Cyprus

Overview

For those Cyprus devotees who know and love the island this introduction may have little to offer other than as a reminder of just what the island is all about. For those not yet familiar with Cyprus, the best (and often used) adjectives that would top the list when writing copy such as this, would undoubtedly include 'sun-kissed','sharply contrasting','unhurried', 'irresistible', 'fascinating' and such like.

This is not to suggest that the island is perfect. Like any venue it has its 'warts and all' negative points but, on balance, we suggest that many thousands of visitors have been delighted for every one that has encountered any failings. The people themselves, at the root of Cyprus's famous hospitality, are a fascinating blend of Roman, Byzantine, Greek and British influenced characteristics and traits.

The Cypriots, however, are proud of their individuality and warmth of character.

They will welcome strangers into their homes and lives much quicker than those from the countries which influenced Cyprus over the years. The heady mix of Mediterranean weather and cuisine, a low cost of living, and the ease with which one can communicate, makes Cyprus such a favorite among the West Europeans, particularly the British.

In many parts of Cyprus you will find a life style little changed from centuries ago, when the pace of life was slower and simple pleasures were gained from an equally simple life.

Wherever you travel in Cyprus you will not be far from blossoms, fruit and the sights and sounds of the Mediterranean.

Cyprus has made sure it...more

History

Greek and Turkish Cypriots share many customs but maintain distinct identities based on religion language and close ties with their respective motherlands. Greek is predominantly spoken in the south, Turkish in the north. English is widely used. Cyprus has a well-developed system of primary and secondary education. The majority of Cypriots earn their higher education at Greek, Turkish, British or American universities. Private colleges and state-supported universities have been developed by both the Turkish and Greek communities.

Cypriot culture is among the oldest in the Mediterranean. By 3700 BC the island was well-inhabited a crossroads between East and West. The island fell successively under Assyrian Egyptian Persian Greek and Roman domination. For 800 years beginning in AD 364 Cyprus was ruled by Byzantium. After brief possession by Richard the Lion-Hearted during the Crusades the island came under Frankish control in the late 12th century. It was ceded to the Venetian Republic in 1489 and conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1571. The Ottomans applied the millet system to Cyprus which allowed religious authorities to govern their own non-Muslim minorities. This system reinforced the position of the Orthodox Church and the cohesion of the ethnic Greek population. Most of the Turks who settled on the island during the 3 centuries of Ottoman rule remained when control of Cyprus - although not sovereignty - was ceded to Great Britain in 1878. Many however left for Turkey during the 1920s. The island was annexed formally by the U.K. in 1914 at the outbreak of...more