Explore Cyprus with Our Interactive Map

Featured Articles

Explore our top stories and discover ideas worth your time.

View all articles
Cavo Greco Sunrise Viewpoint, Cyprus

Cavo Greco Sunrise Viewpoint, Cyprus

The Cavo Greco sunrise viewpoint sits at the southeastern edge of Cyprus, positioned at 95 meters above sea level on a small limestone mountain within Cape Greco National Forest Park. This protected area spans 385 hectares between the resort towns of Ayia Napa and Protaras. The viewpoint marks the easternmost point of both the Republic of Cyprus and the European Union, offering unobstructed panoramas of the Mediterranean Sea, Famagusta Bay, and the surrounding coastline. Visitors come here primarily for the spectacular sunrise displays that occur daily, with the sun rising directly from the sea in vibrant colors that illuminate the limestone cliffs and turquoise waters below. Historical Background The limestone cliffs and formations seen today were created through a combination of tectonic activity and the erosive forces of the sea and wind over millions of years. The karst topography has produced numerous caves and natural arches throughout the area. The cape was known as Cape Pedalion in antiquity, and according to Strabo the trapezoidal hill lying above it was sacred to Aphrodite. Archaeological evidence shows the area has been inhabited since Neolithic times, with one of the oldest settlements in Cyprus discovered here in 1992. Cape Greco was designated as a National Forest Park in 1993 to preserve its unique ecosystems and prevent further degradation. Between 1910 and 1920, the…

Read more
Venetian Walls of Nicosia, Cyprus

Venetian Walls of Nicosia, Cyprus

The Venetian Walls of Nicosia form a circular defense system around the capital city of Cyprus. Built between 1567 and 1570 by the Republic of Venice, these Renaissance fortifications remain largely intact and represent one of the best-preserved examples of 16th-century military architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean. The walls create an almost perfect circle around the old city with a circumference of approximately 5 kilometers. This circular shape was innovative for its time and reflected the latest military engineering principles from Renaissance Italy. The design eliminated the weaknesses of medieval fortifications and created a more efficient defensive perimeter that required fewer soldiers to defend. The walls were built primarily from mud brick with the lower sections reinforced with stone. A wide moat 80 meters across surrounded the entire fortification, providing an additional obstacle for attackers. The moat was designed to be filled with water from the Pedieos River, which was diverted outside the city walls during construction. Historical Background Before the Venetian walls existed, earlier fortifications protected Nicosia. The first defensive structure was a castle built in 1211 during the Lusignan period. King Peter I constructed the Margarita Tower in 1368, a large defensive tower that stood as a major landmark. His successor, Peter II built the first walls surrounding the entire city, though he demolished the Margarita Tower as…

Read more
Coffee, Conversation, and Morning Interaction in Cyprus

Coffee, Conversation, and Morning Interaction in Cyprus

Cypriots are quite hardworking, but they tend to do most of their work as early in the morning as possible. The morning coffee break follows this early productivity. After completing their first tasks of the day, people pause for what locals call their coffee moment. Traditional Cypriot coffee arrives in a small cup with a glass of cold water on a tin tray. This gesture symbolizes hospitality and is seen as a way to cleanse the palate before enjoying the rich flavors of the coffee. The water also helps balance the strong taste of this unfiltered brew. The coffee itself is prepared in a small pot called a briki or mbriki. It is traditionally brewed over a gentle heat source, often a sand-filled brazier for even cooking. This slow brewing creates the kaimaki, the creamy foam on top that signals a well-made cup. If the foam collapses, locals consider it a sign of poorly prepared coffee. Where Morning Conversations Happen The kafenio serves as the social center of Cypriot communities. It is the meeting place of people of all ages, a place for a game of backgammon or cards, a place for debates and heated conversations about the news of the day. These traditional coffee shops can be found in every village, sometimes just one or two tables set up…

Read more