look at the 16th century church and the old monastery from the Middle Ages. A bit outside Limassol you will then find Kolossi, a beautiful castle with a fantastic architecture from the 13th century. One of the most interesting excavations in Cyprus is also located just outside Limassol and is called Kourion. Here you can see an amphitheater that was built as early as the 100s BC, as well as a cathedral and many other exciting buildings.
