About Cyprus
a wealth of information about our beautiful island.
Would you like to live in one of the most attractive islands of the Medditerannean Sea? Would you like to combine business, comfortable living and leisure? Well, Cyprus is considered to be the ideal place for you. A lot of tourists visit it every year to enjoy the excellent hot climate and the luxurious, comfortable stay of 5 star hotels with the amazing view of the sea.
The natural beauty, many attractions, hot climate and low prices are the reasons why Cyprus is so attractive especially for holidays or even for a permanent residence.
If you are interested in renting a property in Cyprus, you can do it in any city you want. It is more affordable and comfortable than a hotel room. However, if you are fond of quiet family vacations, then a beachfront villa or a luxurious apartment in with a swimming pool is ideal for you. For those who are nightlife lovers can choose a cozy place close to discos and bars.
Cyprus has a wide range of water sports to offer as well as golf courses especially for those who are involved in sports or even have an active life. A lot of cyclists, football players and athletes come to Cyprus for training, taking advantage of its mild climate even in Winter months.
The citizenship of the country provides visa-free entry to 158 countries, including all the countries belonging to European Union, Great Britain, Hong-Kong, Russia, Singapore, Japan and South Africa. Citizens of Cyprus can quickly get a visa in the USA for up to 10 years. The ability to travel without visas is an invaluable advantage for both business and family people. In addition to the rights of free movement for purposes of residence, work and education, the family benefits to use the national health, justice and social security system. Each year, the number of people who get the citizenship of Cyprus is getting bigger and bigger.
Despite being small, Cyprus is an island full of history. During the ancient times, Cyprus has been occupied by lots of invaders and in 1974 was invaded by Turkey and this resulted in dividing the island into two parts. The north part is inhabited by Turks who believe in Islam and the south part is inhabited by Greek-Orthodox. According to legislation, you do not have to be a Greek orthodox or Islamist to live in Cyprus as all religions are equally recognized.
In 2004, Cyprus became an official member of the European Union.
Why Choose Cyrpus
- Most sunshine days a year
- European Standard Education
- 90% English Speaking Population
- Lowest taxes in Europe
- Rich cultural and historic traditions
- Permanent residency and EU citizenship for property buyers
- Expected economic boom due to the anticipated development of gas reserves and the construction of a casino.
Cyprus is recognized for its healthiest and mildest climate in the world as it leads to healthy life and wellness. The summer season lasts from April to November and the winter season from December to March. During the summer, the average temperature reaches 35-40°C. The seawater is warm enough and makes swimming more enjoyable. As for the winter, the sea is always warm. The water temperature never falls below 15-17°C even in December and January. Despite the mild winter, it usually snows in Troodos mountains and those who love skiing or snowboarding have the opportunity to try it out.
The best months to visit Cyprus is from April to November. If you are thinking of spending your holidays here, then this period is suitable for you. However, visiting it at any time of your choice will definitely impress you.
Cyprus is situated at the crossroads of trade routes among Asia, Europe and Africa. In the past, a lot of countries have conquered and colonized in Cyprus and that is why Cyprus is full of history.
Facts and figures of Cyprus
Cyprus is the 3rd largest Mediterranean island and is situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. There are a lot of mountains in Cyprus as the island is of volcanic origin. Cyprus is close to Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Rhodes and Karpasos.
Landscapes
Landscapes of Cyprus are known for their long sandy beaches. The North coast is full of rocks with lots of coves. Foreigners and tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking views of the coves and bays and also the green valleys which are surrounded by rocky mountains as well. Cypriot landscapes are full of hilly fields, fertile plains covered with vineyards and coniferous mountains. What is more, there are two parallel mountain ranges, the Kerynia to the North and Troodos to the South. Half of the island is covered with lower mountains and hills. The plains of Cyprus have olive and carob trees, wheat and grapes.
As for the East part of Cyprus, cultivations of melons, watermelons and Cypriot potatoes are found.
Troodos mountains are covered with pine trees, dwarf Oaks, cypress trees and different kinds of cedar. The highest mountain is the Olympus which rises at 1952 m above the sea level and it is considered to be the highest point of the island. Among the Olympus and Troodos mountains lies the fertile valley of Mesaoria.
20% of the island is the total forest area and 47% is the fertile lands.
In the South part, Cyprus has 5 cities: Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos, Larnaca and Polis. In the North part of it there are three cities: Morphou, Kerynia and Famagousta. Besides the fact that the North part has been occupied by Turkey since 1974, visitors have the opportunity to visit that beautiful part of Cyprus without any problems.
As a member of the European Union, Cyprus uses the most modern and advanced technology to ensure the safety and health care of patients and provide high efficiency treatments.
As everyone speaks English as well as doctors, you will not have any problems communicating. There are lots of professionals who have studied in the USA, UK and Russia.
Most of the insurance companies cover the cost of medical care. There are a lot of private clinics and hospitals which make medical care more affordable and convenient.
Healthy lifestyle as well as sports are important here in Cyprus. Local authorities invest in projects that have to do with opportunities for active leisure. Not only does it help local population to improve their healthy lifestyle but also attracts a lot of tourists to the island. In this way, country’s economy is benefited as well.
The education system in Cyprus can be either optional or compulsory. Children must attend one year at a preschool before they enter elementary school at the age of six for another six years. After the elementary, they go to a secondary school for another three years and then they can go to lyceum or technical school. Students can attend local state schools or even private schools.
Cyprus provides great opportunities for those who wish to get high quality education according to the UK national school curriculum. There are English schools that offer a full cycle of primary and secondary education in every city of Cyprus but Limassol is the one who has a lot of English schools.
When students finish high school, they take exams and they get a General Certificate of Secondary Education. The last two years of high school help students being prepared for those exams and enter university. The results of those exams are the basis for enrolling in British Universities.
As for Russians, there are Russian schools in Cyprus as well. The education lasts for 11 years and is based on the Russian educational programs and students get a Russian diploma.
Universities in Cyprus follow the European model of education. However, students can get three diplomas. After the first two years, the students receive the “associative” diploma, the following two years they get a Bachelor’s degree and after six years of study, the graduates receive a master’s degree.
Universities offer lectures in English and Greek and are accredited in Europe and the USA, so students have the opportunity to participate in exchange programs and study at the best universities in the world.
The academic year in Cyprus is divided into three semesters: September to January, February to May and June to July. The last one is optional for students as they can choose whether to study in the summer or not. Students can choose the intensity of the subjects they study.
It should be mentioned that nowadays a lot of branches of the famous British Universities started to operate in Cyprus. For example, UcLan Cyprus University which is the branch of the University of Central Lancashire and also the University of the West of England.
There are seven universities in Cyprus. The three of them are state and the other four are private. The state universities are the Cyprus State University, Open University of Cyprus and Technological University of Cyprus. The private Universities are the University of Nicosia, University of "Frederick", European University Cyprus and University of "Neapolis".
University entrant-alien must arrive in Cyprus couple of weeks before the start of classes. Students must register in the right University and present a certificate of proficiency in English or take the English Placement Test (EPT) before registering for classes. Students can begin their studies either in September or February. The tuition fees varies from €4000-€8.500 The University provides different scholarships and financial aid to full-time students, in the form of merit scholarships, need-based assistance, athletics scholarships, and on-campus work-study programs. The scholarships will be given according to the student’s performance at the University. Both the tuition and scholarships/discounts range from 10% to 50% each year.
Cypriot people are considered to be friendly and kind and they are well known for their hospitality. They make tourists and foreign people feel welcome on the island.
Most people here speak Greek. Cyprus was a British colony and that is the reason why the vast majority of the population speak English. All the street’s signs are written in English as well. Due to the increase of tourism and popularity, a lot of people know German, French, Russian and other European languages.
As for the food, a lot of people eat a lot with pleasure and restaurants offer large portions of food. If you visit a local tavern, then you should definitely order “Meze”. It includes either fish or meat appetizers and is served either hot or cold. The content of meze varies depending on the restaurant but there is a standard set of traditional ingredients such as olives, village salad, feta cheese with olive oil, tachini, taramosalata, hummus and tzatziki. A pitta or homemade bread is also served.
If you order a meat meze, you can taste smoked sausages, kupepia which are made with grape leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, lundza, sheftalia, stifado, and kleftiko or souvla. The fish meze includes squids, shrimps, oysters, mussels, crabs, and octopus as well as other dishes of different kinds of fish. The cost of meze for at least two people is about €16-22 per person.
Cheeses
Cheeses are considered to be the specialty of Cyprus. There are a lot of factories which produce cheese. One kind of cheese is the Feta cheese which is made of sheep milk and sometimes with goat milk. Halloumi is the most famous cheese patented in Cyprus. It is made from goat and sheep milk, sometimes from cow milk, with the addition of mint.
Anari is a mild and slightly sweet cheese. It is produced of milk whey and is also used for making a sweet filling for pies of puff pastry called “Pourekkia”
Desserts
As for desserts, you can taste the local sweets which are considered to be an independent kind of treats. Another dessert is the famous loukoumi which is a fruit jelly sprinkled with powdered sugar. Loukoumades should not be missed as well. It is a traditional Greek dessert and you can taste them in different local festivals. They are served with honey syrup. Baklava is also one of the most delicious and well known desserts in Cyprus.
Cyprus wines
Cyprus wines are considered to be one of the most ancient ones in the world. They were first produced in 2000 BC. A well-known wine is the Commandaria which is a sweet dessert wine .It is one of the oldest wines in the world.
In Cyprus there are two areas with vineyards. The one is in Paphos and the other one is on the southern slopes of Troodos. They produce local wines and import as well. They approximately import 150 different kinds of grapes which are used to produce wines such as Muscat, Sherry, Malage, scented, white, rose and resd wines.
The sea in Cyprus is considered to be very beautiful, warm and clean. Apart from its aesthetic qualities, the sea has a rich marine life. It is inhabited by large turtles, octopuses, shrimps, and crabs. Despite the presence of the sea animals, the level of safety is almost high as you will not see any sea urchins by the shore, jellyfish, and even sharks that would put your life in danger. Fishing is also very popular among the locals and tourists.
Cyprus has been awarded with the “Blue-flag” for more than 50 of its beaches. All the beaches are municipal and the entrance to any beach including the hotel’s ones is free. However, you may have to pay for any additional services such as umbrellas, sunbeds and towels.
Cyprus is well known for its safety as it has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. A lot of tourists choose to visit Cyprus as it is a safe place to spend their holidays. Government spends significant funds to maintain and ensure safety in the country.
Police and any other agencies work really hard to ensure people’s safety and they act immediately to any terrorist attacks.
In 2015, the security system was renovated and developed. Public places such as airports, ports, trespassing points for arriving citizens and at passport control have been equipped with the latest and advanced equipment.