42 Interesting Facts About Cyprus: The EU Country You Never Knew You Wanted To Visit

Paris is always a good idea but have you considered Cyprus?  Here are 42 interesting facts about Cyprus.

Interesting Facts About Cyprus

Cyprus is the playground of Greek gods, the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, and a popular tourist destination, especially amongst Europeans.

This beautiful island nation has has a little bit of everything: warm sandy beaches, a mix of modern and ancient culture, Greek ruins, and wonderful Mediterranean food.

It also has an interesting political situation with a long and complicated history whose Eurasian culture is divided between the northern Turks and the southern Greeks.

Add to that the fact that Cyprus has been conquered and occupied for generations by several major powers and absorbed the influence of the Egyptians, the Persians, the Romans, Phoenicians, and most recently, the British.

Here’s a look at 42 interesting facts about Cyprus that might surprise you.

1) Cyprus Name Meaning

No one knows for certain the origins of the name Cyprus; however, there are several theories. 

1. It’s a Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree, κυπάρισσος (kypárissos).
2. It’s the Greek name of the henna plant, κύπρος (kýpros). 
3. There are large deposits of copper on the island, and the name Cyprus could be related to Eteocypriot, an old pre-Indo-European language spoken in Iron Age Cyprus that has roots in the Sumerian word for copper (zubar). 

Cyprus is also called Kıbrıs in Turkish.

2) Where is Cyprus on a map?

 Cyprus is an island and a nation located in the Mediterranean sea. 

It’s 71 kilometres (44 miles) south of Turkey, 105 kilometres (65 miles) west of Syria, and 370 kilometres (230 miles) north of Egypt.

3) Cyprus is part of the EU.

Geographically Cyprus is closer to the middle east; however, since 2004, it’s been part of the EU single market and the eurozone monetary union. 

There are currently 27 countries in the EU (as of 2021) post-Brexit. 

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

4) Cyprus is the 9th smallest European country.

After Sicily and Sardinia, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean sea. However, it’s the 9th smallest European country measuring 5896 sq km (2276 sq mi). The smallest European country is Vatican City, which is less than 0.50 sq km (0.17 sq mi). It’s located in the heart of Rome and is also where the Pope lives. 

5) Cyprus is an island and a country divided in two like Korea:

Cyprus is a country divided not only culturally between Eastern and Western ideals, but it’s also divided in two, the north and south, similar to Korea, thanks to an ongoing dispute between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

The dispute is known as the “Cyprus dispute” or the “Cyprus conflict.” 

While the international community considers the Island nation of Cyprus one single country, Turkey sees things differently and considers the north its own sovereign state separate from the south. 

CYPRUS: North and South

1. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus occupies the northern third, where mainly Turkish Cypriots live.
2. The Republic of Cyprus occupies the southern two-thirds of the island where Greek Cypriots live.

The self-declared country of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” is only recognized by Turkey, while the rest of the international community considers Turkey’s continued military presence in Northern Cyprus an illegal occupation. 

A little history lesson: Greek military coup of July 1974: 

In 1974 the Greek Army attempted to annex the island to Greek control. The Turks responded by invading and taking control of about one-third of the northern part of Cyprus.

When the Turks invaded and took over, they violently forced hundreds of thousands of Greek & Turkish Cypriots from their homes, preventing their return and settling Turks from mainland Turkey.

This act was considered an example of ethnic cleansing by the European Commission of Human Rights, which found Turkey guilty of repeated violations of the European Convention of Human Rights.

At the end of 1974, there was a ceasefire.

The island is kept in a peaceful state by the presence of international forces and the UN buffer zone, also known as the green line, which separates the Northern (Turkish controlled) part of Cyrpus from the Southern part of Cyprus.

If you would like to learn more about the Cyprus conflict, read this. 

6) What is the official currency used in Cyprus?

Because Cyprus is part of the EU eurozone monetary union, its official currency is the Euro, the same as France, Spain, and most (not all) other countries that are part of the EU. 

Since Turkey occupies Northern Cyprus, the unofficial currency is the Turkish Lira. Despite this, most shops and restaurants in North Cyprus will accept pounds sterling and euros notes, not coins; however, If you pay in one of these currencies, you’ll receive your change in Lira. 

7) What is the capital of Cyprus?

Nicosia is the Capital of Cyprus. (Greek Lefkosía, Turkish Lefkoşa.)

 It lies along the Pedieos River. 

8) Nicosia is the world’s only divided capital city. 

Nicosia is Cyprus’s capital and is divided by “The Green Line,” which separates the North from the south. It’s the only capital city in the world that is divided between two nations. It’s also one of a handful of checkpoints where you can cross over to the Northside and vice versa. 

The Green Line that divides the country is a shocking disruption. For instance, one moment, you’re walking around beautiful historical streets in Nicosia; the next minute, you’re facing a police blockade with barbed wire and guns. 

9) You can cross the border, however:

Despite the tensions, over 4 million tourists still flock to Cyprus each year; however, barely 10% attempt to cross the border into Northern Cyprus. 

Anyone who enters Cyprus through the north Turkish-controlled part of Cyprus, such as via the Ercan airport, is considered by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus in the South to have entered Cyprus through an illegal port of entry.

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus may fine you for illegal entry if you try to cross into the south, and they may refuse you entry into or exit from the Republic (source UK government website).

10) This is what Residents of Cyprus are called: 

If you live in Cyprus, you’re called a Cypriot however, there are distinctions between the north and south.

If you live in the south, you might be called a greek Cypriot and in the north a Turkish Cypriot. 

11) What is the official language of Cyprus?

1. Greek (Cypriot dialect)
2. Turkish

The main language spoken in the southern part of Cyprus is Greek, and much of its culture resembles Greece’s culture.

In the Turkish-controlled North, Turkish is mainly spoken.

ENGLISH: From 1878 to 1960, the Island of Cyprus was colonized by the British, and it’s estimated that nearly 80 percent of the population can also speak English.

12) National Anthem of Cyprus

Since 1966, the National Anthem of Cyprus is “Hymn to Liberty,” the same as Greece. 

Northern Turkish occupied Cyprus,’s national anthem is stiklâl Marşı (Independence March), the same as Turkey the country.

RELIGION & HOLIDAYS

13) The fourth most important Muslim shrine in the world is located in Cyprus

Situated on Larnaca Salt Lake’s west bank in Cyprus is the mosque Hala Sultan Tekke, the fourth most important mosque for Muslims after Mekka, Medina and Jerusalem. This is where the Prophet Mohammad’s aunt and companion, Umm Haram, died after she fell off the mule she was riding. 

14) What religion is Cyprus?

The largest and most important church in Cyprus is the Church of Cyprus, a Greek Orthodox Church. 

Muslims make up about 25% of the Cypriot population. 

15) Easter is the most popular holiday in Cyprus.

With almost 80% of the population following the Autocephalous Greek Orthodox faith, Easter is the main holiday in Southern Cyprus.

16) There are 16 bank holidays in Cyprus

1. New Year’s Day – January 1
2. Epiphany – January 6
3. Ash Monday, also known as Green Monday (day before Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras) – Date changes
4. March Equinox– March 15
5. Greek Independence Day -March 25
6. Cyprus National Holiday – April 1
7. Good Friday (Orthodox)- Date changes
8. Holy Saturday (Orthodox) – Date changes
9. Easter Sunday, Monday & Tuesday (Orthodox) – Date changes
10. Labour Day – May 1st.
11. Pentecost Monday (Orthodox) – Date changes
12. Dormition of the Theotokos aka Assumption of Mary – August 15th
13. Cyprus Independence Day – 1 October
14. Ochi Day  aka Greek National Day– October 28
15. Christmas Eve – December 24th.
16. Christmas Day – December 25th.
17. Boxing Day – 26 December

CYPRIOT FOOD & DRINK

17) Cyprus has the world’s oldest wine label.

Commandaria is an amber-coloured sweet dessert wine made in Cyprus since 800 B.C., making it the oldest wine label in the world that’s still in production today.

It’s named after the region where it’s made, located in the high altitude of the Troödos mountains from two different types of grapes.

Only 14 villages are allowed to make the wine to be called Commandaria.

18) Cyrpus food is influenced by several cultures

Because of the island’s geographic location and having been colonized and controlled by other countries, Cypriot food is influenced by Greek, Turkish, Arab and European food. 

You’ll find a lot of fresh seasonal vegetables, such as cucumbers, eggplants, parsley, tomatoes, as well as herbs such as coriander, cumin, and fresh herbs. 

19) Olive oil is also an essential ingredient in Cypriot food.

Olive trees have been part of Cyprus’s history since the Neolithic period. 

20) Meze is the Greek version of Tapas

21) Cyprus is the home of Halloumi.

 Greece may be the official home of feta, but Halloumi, sometimes called the “squeaky cheese,” belongs to Cyprus.

This salty, rubbery cheese is made from goat and sheep milk and is the only cheese that I know of that is meant to be grilled or fried. 

Cypriot authorities have spent years trying to get the European Union to recognize halloumi as a traditional product of Cyprus. In doing so, they would receive the EU’s top-quality mark – “protected designation of origin,” and the only halloumi made in Cyprus could be marketed abroad under that name.

22) The National Dish of Cyprus is a bean stew/ soup.

Cyprus’s national dish is Fasolada- a white beans stew made by simmering beans with tomatoes and other vegetables such as carrots, onion, parsley, celery, and bay leaf. It’s often enriched with olive oil either while cooking or at the table. 

Variations of this dish are also eaten in Egypt, Italy, Spain, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan but go by different names. 

If you’re interested in reading more about typical Cypriot food, take a look here. 

23) The National drink of Cyprus is a Brandy sour

Cyprus’s national drink is a popular cocktail called ‘Brandy Sour,’ consisting of lemon squash, Cypriot brandy, Angostura Bitters and Soda water.

Use Cypriot Brandy such as Keo Five Kings, and for each drink, use the following amounts.

Ingredients

1. 1 or 2 measures of Cyprus Brandy depending on taste
2. 1 measure of Cyprus lemon squash (again add to taste)
3. A few drops of Angostura Bitters
4. Soda water or lemonade
5. Ice cubes
6. Fresh lemon to decorate

Top with ice cubes and a slice of lemon for decoration.

FAMOUS PEOPLE OF CYPRIOT DESCENT

24) Peter Andre (born Peter James Andrea)

Peter Andr is a famous English singer, songwriter, businessman, and television personality born in London of Greek Cypriot descent.

25) George Michael: Born Georgios Kyriacos Panagiòtou.

If you grew up in the 80’s you probably know George Michael, the famous pop singer made famous for singing in the 80’s group WHAM.  George Michael’s father is a Greek Cypriot making him half Cypriot. 

26) Stelios Haji-Ioannou: Founder of EasyJet Airlines

Stelios is a Greek Cypriot who founded Easy Jet at the age of 28. He is one of a handful of Cyprus billionaires.

QUIRKY FACTS ABOUT CYPRUS

27) You can drive across Cyprus in a couple of hours:

 Cyprus is 240 km (149 miles) long from east to west and has a maximum width of 100 km (62 miles) from north to south.

28) Cyprus is the first country in the world to display a map on its flag.

Technically, Cyprus’s national flag has a map of the island with two olive branches that signify peace and harmony between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.

However, the flag is not recognized by Turkey, who created a flag of their own for Northern Cyprus, which uses the inverted colours and design of the flag of Turkey.

The current flag of Cyprus is fairly new.

It was adopted in 1960 under the Zurich and London Agreements when Cyprus gained its independence from Brittain. 

Between 1920-1960, under British rule, Cyprus had a different flag.  

29) There’s A Giant Mountain Flag You Can See From Space

In the northern part of Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriots made a giant flag in the mountains, which you can see with Google maps if you zoom in.

The exact location is 35.282902, 33.376891

30) It’s illegal to eat or drink while driving in Cyprus.

Don’t even think about taking a sip of water or a bite of your croissant while driving in Cyprus. It’s prohibited, and if you’re caught, you could get a fine. 

Other driving rules are: 

• No smoking in a car with a person under 16 years.
• No speaking on a mobile phone while driving.
•  You may not use your car horn between 10 pm and 6 a.m. or near hospitals. 

You might  be interested in reading: Driving in France: a tourist’s guide to important things you must know

31) There are more stray cats than residents in Cyprus.

Legend has it, hundreds of years ago, Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great introduced cats to control the snakes and vermin who infested the area.

The cats did their job, and now it’s estimated that the stray cat population is a staggering 1.5 million and outnumber humans.

Cat shelters are overwhelmed; however, many towns have their own “cat ladies,” women who feed the local cat population and often pay for vet bills out of their own pockets. 

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

32) You can visit a Cat Sanctuary

St. Nicholas of the cats is a holy monastery on the Island of Cyprus known as a sacred cat haven. hundreds of cats roaming the monastery, all cared for by nuns through donations and a special grant from the Cypriot government.  (warning, many of the cats are supposedly very scrawny looking and not well looked after).

Malcolm Cat Sanctuary is another place that cares for cats. 

If you go to either of these places, please be sure to bring plenty of treats and plenty of love because the cats love to be pet and fed. You can also donate by visiting their website www.malcolmcat.org.

33) A Shipwreck is also a tourist attraction.

 A 15 min drive from the center of Paphos is the shipwreck Edro III, an 80m long merchant ship that ran aground off of Pegeia on the 8th of December 2011 in heavy seas. 

 The ship is now a popular tourist attraction and brings a lot of business to the nearby restaurant and bar, “Oniro By The Sea.”

34) The largest water theme park in Europe is in Cyprus.

Waterworld is a giant award-winning Greek-themed waterpark in Ayia Napa.

You’ll see plenty of greek architecture, old ships and Greek statues at this fun park flat is very popular, especially during the hotter months. You’ll also find fun places that remind you of Ancient Greek civilizations: The Fall of Icarus, Apollo’s Plunge, Drop to Atlantas, and Odyssey River. 

You might be interested in France’s most popular theme parks and fairs.

35) The birthplace of “Aphrodite,” aka Venus

On a beach on the southwestern coastline of Cyprus near the city of Pafos (Paphos) is Petra Tou Romiou or Aphrodite’s Rock.

It’s the legendary birthplace of the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty, known as “Venus” in Roman mythology.

According to legend, Cronus (aka Saturn), Castrated his father Uranus (aka Caelus) and threw his father’s testicles into the sea, which caused the sea to foam.

Aphrodite rose out of the white sea foam on a scallop shell in the waters of Paphos, Cyprus and was carried to the shore by the crashing waves. 

“Aphro” is the Greek word for foam.
“Aphrodisiacs”—food, drink or drug that stimulates sexual desire or pleasurable—are named after Aphrodite.

The area is a popular tourist location thanks to the beauty of the surrounding area and its status in Greek mythology.  

Although the sea in the area is generally rough, and visitors are not encouraged to swim or climb the rock, a local myth is that you’ll be blessed with eternal beauty if you swim around the Aphrodite Rock. 

You can visit the famous armless Greek statue of Aphrodite at the Louvre, where she is called Venus de Milo (Venus from Milo). This statue was discovered in 1820 on the volcanic Greek island of Melos (Milos in modern Greek) by a French soldier who gave it to French King Louis the XVIIII who in turn donated it to the Louvre the following year.

Ancient Tombs and Archaeological Sites

Cyprus is an archaeologist’s dream come true. Every year archaeologists from around the world visit the island, hoping to uncover stories of lives from the past and discover new secrets of an ancient civilization.

You don’t need to be a historian or archaeologist to enjoy or imagine how the ancient people of Cyprus and Romans lived. There are plenty of places for the average person to visit.

36) Evidence of the oldest domesticated cat was found in Cyprus.

In 2004, French archaeologists discovered human and cat skeletons that were buried together in an ancient gravesite. The bones were around 9500 years old from the Neolithic period. 

According to a story in National Geographic, it was believed that cats were domesticated in Ancient Egypt. These new findings make a strong case that cats had a special place in the daily lives and the afterlives much earlier than we first thought. 

37) Tombs of the kings

Archaeological site “Tombs of the kings” is an underground tomb carved out of SOLID ROCK, which dates back to the 4th century is one of many archaeological sites you can visit.

Many of these places are on rough terrain in isolated areas, so be prepared to walk and wear comfortable shoes.

38) Unesco World Heritage SiteHouse

The entire town of Paphos in Cyprus is a UNESCO world heritage site, including the House of Dionysus, which dates back to the end of the 2nd century and occupies 2000 square metres.

This restored Greco / Roman villa’s main attractions are the mosaic floors decorated with mythological hunting scenes, which account for over 500 metres in the villa. 

39) The worlds oldest perfume was found in Cyprus

Although France is known for perfume, the French didn’t invent it. 

Around 2003, a team of Italian archaeologists unearthed the world’s oldest perfumes and perfume bottles to date. The Italian archaeologist also discovered evidence of an enormous factory that existed over 4,000 years ago. The sheer size of these perfumeries indicates that perfume manufacturing was on an industrial scale.

At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were perfectly preserved at the site, which had been covered with earth after a violent earthquake around 1850BC.  The finds are now on display at the Capitoline Museum in Rome, along with several modern re-creations of the old scents.

Archaeologists say that the original perfumes were a mixture of olive oils and essential oils gathered from herbs, flowers, and extracts of lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander and kept in tiny translucent alabaster bottles.

Today you can find perfumes created using similar ingredients as the original perfumes in the Ayia Napa markets in Cyprus.  I hear the smell is very strong.

You can also visit the Perfume theme park museum. 

40) You can ski on Mount Olympus.

The highest ski resort has an altitude of 1,951 metres (Troodos – Mount Olympos).

Mount Olympus exists on the island of Cyprus as a physical mountain and a metaphorical place. Greek and Roman mythology imagined it as the home of their 12 primary gods and goddesses, and throughout history, several peaks in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus have been named Olympus.

41) There Too many beautiful Beaches to mention

If Greek mythology, cats or archaeological digs are not your “cup of tea,” there are miles and miles of beautiful beaches with clear blue water and golden sand that are just waiting to be explored by you. 

Here are a handful of beaches. 

1. Blue Lagoon Akamas
2. Coral Bay
3. Episkopi (popular with kitesurfers)
4. Fig Tree Bay
5. Golden Beach (virtually untouched beach)
6. Green Bay (a somewhat secluded hidden gem)
7. Konnos Bay
8. Kourion Beach (near restaurants, facilities)
9. Latchi
10. Landa Beach (near Nissi beach but away from the party atmosphere)
11. Lara Bay
12. Mackenzie Beach (near snack bars)
13. Makronissos Beach
14. Nissi Beach (popular, sometimes crowded but beautiful with restaurants nearby)
15. Akti Olympion

HOW TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF CYPRUS

42) You can get Cyprus citizenship by investing in real estate

Finally, if Cyprus looks like a place you want to live in, you can buy citizenship. 

All you have to do is purchase real estate totalling 2 million Euros and donate around 100k Euros to the Government’s Research and Development fund and another 100k to the Land Development Organisation. Supposedly, it takes just a few months to get your new golden passport. 

Since Cyprus is part of the EU, you’ll also have the freedom to work, travel, study and live anywhere within the EU, including France, Germany, Spain and many more. 

Don’t have 2 million lying around? There are other ways to get a passport from other EU countries.