Six Reasons to Visit Cyprus

THOUGH it’s not probably the first pick when it comes to travel destinations (due to its distance from other European countries and the fact that it is an island so you really cannot just “hop” there anytime you want), once you actually get there, you will probably ask yourself why you haven’t visited Cyprus much earlier.

Beautiful beaches and delicious cuisine are just a small part of exciting stuff which Cyprus offers. We have chosen top six reasons why you should add this magical Mediterranean island to your to-visit list.

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and its beaches are amazing. Crystal clear sea along with tidy and neat beaches will make you feel like you are in a paradise on Earth... add the fact that the most of the year is sunny, and you’ll get the recipe for an unforgettable experience. The most popular beaches are those in Ayia Napa, but the most interesting is the beach in Paphos with the famous “Aphrodite’s Rock” (pictured, below). The legend says that the birth of the Greek goddess happened on this beach, or more precisely, that she rose from the sea which surrounds the rock.

2. Tasty traditional dishes

The majority of Cypriot cuisine consists of Turkish and Greek dishes. The favourite starter dish is mezedes which consists of several different smaller dishes (up to 20), mostly meat and fish dishes with vegetables. Try spicy Loukaniko sausages and various dips like Tahini (sesame dip) or Skordalia (garlic and potato dip). Their local soft cheese is called halloumi and locals like to eat it grilled. As for the desserts, Cypriots love eating pies, such as galaktoboureko or mahalepi, corn pudding malahapi covered in rose syrup.

3. Historic monuments

Cyprus is more than 10,000 years old and many monuments bear witness the cultural change over the centuries. The best “trip” to the past can be found in Cyprus Museum in the capital, Nicosia. The museum has an enviable collection of artefacts dating back to Neolithic and Byzantine times. Besides ancient Greek ruins like Amathus and Korion in Limassol and old Turkish mosques, there are traces of old Venetian culture such as the Venetian walls in Nicosia, which are considered to be the best example of ideal Renaissance city.

4. It’s one of the safest countries in Europe

Cyprus is known to be among the safest countries in Europe due to its low crime rate. According to Eurostat statistics, Cyprus has the lowest number of recorded crimes, which include robberies and violent crimes. It’s a big relief to hear that Cyprus doesn’t really have to deal with these kinds of issues. Ancient ruins at Korion, Limassol

5. Good road connections between cities

Since Cyprus is an island, one would not expect a very good road network; here, however, the opposite is the case. For example, you can get from

Nicosia to Limassol in just one hour via state motorway. All of the bigger cities on the island can be reached within two hours or less - excellent news for those who like to explore on their own.

6. Perfect Mediterranean climate - 365 days a year

Cyprus’ climate is one of the stablest and warmest in Europe, with an average annual temperature of 24 °C. This means that Cyprus has warm winters with very few rainy days and summers which are mostly dry and hot.

It should also be noted that Cyprus has an average of 3000 hours of sun per year (compared to Glasgow with a little over 1200 hours). Cyprus comes very close to having a perfect climate. There is actually no bad season to visit Cyprus. Whether you wish to go in summer or winter, you can expect good weather.