• Island -

It is 225km by 100km and the third largest in the Med after Sicily and Sardinia. Strategically located between Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

The top third Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus separated by the 180 km Green Line from the bottom two thirds Republic of Cyprus (Culturally Greek).

The capital Nicosia / Lefkosia is the only divided capital city in the world and the only one shared by two countries.

• Visa -

Many countries get 90 days on arrival and can travel to South and Northern Cyprus. Check your Embassy

• Budget -

Rental cars are very cheap which is good as you'll have one the whole time.

Hotels are also good value.

Petrol is cheap.

Food can be expensive depending on where you eat. Drinks also can be expensive. There are always cheap alternatives.

The North is cheaper than the South.

• Population -

1.2 million - 900,000 in the south and 300,000 in the north

• AKA -

Isles of Chittim / Land of Ia'

• About -

Fly in and out of LanarcaAirport. Hire a car here and drive to Ayia Napa 2N (Nightlife - Sea Caves - Sea kayak around the cliffs)

Head across the border (Pick up Northern Car Insurance) to Famagusta 2N (Visit the Walled City - best in Europe and the Ghost Resort of Varosha - it may be back in action by the time you get there)

drive up and down the peninsula the stop at Girne 3N (Day trips including St Hilarion Castle - Old Harbour) -

down to Nicosia 2 N (Check out both sides - Turkish Bath Houses on both sides)

then into the mountains and Plano Patres 2N (Hiking - waterfalls - Mt Olympus - UNESCO Byzantine Church Frescoes - Wine villages Omodos) Nice hotel with a view -

then via the north coast (or not) down to Paphos 2N (UNESCO Cultural City of Europe)

Limassol 2N (See if there is a show on at the Kourion Ancient Amphitheatre - check out the Wine Museum - Amathus Bay and ruins - Old Town - Byzantine Castle - go to the Filfar Distilleryat Monagri just north) then drive back (Leave enough time to see Choirokoitia on the way if you can) to the airport and fly out

• Go - over 300 Sunny days a year

July - August is Peak season it can get up to 40 C in Summer

Very popular from May to October

Shoulder season is November and April

December to March temperatures 15 C on the coast and colder inland

Late May - Early June / Late September - Early October has fewer crowds and pleasant weather

• Airports -

Lanarca International Airport (LCA)

- connects to most European Capitals (Plenty of cheap airlines) and the Middle East - Israel and Lebanon are less than an hours flight away. Can have a stop over here on the way to or from Europe from Australia

Paphos International Airport (PFO)

- Mainly European Airlines including the cheap ones

Nicosia International Airport (NIC) - NOT USED

NORTHERN

Ercan International Airport (ECN)

Only has flights from Turkey and you have to fly in AND out from here (Classed as an illegal port in the south)

• Ferry -

3 crossings per week between Girne and Tasucu in Turkey - 6 hours

• Stay -

Ayia Napa 2N - Famagusta 2N - Girne 3N - Nicosia 2N - Plano Patres 2N - Paphos 2N - Limassol 2N = 15N

• Features -

Has snow in the Winter

• History -

First occupied by the Ancient Greeks followed by the Egyptians, Persians, the Greeks again with Alexander the Great, the Byzantines, the French, the Venetians, the Ottomans and then the British in 1878.

The British were gifted the island after helping out the Ottoman Empire with a problem they had with Russia. It became a very handy acquisition for them with events in Egypt and the Suez not to mention the two World Wars.

Even though the Greeks and Turks had lived happily together side by side the British had a policy of divide and rule which they employed here as well.

Division and Nationalism became entrenched and by the time the island achieved full independence in 1960  violence was causing Turkish Cypriots to move into enclaves in the north for their safety.

In 1964 the British brokered a peace deal and created the Green Line dividing the island into north and south. So called because of the green pen that was used to draw the line. A UN peacekeeping force was deployed.

The situation continued to worsen until the pro Greek Cypriot National Guard staged a coup in 1974 and put a Greek nationalist into power. The Turks responded by sending in the army and the battle lasted 6 weeks. They ended up controlling the northern third of the island. Greeks moved south of the Green Line and Turks moved north. Hundreds died and went missing.

They declared the independent state of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983 but so far Turkey is the only one to recognise it. Reunification still looks a long way off yet.

· See -

The Ghost Resort of Varosha / Cyclops Cave / Kyrenia Castle / St Hilarion Castle / Ruins / Frescoes / Walled Cities / Castles / UNESCO town Paphos / The Tombs of the Kings / Fig Tree Bay Protaras voted #3 beach in the World

· Do -

Follow the Blue Line Walking Tour in Lefkosia / Sea Kayak around the cliffs at Cape Greco / Cross the Line (The Green one) / Filfar Distillery Tour / Hiking / One of the world's top 10 wreck dives

· Highlights -

Nightlife / History / Natural Beauty

• Eat -

Unsurprisingly the food is similar to Turkish and Greek. Turkish is one of the three Primary cuisines

Kebebs / Souvlaki / Meze - starters / Moussaka / Kleftico - slow baked  lamb / stuffed vine leaves and vegetables / Trachanas - a thick soup for the vegetarians / Loukoumades - like donuts (Also claimed by Egypt, Greece and Turkey)

• Drink -

As you would expect the coffee is strong and thick

Ouzo and Raki

Ayia Napa is Party Central - good for Pub Crawls

It's all here Pubs, Clubs, Bars, Discos, Live Music, DJ's, Karaoke

Nightlife in order of liveliness - Ayia Napa - Limmasol - Paphos - Nicosia

Plenty in the northern cities as well

• Sundowners -

Aphrodite's Rock & Beach

• Specialties -

Seftalia - Sausages wrapped in Caul / Ttavas - dishes slow cooked in a clay pot / Homemade Halloumi / Anari - cheese / Soutzoukos - delicacies made from a by product of wine making / Zivania a popular wine based drink / Walnut Jam / Filfar - Orange Liqueur made over 100 years ago by Monks

• Tips -

English is widely spoken

Traffic drives on the left hand side of the road

If there is one tap don't drink from it. If there are 2 taps one of them will be ok. You might need to ask someone

• Famous -

Aphrodite the Goddess of Love was born here

It has the oldest "named wine"

For having evidence of having cats as pets before anyone else

Perfume first came from here

Haloumi comes from Cyprus not Greece

• Souvenirs -

Commandaria - the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings made famous by Herodotus, Homer and Richard the Lionheart / Olive Oil / Carob products / Walnut Jam / Cyprus Honey / Filfar - Orange Liqueur / Loukoumi - sweetmeats

· Festivals -

Carnival / Limassol Wine festival / Festival of Roses in Agros / International Chamber Music Festival / Street Art Festival / Medieval Festival of Ayai Napa / Strawberry Festival / Pastels festival / Water Festival / Beer Festival

• Extra -

See Hotels in Israel / Greek Islands