OUR ISLAND

·   Tucked away in the top right hand corner of the Mediterranean, Cyprus is so close to Europe, Asia and Africa that it rightly claims to be a stepping stone to three continents.

·    It has a rich history and can be traced back for thousands of years. The island has been so coveted over the centuries that it has been invaded and claimed by a fascinated mixture of civilisations, all of which have left their culture and shaped its character.

·    Cyprus is an island whose archaeology stems from the Neolithic Age, the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Period; where churches and monasteries still stand from Byzantine times; castles and palaces from the days of the crusaders and Frankish Lusignans and splendid city walls from Venetian times.

·    The island chosen by many visitors, as it is said to have been inhabited by mythical gods and goddesses of ancient Greece. Stories are told of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, emerging from Paphos foam to become a cult figure and worshipped by many.

·    Cyprus has been blessed with natural beauty – rugged coastlines and golden beaches, rolling hills, forests and mountains dotted with picturesque villages.

TOMBS OF THE KINGS

NEOPHYTOS MONASTERY

SEA CAVES

PAPHOS FORT

THE COUNTRY

It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. It stretches 150 miles (240 km) from the west coast to its east coast tip and 60 miles (96 km) from north to south.

Two imposing mountain ranges set as a dramatic backcloth to the sweeping central Mesaoria Plain.

There are six major towns; Nicosia the capital situated in the middle of the Mesaoria Plain and the five coastal towns of, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Kyrenia and Famagusta. The latter two, in the north and East, have been under Turkish occupation since 1974 and have only recently become accessible to visitors and locals.

PAPHOS SUNSET

PAPHOS SEA FRONT

                                       The island has had a turbulent history –

for some of the points of interest which have left their marks on the island can be found

AYIOS KYRIAKI CHURCH

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE