What is necessary to know about Cyprus to avoid any unpleasantness

When you first arrive in the country, it is better to learn about some of the features that will help you navigate through it and not feel any negative emotions during a holiday or a business trip.

Elementary rules for tourists in Cyprus

1. Do not stay in the sun without sunglasses and protective equipment even in the autumn and winter months; long sun exposure without protection is undesirable and can damage the skin.

2. If you plan to spend a long time in Cyprus, your first purchase should be a car: without it, it will be very hard to even go to the store; every outing will require a lot of preparation and organisation.

 

3. Cypriot banks operate in a very different manner than the Russians, despite the fact that Cyprus has served as an offshore area in the past. You can only visit the bank on weekdays until 13:30. A transfer to your account can take up to 2 working days.

In Cyprus, there are very few ATMs, which are located outside the bank. Therefore, if your hotel isn’t near a bank, you’ll have to go to town for cash. The hotels do not have ATMs installed.

4. In the tourist area there is a lot of interest, but the real treasures are hidden in the mountain villages of Cyprus. Urban and rural Cyprus differ, as heaven from earth. Therefore, if you really want to experience the culture and traditions of the island, it is best to go everywhere.

Even if you do not plan to take a car, you can order a customized tour of Cyprus (it costs about 200-300 euros for 4 people, depending on the route). In addition, the Cyprus Tourism Organization periodically arranges free tours to familiarize visitors with agro tourism in Cyprus. For example, in November 2014 they organized trips to the wineries, where everyone was invited.

5. Do not hesitate to ask the locals, their advise is first class. Cypriots are very hospitable and friendly and will tell you about the best areas better than any guide.

They will tell you and show you, and offer to escort  you! After a tour conducted by a local, it will be a good story to be told to friends and acquaintances, especially if you are in a village, where the life of the inhabitants is not too eventful.

6. If you need access to the Internet, its installation should be taken care of in advance. Cyprus’ Internet service providers spend about a month to install it, so all this time you have to go somewhere else because mobile Internet in Cyprus is very expensive.

By the way, in many hotels (including the level of 5 * and 4 *)  the internet in the rooms is not free (about 60 euros for 10 days at the 5 *). You can use the free Wi-Fi in public areas (lobby, restaurants, etc.).

7. Even if you plan to spend your whole vacation at the hotel and do not want to go into the mountains, look for the traditional taverns nearby. The quality and prices in the taverns you will be a pleasant surprise (eg, the cost of a meze – a traditional Cypriot set of dishes is about 30 euros for two, but keep in mind that it will be enough even for three people).

For example, if you are in Limassol, be sure to visit the tavern Forsos (near Mutayaka), beloved by locals and the taverns in the village Armenohori, boasting magnificent views of Limassol and its surroundings.

 

You can take a taxi for 10 euros to get to the tavern in 10 minutes. By public transport, unfortunately, you cannot get there.

If you’re staying in Paphos, be sure to pay attention to Kuklia village, located not far from the Aphrodite Hills resort. But note that on weekends reservations are required, otherwise you will have dinner on the street, although this also has its own particular flavor. Here, even the dessert is not worth ordering in most taverns after dinner, because you will be treated to free Cyprus coffee, fruit from their own garden and traditional sweets.

8. Village cafes are still considered a”masculine zone”, so women  you rarely see women there. However, this does not apply to foreigners: you can go to any place, and no one will express neither surprise nor displeasure.

9. Do not order “Turkish coffee” in restaurants and cafes. Order Cypriot coffee (Cyprus coffee). In fact, the coffee comes from the Byzantine Empire. Here it is prepared in three versions: sketo (without sugar), metrio (1 spoonful of sugar), glyko (2 spoons of sugar).

By ordering a “Turkish coffee”, you can greatly offend the locals who do not like Turkey for its role in the division of the island.

10. Cypriots dine quite late, and the delay is not considered to be something catastrophic, so if you are invited for dinner at 20:00, it is likely that before 9 o’clock the dinner will not start. Have in mind also that restaurants are filled only closer to 20:00-21:00, so if you come early, it is possible that you will be alone.

Also pay attention to the fact that the portions in the Cypriot restaurants are very large, so consider whether to order a salad, main and dessert, all together, or one by one.

11. In the small private shops in Cyprus it is agreeable to bargain. The discount will not be as significant as in Turkey or Egypt, but some money will be saved.

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