A–Z Travel Tips
A
Accommodation (also for more information, click here)
For high season (mid-June to October) stays, book well in advance for the place of your choice. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (for more information, click here) produces a large pamphlet listing all licensed hotels and other types of accommodation. Failing that, you can find the same information on the CTO’s website, www.visitcyprus.com, through the ‘Accommodation’ tab. The North Cyprus tourist board also publishes an annual guide to accommodation, but this proves less than exhaustive.
I’d like a single/double room Tha íthela éna monóklino/díklino
What’s the rate per night? Póso stihízei giá mía nýkhta?
Hotels. Cyprus has hotels in all categories, from five-star luxury havens and comfortable guest-houses to pleasant hotel-apartments in three grades. All-inclusive resorts, especially around Pafos, are beginning to multiply. All hotels offer discounts during low season, which for seaside resorts is from November to March, and for hill resorts from October to June – both excluding the Christmas/New Year and Easter weeks. Many beach hotels close from New Year to the end of March.
Villas. Self-catering villas are most numerous around Pafos and Keryneia, with lesser numbers in the Limassol foothills and around Larnaka. They are best rented through our recommended agencies (see below).
Agrotourism.Through a CTO initiative, many traditional houses in the countryside have been renovated and are now rented out as holiday homes. For details, secure a copy of the booklet Cyprus Agrotourism: A Guide to Traditional Holiday Homes, or access their website, www.agrotourism.com.cy, which also has a booking facility.
Recommended package operators. For the South, Sunvil (www.sunvil.co.uk) has the best selection of villas and agrotourist facilities, plus selected hotels; Libra Holidays (www.libraholidays.co.uk) is more mid-market. For the North, Green Island Holidays (www.greenislandholidays.com) are specialists, with a wide range of resort hotels; Anatolian Sky are Keryneia area specialists.
Airports
Larnaka International Airport (LCA; tel: 77778833; www.cyprusairports.com.cy), Cyprus’ principal air gateway, lies 5km (3 miles) from Larnaka town and 50km (30 miles) from Nicosia. Dedicated airport shuttles run frequently between the airport and Pafos, Limassol (http://en.limassolairportexpress.eu) and Nicosia (www.kapnosairportshuttle.com). Only expensive private transfers are available for Agia Napa and Protaras. Several urban buses operate daily to Larnaka. A daytime taxi fare is about €15.
Pafos International Airport (PFO; tel: 77778833; www.cyprusairports.com.cy), 11km (7 miles) southeast of Pafos on the west coast, handles several no-frills airlines and many charter services. Local buses run frequently between the airport and Pafos. Daytime taxi fares range from €30 to the centre of Pafos up to €60 to Limassol, for which http://en.limassolairportexpress.eu is a better option.
Ercan International Airport (ECN; tel: (392) 231 4806; www.ercanairport.co.uk) in Northern Cyprus, 14km (9 miles) east of Nicosia, is served by UK-originating flights which must stop in Turkey en route. There is a limited shuttle-bus service to Keryneia, north Nicosia and Famagusta. Taxis serve all points in the North, expensively.
B
Bicycle and Motorcycle Hire
You can hire bikes and motorcycles in all important southern resorts, though motorbike hire is overpriced and thus not popular, especially given local car-driver habits. You must be at least 18 years of age and hold the correct licence; 17-year-olds may hire a moped of maximum 49cc. Crash helmets must be worn by both driver and pillion passengers; reputable agencies supply them.
Mountain biking, particularly in the Troödos or Pentadaktylos (Beşparmak) mountains, and on the Akamas Peninsula, is popular but strenuous. Cycling along coastal back roads is far easier. The CTO (for more information, click here) has a brochure, Cyprus for Cycling (hard copy or download through www.visitcyprus.com), detailing 19 routes. For more details, contact the Cyprus Cycling Federation; tel: 22449870, www.cypruscycling.com.
Budgeting for Your Trip
Pricewise, Cyprus is above average as a Mediterranean destination – more expensive than most Greek islands, Turkey, much of Spain and southern Portugal, about the same as provincial France, but cheaper than Italy. In high season, airfares from Britain cost around £200–300 and a good four-star hotel room will be about €150 per night. For the North, airfares are about the same, though lodging costs somewhat less. Booking a package, particularly at the last minute, will save you money; see our agency recommendations above.
Food and drink across the island is moderate (a three-course meal without drinks in a simple restaurant usually costs about €17–25 per person). Drinks in bars and restaurants range from €3.50 for a beer in a simple place to €10 and over for cocktails in a fancy establishment. Wine is relatively expensive in the North. Museum entry is generally inexpensive, ranging from under a euro to €4.
The Cypriot Department of Antiquities offers 1-, 3- and 7-day special entry cards (€8.50, 17 and 25, respectively), valid in all museums and monuments which are part of the Department of Antiquities, including Pafos, Larnaka, Limassol and Kolossi castles and the Hala Sultan Tekke.
C
Car Hire (see also Driving)
As many sights in Cyprus are spread out, and beyond the reach of public transport, it is worth hiring a car. To hire a car in the South, you must have a valid national driver’s licence (held for at least three years) or, for non-EU nationals, an International Driving Permit. Depending on the company, the minimum age is 21 to 25. A deposit is usually required, payable by credit card. Check whether driving on unsurfaced roads will invalidate the insurance.
The most effective way of booking a car in advance is via a consolidator website like www.comparecarrentals.co.uk, www.auto-europe.co.uk/autoeurope-com, or www.skycars.co.uk. Rates, always with unlimited mileage, begin as low as €10 per day for the smallest compact in winter, more than doubling in summer. For a decent family-sized car, plan on spending €35 per day in high season. If you do not have an annual CDW insurance policy (these are well worth it if you hire cars more than two weeks annually; try www.insurance4carhire.com), you’ll need to add another few euros per day. In summer, air-conditioning is recommended.
One particular iniquitous quirk of Cypriot car hire is the usual mandatory purchase, upon pick-up, of a full tank of petrol at grossly inflated rates, with the assumption that the car will be returned empty. Check terms and conditions carefully before booking online – often you can get a deal whereby you are only obliged to buy a half, or even quarter, tank up front. Sometimes you can agree on the spot to return the car full – the best option.
I’d like to hire a car Tha íthela na nikiáso
(tomorrow) éna aftokínito (ávrio)
for one day/a week giá mía méra/mía evdomáda
(international) driving licence (diethnís) díploma
Climate
Cyprus enjoys sunny skies and low humidity almost all year round. On the coast, sea breezes temper the 32°C (90°F) heat of July and August, but in Nicosia you can add 3–4 degrees on average, and the thermometer inland often goes above 37°C (99°F).
January through March see snowfalls in the Troödos mountain range – most seasons there is enough to permit skiing. The last few years have seen heavy rain between November and March, but there are plenty of fine days too, and the sea temperature remains just warm enough for swimming until New Year.
Clothing
In summer, wear comfortable, loose cotton clothing. July and August nights are very warm, but at other seasons they can be cool, so a light pullover is a good idea. In winter (late November to March), you’ll need a raincoat or light winter coat, a warmer sweater or jacket, and warmer clothes.
On the beach, toplessness is widely tolerated; however, nudity in public is unacceptable except at very remote coves. Informality is the general rule, but at posher hotels and restaurants people often dress up in the evening (and may be required to do so).
Crime and Safety
There is still so little crime on Cyprus that incidents which do take place make headlines, but burglary and car theft rates are rising. The island’s only violence generally occurs in drunken brawls at Agia Napa. Otherwise, take the same precautions as you would at home.
D
Driving
Road conditions. Driving conditions are generally good in Cyprus, with well-surfaced, well-marked ‘B’ roads and fast motorways (‘A’) running along the south coast, linking Limassol, Larnaka, Agia Napa and Pafos, and heading inland to Nicosia. Beware of speeding, as there are regular radar-gun traps.
Are we on the right road for ...? Páme kalá giá ...?
left/right aristerá/dexiá
Full tank, please. Óso pérnei, parakaló
/super/normal/diesel /soúper/aplí/dízel
My car has broken down. I amáxi mou éhei páthi vlávi.
There’s been an accident. Égine éna atýhima.
Main roads are paved and in good condition, and even many of the tertiary (‘E’) roads are easily negotiated. Short distances on minor (‘F’) roads, typically in the hills, can often be tackled in an ordinary car, but they are narrow (one-lane) and often unpaved, in addition to having steep, hairpin turns. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is best for the many rough tracks.
With the exception of the main roads between Nicosia and Keryneia, Morfou and Famagusta, the main coastal road east of Keryneia, and the main trunk road up the Karpasia Peninsula, roads in the North are often in poor condition.
In the cities traffic is fairly orderly. During the rush hour, expect traffic jams in Nicosia, Keryneia, Larnaka, Limassol and Pafos, especially leaving town in the early evening.
Rules and regulations. British and Irish motorists will feel at home in Cyprus, where traffic keeps to the left and roundabouts are frequent. Seat-belt use is compulsory in the front of cars and, where fitted, in the back, too. Drunk-driving control points are frequent at weekends and penalties stiff. Always carry your driving licence and car-hire documents with you.
Speed limits. The usual speed limits are 50kmh (30mph) in town and 100kmh (60mph) on motorways (lower limits may be posted).
Fuel. The price of petrol in Cyprus compares well with elsewhere in Europe – certainly less than in Greece, Italy, France or Britain. Diesel is cheaper, and it is possible to hire diesel cars. Filling stations generally close on Sundays and public holidays, but many have self-service fuel pumps that take cash or credit cards. They are plentiful in and around the main towns and resorts, but are rare in the mountains. If you’re setting out on a back-country excursion, make sure the tank is full.
Parking. This is often difficult in Nicosia, Keryneia, Limassol, Pafos, Agia Napa and Larnaka. Fines are given for illegal parking. Try to find a meter or car park, or be willing to park in an uncontrolled residential area and walk a bit.
Problems. Call your hire company first. In an emergency, call the police (see emergency numbers, below).
Road signs. Most road signs, and most other signs imparting general information, use the standard international pictographs, and all written signs appear twice: once in Greek, once in English. In the North, signs are in Turkish and English.
E
Electricity
The standard current is 240 volts, 50 Hz ac; sockets are usually three-pin, as in the UK. Most hotels and some villas have 110-volt outlets for razors. Plug adaptors (metaskhimatistés), if necessary, may be provided free by hotels, or are available in bigger supermarkets and electrical merchants.
Embassies and Consulates
The following embassies and consulates are all in Southern Nicosia:
Australia: High Commission, Pindarou 27, Block A, Level 7; tel: 22753001, www.cyprus.embassy.gov.au
Canada: Honorary Consulate, Margarita House 402, Themistokli Dervi 15; tel: 22775508
Ireland: Embassy, Aianta 7; tel: 22818183, www.embassyofireland.com.cy
UK: High Commission, Alexandrou Palli; tel: 22861100, http://ukincyprus.fco.gov.uk/en
US: Embassy, Corner Metochiou and Ploutarchou, Egkomi; tel: 22393939, http://nicosia.usembassy.gov
Emergencies
Republic of Cyprus:
Police, ambulance and fire brigade: 112
Forest fires: 1407
Northern Cyprus:
Police: 155; ambulance: 112; fire brigade: 199 forest fires 177
G
Gay and Lesbian Travellers
Southern Cyprus has a small but growing gay and lesbian scene, and slowly improving acceptance of both the local gay and lesbian community and visitors from off-island. Gay Cyprus (www.gay-cyprus.com) has details on the local scene. Northern Cyprus is considerably more conservative, but there’s a summary of possibilities on www.turkeygay.net/cyprus.html.
Getting There (see also Airports)
For most people, air travel is the only practical way of getting to Cyprus. Direct scheduled and charter flights link numerous British airports to Larnaka and Pafos. The flying time is around 4 hours 30 minutes. In addition to the many chartered airlines that fly to Cyprus, carriers with direct scheduled services from the UK include Aegean Airlines (www.aegeanair.com), British Airways (www.britishairways.com), easyJet (www.easyjet.com), Jet 2 (www.jet2.com) and Monarch (www.monarch.co.uk).
Turkish airlines fly to Northern Cyprus from abroad via an intermediate stop in Turkey. Best of the carriers with service from England is Pegasus (www.flypgs.com) or Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com).
H
Health and Medical Care (see also Emergencies)
Medical treatment and assistance is offered free of charge to tourists in case of emergency, but it is recommended that you take out travel insurance to cover illness and accident while on holiday. Visitors from Britain, Ireland and other EU countries should bring along a European Health Insurance card (EHIC), which allows for free casualty ward medical treatment.
There are very capable doctors and dentists in the resorts, cities and larger towns, as well as good hospital facilities. Your hotel will advise you of the nearest English-speaking doctor. After-hours doctors are listed in local newspapers or can be contacted as follows: Nicosia, tel: 90901432; Agia Napa, tel: 90901433; Larnaka, tel: 90901434; Limassol, tel: 90901435; Pafos, tel: 90901436.
Stomach upsets should not be a problem, as hotels and restaurants observe high standards of cleanliness. Tap water is safe but often unpalatable; springs in the Troödos are much better. The sun can bronze, but also burn you. Take it in very small doses at first and use sunscreen.
A pharmacy (farmakío) is recognised by the sign outside – a red cross on a white background. They are open Monday–Friday 8am–1pm and 3 or 4–7pm (mornings only on Wednesday and Saturday). Certain pharmacies offer a 24-hour service – see local papers for listings.
Most medicines sold in the UK, US, Canada and Europe are available, but may require a prescription. Pharmacists can generally advise on minor ailments.
Where’s the nearest (all-night) pharmacy? Pou íne to kondinótero farmakío pou efimerévei?
I need a doctor/dentist Hriázome éna giatró/odontogiatró
…an ambulance éna asthenofóro
… the hospital to nosokomío
L
Language
English is spoken almost as a second language in all the resorts, and is understood by many people in Cyprus, both North and South. It is only well off the beaten track that a familiarity with Greek (in Southern Cyprus) or Turkish (in Northern Cyprus) is useful. If you do speak Greek or Turkish, be aware that the country dialects of each language spoken on Cyprus are almost incomprehensible to mainlanders – but some locals will understand you.
Below are a few phrases you might want to use:
hello yásoo (informal), yásas (formal)
good morning kaliméra
good afternoon/evening kalispéra
good night kaliníkhta
please parakaló
thank you evharistó
yes ne
no óhi
I don’t speak Greek. Den miló elliniká.
I don’t understand. Den katalavéno.
What does this mean? Ti siméni aftó?
Do you speak English? Miláte angliká?
excuse me me sinhoríte
where/when/how pou/póte/pos
yesterday/today/tomorrow khthes/símera/ávrio
big/small megálo/mikró
cheap/expensive ftinó/akrivó
open/closed aniktó/klistó
here/there dó/ekí
early/late norís/argá
How much is that? Póso kánei aftó?
M
Maps
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation provides a comprehensive island map and town plans of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaka, Pafos, Agia Napa and Protaras, and their environs, plus the Troödos Mountains, free of charge. The best commercial town plans of the South are published by Selas.
I’d like a street plan of… Tha íthela éna odikó hárti tis…
a road map of this region éna hárti aftís tis periochís
Media
Newspapers and magazines. There is a good selection of British and Irish newspapers and major American weekly news magazines available, sometimes a day after publication. The Cyprus Mail, an English-language daily (not Mon; www.cyprus-mail.com), has current news coverage and a good What’s On section and weekly magazine. The Cyprus Weekly (also in English; www.incyprus.com.cy) carries lively features.
Radio and TV. The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC; www.cybc.com.cy) transmits English-language programmes from 6pm until midnight on its Second Programme. Radio BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service; www.bfbs.com) is on the air 24 hours a day, at various frequencies. Some hotels have BBC Radio Five Live. Multi-star hotels offer cable and satellite television channels, including BBC World News, CNN and Sky. British sporting events can be watched on television in bars that subscribe to Sky Sports and/or the BBC.
Money
Currency. The euro is the national currency of Southern Cyprus. Cypriot euro coins have images of the indigenous moufflon sheep (1, 2 and 5 cents), the ancient Kyrenia ship (10, 20 and 50 cents), and the prehistoric idol of Pomos (€1 and €2). The euro banknotes are €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500.
In Northern Cyprus, the Turkish lira (TL) is the local currency. However, euros, pounds and dollars are accepted in hotels, restaurants and other businesses, albeit sometimes at a discount.
Banking. All banks, both South and North, are equipped with ATMs accepting foreign cards. Travellers’s cheques are rarely accepted, or with great suspicion and delay, so are not worth the trouble. In the North, the best way to change euro or sterling into TL is at the numerous exchange (döviz) bureaux in Nicosia and Keryneia.
Credit cards. Major credit cards are welcome as payment by all car-hire firms, in most hotels and many, but not all, restaurants or shops.
I want to change some pounds/dollars. Thélo na alláxo merikés líres sterlínes/meriká dollária.
Can I pay with this credit card? Boró na pliróso me aftí ti pistotikí kárta?
O
Opening Hours
National museums and archaeological sites. These vary considerably, though always with very short hours on Sunday, if open at all. See individual citations in the Where to Go chapter.
Banks. Monday–Friday 8.15am–1.30pm May–Sept, otherwise Monday–Friday 8.30am–1.30pm and 3.15–4.45pm on Monday only.
Shops. From April to October, Southern shops are open Mon–Sat 8am–1pm and 4–7pm (closing half an hour later mid-summer). From November to March, shops open continuously Monday–Saturday 8.30am–6pm, but there are no afternoon hours on Wednesday and Saturday year-round. Northern schedules are similar: notionally in summer Monday–Saturday 8am–1.30pm, and Monday–Friday 2.30–6.30pm (not Wednesday); big supermarkets may open Sundays. In winter, expect opening Monday–Saturday 8am–6pm.
Are you open tomorrow? Íste aniktó ávrio?
P
Police
The national police headquarters are off the Limassol-bound road in southeastern Nicosia, and there are divisional offices and stations in all main towns and resorts. Regular police officers in southern Cyprus wear blue uniforms and cruise around in blue-and-white police cars. Most members of the police (Astynomía in Greek; Polis in Turkish) speak some English. You’ll recognise traffic policemen (common in Nicosia rush hours) by their white gloves and sleeves.
Where’s the nearest police station? Pou íne to kondinótero astynomikó tmíma?
Post Offices
District Post Offices, of which there are three in Nicosia, two in Limassol, and one in both Larnaka and Pafos, are open Monday–Friday 7.30am–1.30pm and 3–6pm (3–5.30pm in July and August) and Saturday 9–11am. All other post offices are open Monday–Friday 7.30am–1.30pm, plus Wednesday 3–5.30pm (except July and August). Hours in the North are similar, if slightly longer on Saturday. Postboxes are coloured yellow in both the South and North.
Postage stamps may be bought at newsstands and kiosks. Postcards to Europe arrive within a week.
Where’s the (nearest) post office? Pou íne to kodinótero tahydromío?
A stamp for this postcard, please. Éna grammatósimo giaftín tin kartpostál, parakaló.
Public Holidays
In addition to their own national holidays, Cypriots also celebrate certain Greek or Turkish holidays. Offices close on the following days. Shops remain open on some holidays: ask locally which ones. ‘S’ means in the South, ‘N’ means in the North.
1 Jan Protohroniá New Year’s Day (S, N)
6 Jan Theofánia Epiphany (S)
25 Mar Ikostipémptis Martíou (tou Evangelismoú) Greek Independence Day (S)
1 Apr Iméra Enárxeos Kypriakoú Greek Cypriot National Day (S)
23 Apr National Sovereignty Day (N)
1 May Protomagiá Labour Day (S, N)
19 May Youth & Sport Day (N)
20 Jul Peace Operation Day (N)
1 Aug TMT Day (N)
15 Aug Dekapendávgoustos (tis Panagías) Dormition of the Virgin (S)
30 Aug Victory Day (N)
1 Oct Iméra tis Anexartisías (tis Kýprou) Cyprus Independence Day (S)
28 Oct Ikostiogdóis Oktovríou (‘Ohi’) ‘No’ Day, commemorating Greek defiance of Italian invasion of 1940 (S)
29 Oct Turkish Republic Day (N)
15 Nov TRNC Day (N)
25 Dec Hristoúgenna Christmas Day (S)
26 Dec Sýnaxi tis Panagías Gathering of the Virgin (S)
Movable dates:
Katharí Deftéra 1st Day of Lent/ (also known as Green or Clean Monday) (S)
Megáli Paraskeví Good Friday (S)
Deftéra tou Páskha Easter Monday (S)
Kataklysmós Pentecost (Festival of the Flood) (S)
Şeker Bayramı (N)
Mevlûd (N)
Kurban Bayramı (N)
R
Religion
You should dress modestly when visiting churches, monasteries and mosques. The dress code for monasteries is usually rigidly enforced and specifies long trousers for men, a below-the-knee skirt/dress for women and covered shoulders for both sexes. Churches are generally less formal. You must remove your shoes before entering a mosque.
T
Telephone
To call Southern Cyprus from abroad, the international dialling code is 357; for the North it is 90. Area codes do not exist in southern Cyprus, merely eight-digit subscriber numbers. In Nicosia, they start with 22; Agia Napa 23; Larnaka 24; Limassol 25; Pafos 26. All mobiles begin with 9. The fixed-line area code for the entire North, which you use after 90, is 392; mobile codes are 533, 535, and 542. Northern subscriber numbers consist of seven digits; for land lines, omit 392 within the country, but you must use the codes when dialling mobiles. To make international calls from Cyprus, dial 00, then the country code.
Southern Cyprus has some of the cheapest mobile telephony in the world, such that public telephones are scarce and incurring surcharges by using hotel phones is folly. Even if you’re only staying a week, it’s well worth getting a pay-as-you-go SIM upon arrival. The two companies are CYTA-Vodaphone and MTN; CYTA-Vodaphone SIMs come with some talk time and are valid for 3 months – top it up once, and the number remains valid for a year. In the North, you’d do very well to get a local pay-as-you-go plan on local companies Türkcell or Telsim, as roaming with your home SIM is not subject to EU caps and bills can be shocking.
Time Zones
The chart below shows the time differences between Cyprus, which is on Eastern European Time (EET), and various cities in winter (UTC/GMT + 2 hours). In summer, clocks advance 1 hour, so the time difference with the UK and US stays the same.
New York London Cyprus Jo’burg Sydney Auckland
5am 10am noon noon 9pm 11pm
Tipping
Service charges are included in hotel and restaurant bills, but a little extra is always appreciated, especially for good service, to porters and chambermaids. Taxi drivers, hair stylists and tour guides all expect tips.
Toilets
In the South, a few public toilets exist in parks of larger towns. Museums often have the cleanest facilities. In the North, pay toilets are conspicuous around old Nicosia, Keryneia harbour and Famagusta, but you’ll prefer to use restaurant or hotel loos. They are indicated with the usual pictographs.
Where are the toilets? Pou íne ta apohoritíria?
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation, or CTO (Kypriakós Organismós Tourismoú – KOT; www.visitcyprus.com), which covers the South, is a mine of information, with free brochures and maps.
UK: 13 St James’s Square, London, SW1Y 4LB; tel: (020) 7321 4183
In Cyprus, the CTO maintains offices at Larnaka Airport arrivals, at Pafos Airport arrivals, at Limassol harbour cruise ship terminal, and in the following major tourist centres: Nicosia old town (marked on our map), Limassol centre (marked on map) and Potamos Germasogeias tourist strip, Larnaka, Pafos (marked on map), Agia Napa, Polis, Pano Platres, and Paralimni.
For information on Northern Cyprus:
UK: 29 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3ED; tel: (020) 7631 1930; www.welcometonorthcyprus.co.uk.
US: 1667 K Street, Suite 690, Washington DC, 20006; tel: (202) 887 6198
In Northern Cyprus, there are tourist offices in Keryneia/Girne on the old port, Famagusta/Gazimağusa old town by the Land Gate, and Nicosia/Lefkoşa in the Keryneia/Girne Gate.
Transport
Cyprus has no railways and the inter-urban bus service is not always frequent, especially on Sundays or to/from remote villages – just one or two departures per day, if that. Bus services within the towns and resorts, however, are good. Private and shared taxis fill the public transport gap.
Private taxis. Vehicles are metered. You can hail a taxi on the street or call for one by telephone.
Shared service taxis. In the South, service taxis (actually minibuses) take from four to eight passengers and connect all major towns every half-hour. The main nationwide company is Travel & Express, fares and booking on tel: 77777474 or www.travelexpress.com.cy. Prices are fixed and quite reasonable. In the North, minibuses called dolmuş operate between the towns but only depart when they are full.
Where can I get a taxi/service taxi/minibus? Pou boró na vro éna taxí/yperastiká taxi?
V
Visas and Entry Requirements
Entering the Republic. Nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the US and some other countries can stay in Cyprus for up to three months without a visa. Legal points of entry are the ports of Larnaka, Limassol and Pafos, and the international airports of Larnaka and Pafos.
Entering the North. Visitors travelling via Ercan Airport or the ports of Famagusta (Gazimağusa) or Keryneia (Girne) in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus, and who are citizens of EU states, may cross freely in both directions between North and South at the official crossing points. Other nationals can expect trouble – including denial of entry – trying to enter the South from the North, even if no entry stamp for the North is actually recorded in their passport. Note that the regulations and their implementation may change frequently and without notice.
W
Websites and Internet Access
www.cyprusevents.net One-stop what’s-on resource for southern concerts, theatre, cinema.
http://cyprus.angloinfo.com The expat website for Anglophones living in Cyprus. Useful for “what’s on” listings.
www.uncyprustalks.org UN’s site devoted solely to the efforts in resolving the Cyprus conflict.
www.cyprus-weather.org The best local forecast site.
www.hamamboculeri.org Best contrarian blog-site on the island, with both Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots; many English articles.
www.northcyprusonline.com Tourism site covering the North.
www.unficyp.org The UN force’s site; much more interesting than it sounds.
www.windowoncyprus.com Good general site covering the South.
Free WiFi zones are common in the South, typically in bars or cafés or the common areas of hotels; WiFi in rooms may be charged for, exorbitantly. The North is somewhat behind in this respect, but improving.