After visiting the island of Cyprus last year (located in the far eastern reaches of the Mediterranean Sea) I became enchanted by it’s beauty, the slower pace of life in the small towns, its food (including seafood) and drink and the mesmerizing beauty of it’s beaches. I visited Pissouri (only about a 90 minute drive from Nicoscia).
Pissouri allowed me to check off everything I was looking for in a relaxing Mediterranean vacation
quiet
beaches
long dinners
fresh fruit stand
small villages
friendly people
Looking for a holiday like this? There are certainly more similar places on the island. There are destinations in southern Cyprus and also across the green line in North Cyprus: The main resorts for North Cyprus holidays are Kyrenia and Famagusta.
Still Undiscovered
I found in talking to people about my trip to Cyprus, not a lot of people had ever been there, knew of it’s whereabouts or knew much about the country. I visited during what is presumably the heart of the summer season (August) and found few people on the beaches I visited and little traveled roads in the countryside (in the southern part of the country).
Northern Cyprus is still very much off the beaten track also. As you can only access the Northern part of the island through the green line cross points or with flights to the North that are via Turkey.
Reasonably Priced
Doing a quick search of pricing, one can plan a week packaged trip to Cyprus (including flights) depending on the time of year for under €300 per person. During my trip I rented a small apartment for around 40 euro a night which included a small kitchen. Saving on the cost of going out for every meal, I stopped by the local market for lunch and dinner supplies.
There are numerous flights to Cyprus especially from Europe. A number of airlines travel to the island including Pegasus Airlines, AtlasGlobal Airlines (AtlasJet airlines) and Turkish EasyJet, British Airways, Ryan Air and Norwegian Airlines among others. Most flights from Europe are usually between 4 and 5 hours.
And once you are on the island, it is easy to travel between North Cyprus and South Cyprus.
Offers a Diversity of Experiences
For those looking for adventure water sports, Northern Cyprus offers a variety of activities including Kite Surfing (ideal for those wanting to learn this sport in a number of more secluded coves along the coastline), Scuba diving (a long season due to the warmer waters – usually April through December – and there is a special site that divers can visit where the world’s oldest trading ship was found) and plenty of sailing opportunities. And the Karpass Peninsula arguably contains some of most picturesque beaches in Northern Cyprus.
Any mention of Northern Cyprus should also include the historic castles in this part of the country and a visit to Kyrenia. Popular with visitors this town is situated around a horshoe-shaped harbor. A must visit while in town is the Kyrenia Castle which is historical in it’s own right but it also houses the Shipwreck Museum containing an old ship dating from the 3rd century BC.
I wish I could be in Cyprus right now!
‘ its food (including seafood) ‘- Is it not expected that an island would have seafood? Does Cyprus have a lot, more than might be usual for that area of the world?
Your article got me looking more at Cyprus and as a place to go.
Skysurfer – yea, writing this piece brought me back to my trip there last year 🙂
Gari – seafood varies around the world I suppose – especially in the way it is prepared. Fresh and simply prepared with a little lemon and herbs is ideal 🙂
Maybe it’s the time for me to visit this place! Nice photos Dave
Thanks Jake 🙂
Dave – love hearing about destinations off the main circuit. As a new traveler and blogger, do you have any other recommendations besides Cyprus?
So far, I’ve been to Canada, France, Spain, Netherlands, Iceland, Mexico, and Belize. To get an idea of my style, here’s the post I released yesterday on that last one: http://www.misfitmoves.com/belize-tropical-treasures/
I’m still a big noob, so any tips on places to go would be greatly appreciated!
Byron – as far as destinations I have really enjoyed, you can’t go wrong with Oman, Iran, Montenegro, Macedonia, Egypt, most anything sub Saharan eastern Africa, Palau, Dominica, Greece, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru – to name a few.
Thanks for sharing this informative post about Cyprus ! I’ve heard good things but haven’t yet had a chance to visit.
All pictures looks really amazing in your post. Thanks for sharing about Cyprus. Your post help me a lot to create my bucket list. Loved your post.
I have heard about this island. Cool photos.
I see the food of this country as really delicious 🙂
Great post about Cyprus. Well now i am sure that i can visit to this European country. Thanks to you.
Awesome post about Cyprus. It sounds great to read new information about Cyprus. Thanks a lot for sharing your travel experience.