Cypriot Delights
Cyprus is an island with strong greek traditions, but to most of us simply know it as a great hotspot, which has made it a very popular destination for Europeans, with over 2.4 million visiting its many resorts. The island receives over 330 days of sunshine a year, which has given it the name The Island of the Sun. There is no shortage of travel companies offering Cyprus holidays and budget airlines such as Easyjet offering routes to Paphos and Larnaca, getting there is cheaper than ever.
While attracting visitors from around the world, most of them tend to be Europeans. Affluent eastern Europeans and Russians have also joined the crowd in recent years. One of the main reasons why there is such a heavy presence of Brits in Cyprus is because of the positioning of the British Armed forces in the southern Greek part of the island. With quick and easy access to the Middle East, this is likely to be the case for some time to come. The impact of this on the surrounding area is that Cypriots have grown used to, and in turn, now cater for the Brits. From English being spoken everywhere you go, to driving on the left side of the road. No doubt the similarity to the UK makes us Brits feel more at home, but in a more favourable climate.
For many reading this, the prospect of taking a holiday away from England only to be greeted at the airport by a hire car representative hailing from Croydon and being served an authentic Mediterranean dish of steak and chips will not appeal. However, this side of Cyprus, that continues to attract millions of tourists year after year, is only one aspect of the island and is concentrated around the tourist hotspots of Paphos, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. As soon as you leave the packaged paradise and clubbers haven of these areas and hit the road the real country reveals itself.
If your fancy cooling off, and seeing something different take a trip up to the Troodos Mountains. In the heart of the mountains you will find the Kykkos monastery, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1998. Housing art and exhibits on ancient Greece, the monastery has the twin function of being a museum for visitors and a practising monastery lived in by worshiping monks. Kykkos even has its own winery where the monks bottle and sell their wine. A daytrip to the Troodos Mountains can be a welcome change from the beach and with overnight accommodation available in many of the authentic villages dotted about; you might want to spend a few days here sampling another side of Cyprus.
