Few countries share the distinction of being a crossroad to three continents. For Cyprus, that distinction has provided a History of more considerable significance relative to its size. Great civilizations have coveted the small Island for millenniums, and even today, this remains the case.
Reading about the rulers of the Island, one can’t help thinking that you have an official list of the who’s who in the last thousands of years: Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, English, Templars, French, Venetians, Ottomans, the British again. The long list is climaxed by Cypriot independence in 1960, only to be disturbed by the Cold War that ultimately led to the partition of the country between North(Turkish influence) and South(Greek influence).
In this partition, you can hear the whisper of History, but talk to the people, and you will hear a cry of hope that one day the country will be united.
Walk the streets of Ayia Napa, sunbath on its glorious beach and party all night at the Square, and you’ll notice that aside from Greek, it would seem that English and Russian are de facto secondary languages of the Island. The wheel of History is turning again, the Powers that be still have a great interest on the Island.
For religious historians, Cyprus is also an important Christian center, the apostles Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey began at the city of Salamis (around 45 A.D.). From there they crossed the island to Paphos, where Saul came to be known as Paul and where he converted the Roman proconsul (governor) of the Island to Christianity. We could argue that “Cyprus” is the first country governed by a Christian.
Border crossing is now easy between North(Only recognized by Turkey) and South, make sure that you read the entry requirements carefully: www.mfa.gov.cy.
On the Northern side, it is cheaper and less developed tourism-wise, and this could be an excellent reason to choose it rather than the South. You can stay at Kyrenia and Famagusta, the former is the most tourist-oriented city in the North, and the latter is close by the border and Salamis(Location of the ancient Greek city-state). Parts of Famagusta have been fenced off by the Turkish Army; it is a source of contention in the current peace deal negotiations. Read more about it with this article from the Telegraph.
But maybe, you’d be more interested in staying in a tranquil village along the Troodos Mountain range. Lania, which is just a 30 minutes drive from Limassol, is one such village. All the houses there are built using stone, and it is in the heart of vine-growing and winemaking Cyprus, the country has 6,000 years of History of winemaking! Check out this articles on Commandaria for more about wine in Cyprus — it was even inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2025.
Another good reason to visit Cyprus is, of course, their cuisine! I will let Wiki, speak for this. But a word of warning about the Meze, make sure that you are hungry when you order it as there is simply too much food offered.
Of all Greek Gods and Goddesses, I do not wonder why Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty, has come to be associated with Cyprus. It is truly a unique and beautiful island. I will revisit it; four days is truly not enough to visit this country. I would recommend at least two weeks to see most of its sights.