Cyprus is an island with a long tradition of Greek history, but its great all year round sun is what attracts most of us, which has made it a very popular destination with tourists, with over 2.4 million visiting its many resorts. The island receives over 330 days of sunshine a year, which has given it the name The Island of the Sun. With plenty of travel agents providing Cyprus holidays and low cost airlines including Monarch offering routes to Paphos and Larnaca, it has never been easier to get there.
While attracting visitors from around the world, most of them tend to be Europeans. Affluent eastern Europeans and Russians have also joined the crowd in recent years. The British Armed Forces have long has a presence in Cyprus. The UK retains a military base in order to have a gateway for forces to the Middle East. As such the Brits are now almost as local and the locals, and in turn, now cater for the Brits. English is widely spoke and understood among nearly all age groups to driving on the left side of the road. No doubt the similarity to the UK makes us Brits feel more at home, but we also get to bask in the sun.
Much of olden Cyprus is giving away to culture that is more eclectic and less traditional. However, this side of Cyprus, that continues to attract millions of tourists year after year, is only one aspect of the island and is concentrated around the tourist hotspots of Paphos, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. As soon as you leave the packaged paradise and clubbers haven of these areas and hit the road the real country reveals itself.
If your fancy cooling off, and seeing something different take a trip up to the Troodos Mountains. In the heart of the mountains you will find the Kykkos monastery, a UNESCO world heritage site since 1998. Housing art and exhibits on ancient Greece, the monastery has the twin function of being a museum for visitors and a practising monastery lived in by worshiping monks. Kykkos even has its own winery where the monks bottle and sell their wine. A daytrip to the Troodos Mountains can be a welcome change from the beach and with overnight accommodation available in many of the authentic villages dotted about; you might want to spend a few days here sampling another side of Cyprus.
