Luxury Cyprus Villas & Holidays

General Facts on Cyprus

Cyprus has a very hot dry summer, a short autum and spring. Winter lasts approxamatley 5 months.The average peak daytime temperature in July and August is 35 degrees celsius but inland temperatures can reach 40-45.As a rule there is no rainfall between June and September. Swim suits and very light clothing are all that is needed at this time of the year although a cardigan is needed up in the mountains at night.The best time to visit the island (that is if you dont enjoy the heat) is between March and May when temperatures are around 15-25 and the country side is alive with greenery and wild flowers. From about mid September to the end of October the weather is mild, from November winter starts to set in and temperatures can plummet to 0 up in the moutains. Around December snow begins to fall in the mountains and it is possible to ski.

Due to the closure of Nicosia airport (because of the Turkish invasion) the main entry into Cyprus is either through the Larnaca or Paphos airports.Car rental and foreign exchange are available at the airports.Airlines do not operate coach services to and from the airports, but many tour operators do so for their own clients.Metered taxis which are both plentiful and reasonable operate from the aiports to all locations, although avoiding a long taxi journey may be the important factor on deciding on which airport to land at.

Personal insurance should be taken out before leaving to cover medical, accident or loss. Many tour operators, travel agencies banks and insurance companies can arrange this for you.
The unit of currency is the Cyprus pound with denominations of 20, 10, 5 or 1 pound notes. Coins are available in 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents with 100 cents equaling 1 pound.International credit and charge cards are widely accepted. Banks are generally open from 8:-12:30 Monday to Friday while some banks in the main resort areas may open from 3:30 - 5.

Both National and international driving licences are valid.Driving is on the left with all road signs also found on the left. All road signs are in both Greek and English. Distances and speed limits are posted in kilometers and kilometers per hour. Speed limits are 50km/h in built up areas, 80 on main roads and 100 on the motorways. Seat-belt use is mandatory for all travelling in the car, children under 5 may not travel in the front seat. All rental cars display red number plates that begin with the letter Z.

There are three kinds of bus services available. Urban, interurban and rural. Urban services in Nicosia, Limassol. Larnaca and Paphos are adequate but not luxurios. Interurban services are regular and cheap but tend to be slow and to take roundabout routes.Interurban buses tend to be slow but this is a good way to Cyprus, Rural buses connect the villages with the towns generally with only one return service per day, leaving in the morning and returning in the evening.

There are three types of taxi service: urban, rural and interurban. Urban taxis are available 24 hours a day in all the towns and major resorts. these can either be booked by telephone or at their ranks. These taxis have meters, minimum and waiting charges. You may also be asked for luggage charges. Rural taxis operate in country areas. These do not have meters so it is wise to ask the driver the price before setting off. Shared taxis are available and are a direct and convenient alternative to the slow and roundabout bus service. They carry between four and seven passangers between the four main towns, picking up and dropping off at the locations chosen by the passengers. They all have a low fixed charge.

Cycling is also an option although riders should be very alert in and around the towns. Bike hire is available in most resort areas and guided tours are on offer. The renting of Motor bikes and Mopeds is also offered. The wearing of crash helmets is compoulsory.Unfortunately not many of the locals abide by this leading to many fatalaties.

Hiking tours may also be arranged with local tour operators. Hitch-hiking is not the norm on the island and is forbidden on the motor ways.

Day trips to archaeological, historical and religious sites can be booked through most tour operators. Sightseeing and disco boat- trips are available from harbours in the main resorts from May to October.
The crime rate in Cyprus is very low but the usual precautions should be taken. Crime of any sort should be reported to the police. Cyprus has a no tolarance policy on illegal narcotics and anyone caught with these faces jail. It is also illegal to export antiquities.

Items left at resturants or on buses or in taxis have a high chance of being recovered, as most Cypriots are honest people. Should you lose credit cards or cheques the issuing companies should be informed immediately. Should you feel that these items have been stolen please inform the police.

Health services and standards of hygiene range from adequate to excellent, although in the remote areas health services may be minimal and other standards may be rough and ready.Food and tap water are safe but tap water may not taste very pleasant so bottled mineral water is recommended. Sun burn is the most common ailment found in tourists so it is recommended that sun screen is used at all times and hats or caps be worn.Free emergency medical care is available at the casualty departments of both state hospitals and clinics. Local news papers print lists of duty pharmacies that are open at night or on the weekends.

Whilst shops in the tourist areas may remain open from early morning to late at night in the summer, the main stores and businesses open from 8am to 2pm and then from 5pm to 8pm. On Wednesdays and Saturdays most shops close for the afternoon. Only the shops in the tourist areas open on a Sunday.In the winter months shops generally open from 7:30am to 1pm and from 2:30 to 5:30. With Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays being the same as the summer months.

Most retaurants and hotels include a service charge in your bill so tipping is not nessasary.Should you feel that way inclined taxi drivers, hairdressers and chambermaids would be only to grateful.
Public toilets are few and far between, however with all the resturants, tavernas, bars and cafes one is always available. please note that although Cyprus is changing things slowly in most places you need to put your used toilet paper in the bins provided and not down the loo.
Topless bathing is usually acceptable .Casual dressing is accepted every where but both sexes are required to cover up on entering reliious institutions.Ladies this means covering your knees and shoulders whilst men are asked to wear long trousers.

Although relativley safe, women should adopt commonsense when walking on their own. The electricity supply is 240 volts A.C. with 5-amp and 13-amp three pin plugs. Adapters for connecting more than one low-current appliances are available from many hotels and are on sale in the local stores. Hotel rooms often have a 110- volt outlet for shavers.

Cyprus is well endowed with outdoor sporys. Angling, both sea and fresh water, cycling, mountain biking, hiking swimming, skiing, water skiing, scuba- diving snorkeling, shooting, tennis, golf and horse-riding are available.For the more adventurists bunjee- jumping sky-diving and hand- gliding can be arranged.

Photography is not allowed near or around Military installations, including those of the U.N. and the British Sovereign Bases. Flash phoyography is generally forbidden in historic churches as the flash causes damage to the fragile icons and frescoes.

There is a wide choice of hotels on the island but for those who would prefer self catering there is an even larger amount of apartments and villas available at very affordable prices.