Explore Cyprus with Our Interactive Map

Featured Articles

Explore our top stories and discover ideas worth your time.

View all articles
Cyprus Wine Museum Erimi

Cyprus Wine Museum Erimi

The Cyprus Wine Museum sits at the most important historical crossroads in Cyprus. The location connects the road between ancient Kourion and Kolossi Castle, the old Limassol to Paphos route, and the roads leading to the wine villages in the Troodos Mountains. Erimi village itself has produced wine for over 5,500 years. The prehistoric settlement of Sotira lies nearby, where archaeologists discovered the oldest grape seed remains on the island. Kolossi Castle stands just a short distance away, the medieval headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller who gave Commandaria wine its name. Historical Background Composer Anastasia Guy founded the museum in 2004 after years of planning. The building belonged to her family for generations and originally functioned as a traditional Cypriot inn. Guy recognized that Cyprus was one of the first wine-producing countries in the world and saw an opportunity to preserve this heritage. The concept, developed in 1998, received approval from the Cyprus Tourism Organization in 2001 and underwent construction from 2002 to 2004. President Tassos Papadopoulos performed the official inauguration in 2004. The museum immediately began enriching its collections with archaeological items on loan from the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, the Pierides Museum of Marfin Laiki Bank, and other institutions. In 2005, the Ministry of Transport approved official road signs directing visitors from archaeological sites and public roads. The Ministry…

Read more
Famagusta, Cyprus – History & Facts

Famagusta, Cyprus – History & Facts

Famagusta sits on the eastern coast of Cyprus, surrounded by two miles of massive stone walls built when Venice controlled the Mediterranean. The old town contains ruins of over 300 churches from an era when the city rivaled Constantinople in wealth. During the Middle Ages, this port served as the gateway between Europe and the Levant, where merchants traded silks and spices in multiple languages. The deepest harbor in Cyprus made Famagusta essential for naval powers across eight centuries of occupation by Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans, and the British. The city was founded around 274 BCE by Ptolemy II after an earthquake damaged nearby Salamis. Originally called Arsinoe after the Ptolemaic queen, the settlement grew from a small fishing village into a major commercial hub. By the 14th century, Famagusta had become one of the wealthiest cities in the known world. Today, the fortified old town preserves Gothic cathedrals, Venetian bastions, and Ottoman mosques within walls that still bear scars from a siege that lasted nearly a year. Historical Background Famagusta rose to prominence after the fall of Acre in 1291. When Crusaders lost their last stronghold in the Holy Land, merchants and nobles fled to Cyprus. The Lusignan Kingdom ruled the island, and Famagusta became its richest port. Ships carrying goods from Syria, Egypt, and Palestine anchored in the deep…

Read more
Cyprus Railway Museum

Cyprus Railway Museum

The museum occupies the original Evrychou railway station, a sandstone building constructed in 1906 in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. The station operated as the western terminus of the Cyprus Government Railway from June 14, 1915, until December 31, 1931, when the final five miles of the railway were abandoned due to financial losses. After the railway closed completely in 1951, the building served various purposes, first as a health center and later as a forest workers' dormitory. EOKA fighters damaged and burned the building during their campaign against British rule, as the railway represented colonial infrastructure. The Department of Antiquities restored the station between 2003 and 2012, with new tracks laid in 2010 to 2012 in a Y-shape formation covering about 100 meters. The museum officially opened in September 2016, becoming Cyprus's only railway museum. British expats and local railway enthusiasts contributed significantly to the museum's development, and their contributions are acknowledged in the entrance hall. Historical Background The Cyprus Government Railway operated from October 21, 1905, to December 31, 1951, covering 76 miles across the island. British High Commissioner Sir Garnet Wolseley proposed building a railway when Britain took control of Cyprus in 1878, but uncertainty about how long Britain would govern the island delayed the project for decades. Frederick Shelford submitted a feasibility study on behalf…

Read more