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Alampra Early Bronze Age Town

Alampra Early Bronze Age Town

Alampra Mouttes stands as one of Cyprus’s most significant Middle Bronze Age settlements. Located in central Cyprus near the modern village of Alampra, this archaeological site provides rare evidence of prehistoric urban life and early copper metallurgy between 1900 and 1650 BC. The excavated remains reveal a substantial community that occupied a strategic position close to copper ore deposits at the foothills of the Troodos Mountains. The archaeological site occupies the northeast facing flank of a ridge between two hills called Mouttes and Spileos. The settlement consists of multi room rectangular houses built from local limestone and flint, with walls still standing in several areas. During its period of occupation, Alampra functioned as a largely self sufficient agricultural and metallurgical community. The site lies about 8 kilometers east of Marki Alonia, another major Bronze Age settlement, and sits at the point where the volcanic pillow lava foothills of the Troodos Massif meet the calcareous limestone of the central Mesaoria plain. Historical Background Archaeological interest in Alampra began in the 19th century, but the first systematic investigation took place in 1924 when Swedish archaeologist Einar Gjerstad excavated a prehistoric house he named Mavroyi, meaning red earth. For decades, this remained the only precisely documented building in Cyprus from the long period between the Chalcolithic and the end of the Middle Bronze…

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Kantou-Koufovounos

Kantou-Koufovounos

High on a hill near the Kouris River in the Limassol district of Cyprus sits Kantou Koufovounos, one of the island’s most significant Late Neolithic settlements. This archaeological site has quietly rewritten our understanding of life on Cyprus between 4,400 and 3,900 BC. Unlike the dramatic clifftop fortresses or coastal harbors that often capture imaginations, Kantou-Koufovounos was simply a community where people lived, worked, raised families, and built a society that lasted longer than many of its contemporary neighbors. The site takes its name from Koufovounos Hill, where it rests approximately 20 to 50 centimeters below the modern ground surface. This shallow depth speaks to how close we still are to these ancient inhabitants. The settlement sits on the western bank of the Kouris River, positioned in terrain that offered natural protection while remaining accessible to vital resources. Historical Background Excavations at Kantou-Koufovounos began in summer 1992 under the direction of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. This marked the first archaeological project the university undertook in Cyprus. The work continued through 1999, with additional periods in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2001 dedicated to recording and studying the recovered materials. These careful excavations revealed rectangular residential units, storage pits, fire hearths, graves, and an extensive collection of stone tools. What makes this site particularly interesting is how much of…

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Cyprus Artisanal Sweets

Cyprus Artisanal Sweets

Cyprus has developed a distinctive collection of traditional sweets that reflect centuries of cultural exchange between Greece, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. These artisanal treats are not luxury items but essential parts of daily life, religious celebrations, and village festivals. From honey-soaked dough balls to sesame confections and refreshing milk puddings, Cypriot sweets combine simple ingredients with time-tested techniques to create memorable flavors. Each sweet tells a story of the island's agricultural abundance, its position as a crossroads of civilizations, and its commitment to preserving culinary heritage. Historical Context The tradition of sweet-making in Cyprus dates back to ancient Greece and Byzantium. Historical texts reveal that many current recipes have roots in Byzantine-era treats called plakoundes, pemmata, or melipikta. These early sweets were made with dough and natural sweeteners like honey, carob syrup, or grape must. The word halva derives from the Arabic term for sweetness, reflecting the Ottoman influence that shaped Cypriot cuisine for centuries. Loukoumades trace their history to 776 BC, when ancient Greeks offered honey-soaked dough balls as prizes to Olympic athletes. The tradition survived through Byzantine times, when monasteries made these treats during Lent because they contained only flour, yeast, water, and honey. As different cultures settled in Cyprus, they brought their own variations and techniques, creating the diverse sweet traditions that exist today. The…

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