Cyprus: An Overview

Introduction

Largely English speaking (90 per cent of Greek Cypriots speak and/or understand English), Cyprus has long been popular with British buyers, particularly those in their retirement years, owing to favourable pension and tax laws on the island for all non-nationals, especially retirees.

Property prices on the island have traditionally been cheap compared with the UK, but since 2001, when it was announced that Cyprus would be joining the EU in 2004, they have risen by 80 per cent. Capital appreciation is expected to be between 10 and 15 per cent in 2006, as the country gears up to join the euro in 2008.

Geography

Located approximately 65km south of Turkey and 350km north of Egypt, Cyprus, third largest of the Mediterranean islands (after Sicily and Sardinia), is dominated by rugged mountain ranges. Rising to a maximum height of nearly 2,000m, the Troodos Mountains cover most of the south and west of the island, while the narrow Kyrenia range, which occupies a smaller area and has significantly lower elevations, extends along the north coast.

Between the two ranges lies the plain of Messaoria, which, as well as being Cyprus’s main agricultural area, is home to most of its inhabitants. Nicosia, the capital, is situated there.

Climate and weather

The island’s climate is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and changeable winters that are often cold and dry. The low rainfall is a cause for concern for the government, which has a desalination plant policy to supplement it.

The summer months are generally considered to be April–November, when the average temperature ranges from 17 to 27 degrees Celsius, although 40-degree heat is not uncommon. The winter season is December–March, when the temperature averages around 12–14 degrees Celsius and rarely falls below double figures.

Cyprus prides itself on the fact that even in the summer months, when temperatures often reach 30 degrees Celsius, one can ski in the Troodos Mountains in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon.

History

Like the rest of the Mediterranean region, Cyprus has a long and fascinating history. Traces of settlements dating back to the Neolithic Age have been found along its coasts.

The island was in turn part of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and has also numbered the Venetians among its rulers. It was conquered by Richard the Lionheart, sold to the Knights Templar and has been, at different stages, Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Muslim.

Under the Cyprus Convention of 1878, Britain took over the administration of the island, though it remained part of the Ottoman Empire until 1914, when Britain annexed it. In 1923, Turkey relinquished all claim to Cyprus, and the island was declared a British crown colony in 1925.

In 1955, an armed struggle against colonial rule broke out. This lasted until 1960, when the island gained independence.

Turkey invaded the northern half of Cyprus in 1974. The territory remains occupied – and disputed ¬– to this day.

Culture

Not surprisingly, considering its varied past, Cyprus today is a multicultural nation, with Russians and other Eastern European citizens, among others, living and working on the island. Its culture is best described as international in outlook, with a keen appreciation of its heritage.

The southern half of the island is Greek Cypriot and looks to Greece for its cultural influences, as well as to Britain, as the former colonial power.

The effect of globalisation has reached Cyprus, and consequently Hollywood stars are as well known to young people as Premiership footballers.

Politics and government

The continued division of Cyprus renders it one of the world’s political hot potatoes. Turkey governs the northern half of the island, while the southern half is governed by the Republic of Cyprus.

Since 1974, when Turkey invaded, there have been several initiatives to try to solve the Cyprus Problem, but so far none has succeeded. In April 2004, UN settlement proposals (known as the Annan Plan) were the subject of referendums in both parts of the island. A majority of Turkish Cypriots were in favour of the proposals, but the Greek Cypriots rejected them.

As a result, the island that entered the EU in May 2004 was a divided one. The whole of Cyprus is a de jure member state, but the acquis (the EU\'s body of laws) is suspended in the north.

The issue is a political one, not a violent conflict. Daily life for Britons living in the main in coastal resorts on the southern half of the island is little affected by it.

Healthcare

Cyprus’s hospitals have a very good reputation, and private establishments are considered good value by international standards, with little or no waiting times for most operations.

The emergency departments of most hospitals have English-speaking personnel. Emergency medical treatment, administered in the Accident and Emergency department, is free or costs very little. Those wishing to go private can take advantage of a wide choice of doctors, specialists and surgeons.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing on the island revolves around ancient ruins, which encompass theatres, temples, tombs, sanctuaries and even entire towns. Highlights include the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

The ancient city of Kourion is another must-see. Its historic buildings include the House of Eustolios with its Roman mosaics, the Basilica, which dates from early Christian times, the Forum, the Nymphaeum, the public baths and the House of Gladiators. The jewel in its crown is its magnificent Greco-Roman theatre, built into the side of an exposed headland overlooking the Mediterranean.

Paphos, designated a World Heritage Site in 1980, is home to the remains of the ancient city of Nea Paphos, now an archaeological park. Nea Paphos is particularly famous for its outstanding Roman mosaics, discovered as recently as 1962 by a farmer out ploughing.

Natural beauty

More than 17 per cent of Cyprus is classified as woodland, much of the forested area being in the foothills and peaks of the Troodos Mountains. There are 1,900 species of flowering plant on the island, 140 of which are unique to it.

Cyprus is also home to a variety of fauna. There are 168 bird, 12 mammal and 20 reptile species, the latter including sea turtles, which nest at protected Lara Beach on the Akamas Peninsula. Mammals include the moufflon, a mountain ram with thick, curved horns that lives in protected reserves in the Troodos.

Marine life is not overly abundant, owing to the high salinity of the sea around Cyprus. However, in shallow waters there are sea urchins, starfish, peacock fish, rainbow wrasses, two-banded breams, blennies and gobbies and small parrot fish. Dolphins and the Mediterranean monk seal, both protected species, can be found in the coastal waters.

Shopping

The global marketplace has reached Cyprus, with several international chains, including Starbucks, in evidence in the major towns, as well as shopping centres providing for daily needs. Supermarkets are plentiful in larger conurbations, including several hypermarkets, many of which sell British food staples.

Local shops and mini-supermarkets abound, often selling everything from newspapers and postcards to fruit, vegetables and bread to alcohol and tobacco. Almost every village and town has market days and/or a daily market where fresh produce, including meat and fish, can be bought.

Independent shops selling local goods and crafts are common throughout the island. Limassol is home to the majority of fashion shops, although all the major cities have their clothes stores. Electrical goods are widely available, again in the major developments.

Eating out and nightlife

Eating out

Fish tavernas are the traditional dining experience in Cyprus. Plates laden with calamari, squid, and every size and hue of fish are brought to the table with a great fanfare. Traditional hors d’oeuvres include Greek staples such as humous, tsatsiki and taramosalata, often served with pitta bread.

In recent years, international cuisine has arrived on the island in a big way. Italian restaurants are plentiful, as are fish and chip shops. Less common, but making an inroad, are Japanese teppanyaki restaurants – stir-fried meat and vegetables cooked in front of the diner – and several fine dining establishments.

Cypriot wines, both whites and reds, are considered of a reasonable standard. Commandaria wine – similar to a port – is a local tipple often drunk as a dessert wine. Some say that the Knights Templar, who came to the island in 1191, were the first to make Commandaria, though versions of it are thought to have existed long before that.

Nightlife

Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca offer every kind of entertainment, including bars, pubs, clubs, theatres, cinemas, adult clubs and impromptu ‘dance parties’ on the beaches during the summer months, particularly in Agia Napa, which has a ‘party town’ reputation with younger clubbers.

Gambling is heavily taxed in Cyprus, and betting on foreign events is prohibited (though many people bet via the Internet, which can’t be controlled), compelling Greek Cypriots to visit the casinos in the Turkish occupied zone. Plans are afoot to reduce betting tax in Cyprus, and to set up a casino in a government-controlled area.

Sport and leisure

Cypriots are football crazy, often supporting English Premiership clubs as well as a local team. Participation sports include football and waterborne interests, among them swimming, surfing, windsurfing, water-skiing, jet-skiing, fishing and sailing. Mountain biking, rambling, riding, hunting, birdwatching and skiing are also popular pastimes.

Golf is gaining in popularity, largely thanks to the Cabell Robinson-designed Aphrodite Hills course, which has trebled the number of golf courses in Cyprus at one fell swoop. Plans to develop up to 12 courses over the next few years are at the consultation stage.

Tennis, too, has had a boost locally, thanks to the endeavours of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who reached the final of the Australian Open, beating several seeds en route to the final before he was defeated by number one seed Roger Federer.

National holidays

In addition to Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, Cyprus’s national holidays are:

• Epiphany (6 January)
• National Day (1 April)
• Labour Day (1 May)
• Assumption Day (15 August)
• Independence Day (1 October)
• National Holiday (28 October)

As in the UK, on national holidays visitors may find information offices closed, museums open for shorter hours and public transport running a limited service.

Getting there

British Airways, Cyprus Airways and several charter airlines fly to Larnaca and Paphos International airports. Flight times are approximately four hours and 30 minutes from the UK.

The TRNC is accessed via a flight to Turkey, invariably Istanbul, adding an hour or more to the journey.

© Copyright Buy Associates Limited 2006

All circumstances vary. BuyAssociation provides general advice for guidance purposes only. It is strongly recommended that you seek professional advice before making any purchase.