Cyprus Blogs

Languages The official languages of the island are Greek and Turkish, whilst English is widely spoken. French, German and Russian are also spoken within the tourism industry. Religion Cyprus enjoys an exceedingly high level of freedom of worship. While the majority of Greek-Cypriots are Greek Orthodox Christians, other denominations are represented...

Cyprus Climate Cyprus enjoys an intense Mediterranean climate, with long dry summers from mid–May to mid–October, and mild winters from December to February, which are separated by short autumn and spring seasons. Summer is a season of high temperatures with cloudless skies, but the sea breeze creates a pleasant atmosphere in the coastal areas. Iso...

Passports and Visas Admission and Transit Restrictions Entry regulations apply only to the areas controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. A passport is required by all travellers, except for holders of: - Laissez-Passer issued by the United Nations. - Document issued to stateless persons and recognised refugees. Further to the above,...

Situated at the north-eastern end of the Mediterranean basin, Cyprus is the third largest island in the region, with an area of 9,251 square kilometres (3,572 square miles). The latitude of Cyprus is 34° 33’-35° 34’ North, and its longitude is 32° 16’ - 34° 37’ East. Demography Population (de jure): 946,000 (End 2013) 72%: Greek Cypriots (690,900) ...

With an alcohol content of 40-99%, it is no surprise that the island’s national drink of Zivania is also referred to as ‘firewater’! The strong drink dates back to the 14th century when the island was under Venetian rule and is still made in the same tradition today. Grape pomace (remains such as pulp, peel, stalks and seeds) is mixed with high-qua...

The national cocktail of the island is undoubtedly the famous Brandy Sour, and although it is also enjoyed in other parts of the world, the Cypriot version is unique for the Cypriot brandy used in it and its interesting, royal origins! The story goes that it was originally invented in the early fifties for King Farouk of Egypt at one of the island’...

Cyprus coffee is a characteristic part of the island’s coffee-shop culture, and preparing this strong brew takes a little skill to perfect! Made of finely ground coffee beans, a heaped teaspoon of coffee is used for one tiny demitasse cup, with water added, and sugar if it is taken. This is then ‘cooked’ in a small, long handled pot called a ‘mbrik...

Preparation: - Peel but do not wash the kolokasi. Kolokasi should never be sliced or diced as it will not become soft during cooking. Instead, prepare it by inserting a firm knife into the root, then twisting it to break off bite-sized pieces. - Sauté the kolokasi in a little olive oil until lightly browned. - Transfer to a deep saucepan and add th...

Preparation: - Wash the caul fat well with water and vinegar. - In a bowl, thoroughly mix the minced meat, salt, pepper, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, onions and parsley and mould into small egg-size shapes. - Place the mixture over the caul fat and wrap each separately into tight packages. - Cook over charcoal barbeque or on the grill, turning regularly ...

Preparation: - Cut the Halloumi into slices and grill on both sides. - Garnish with rocket leaves and tomato. - Serve in warm pita bread. Ingredients: (Serves 4) 1 block Halloumi cheese Rocket leaves Tomato Pita bread