About Cyprus

Welcome to the island of Cyprus, where legend has it that Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty emerged from the sea of Cyprus. That is why to this day Cyprus is known as the island of love. The islands unique position has made it a cross point between east and west with many conquerors that have left their mark on the history of Cyprus. From the ancient Greek amphitheatres to Venetian fortifications and once part of Crown. However the predominant culture that prevails is the Greek.

The island itself got its name from its vast resources of copper( the Latin word for copper, cuprum) it once had, even being mentioned in Homers Iliad for this reason.

About the Cypriots

General information about Cyprus

Cyprus provides a fairly high, European level standard of living. The overall cost of living averages about 1/3 to 2/3 of most parts of Europe. The relatively low cost of living in Cyprus offers a full, but comparatively inexpensive lifestyle. According to the results of the Cypriot governments Household Budget Survey, average monthly outgoings for a single person are CY647, for a couple CY970 and for a couple with two children, CY1,358. A couple owning their home can live fairly comfortably on a net income of between CY6,000 and CY7,000 per year.

The excellent road works that have been done over the past years means that you can reach from one side of the island to the other in less than 2 hours. The road system is the same as in the UK so you will feel comfortable to discover the island by car.

Crime

Cyprus is virtually crime free and that is why it is such a popular destination for tourists and people looking to raise a family in a secure environment. Street criminality is absent in Cyprus

Economy

Cyprus has an open, free-market, service-based economy with some light manufacturing. The Cypriots are among the most prosperous people in the Mediterranean region. Internationally, Cyprus promotes its geographical location as a "bridge" between West and East, along with its educated English-speaking population, moderate local costs, good airline connections, and telecommunications. Cyprus has the fourth-largest ship registry in the world, with 2,758 ships and 25.5 million gross registered tons (GRTs). It is an open registry and includes ships from more than 43 countries, including Greece, Germany, and Russia.

Paphos

Paphos is the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sex, and beauty, and the founding myth is interwoven with the goddess at every level. In Greco-Roman times Paphos was the island's capital, and it is famous for the remains of the Roman Governor's palace, where extensive, fine mosaics are a major tourist attraction. The Apostle Paul visited the town during the first century. The town of Paphos is included in the official UNESCO list of cultural and natural treasures of the world's heritage.

The town itself has a vibrant nightlife and social life. Through the many restaurants, bars, nightclubs, coffee bars etc., there is always something to do.

Limassol

Limassol is one the second largest city on the island (Nicosia the capital being the largest). It has a long sea front stretching 5 miles where one can find all types of restaurants, bars, nightclubs shops. It is well known for its vibrant and party mentality of its locals. Historically, Limassol is where Richard the Lionhearted was married to his queen and the wine that was served to him became the first labeled wine in history. The towns relation to wine continues to this day as every year in august there is a wine festival held in Limassol, where the local wineries supply an abundance of free wine.

Larnaca

Larnaca is the ancient town of Kition and its modern day name comes from its association with the Larnaca (tomb) of Lazarus who was resurrected from the dead by Christ. The founder of the philosophical school of stoicism in Athens was Zeno from Kition. Larnaca is the 3rd largest town in Cyprus after Nicosia & Limassol with a population of around 100,000 people. The local economy is largely geared towards tourism. Larnaca is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; it is the modern gateway to Cyprus and known for lovely sights such as the Palm Tree Promenade. It is the home of the island's main international airport.

Polis

Polis an area just outside Paphos district is becoming more and more attractive to investors both for its beautiful landscape (semi mountainous region, the valleys, its peaceful bay, close to the islands nature reserve of Akamas and the only marina in Paphos district) its relatively lower property prices in comparison to Paphos. According to tradition, Athenian Akamas, son of Theseus, disembarked near Polis after the Trojan war and gave his name to the Cape of Akamas and the city of Akamantis: a legendary city which has never been found. In ancient times, Polis was known as Marion, and was probably founded by Akamas or a certain Marieus.

Another reason for its high attractiveness is the high way, which is to be built from Paphos to Polis thus reducing the time required to drive from Paphos airport to Polis.