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Travel and Tourism in Cyprus
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Cyprus.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
- Time Difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- 0.9214
- Climate
- Cyprus has hot, dry, dusty summers and moderately cool, damp winters. Nicosia's maximum mean temperature is about 80°F, while the minimum mean temperature is 50°F. From mid-June to mid-September, the temperature sometimes exceeds 100°F. After sunset, it usually falls to between 60°F and 70°F. The summer heat is tolerable because humidity is usually low and high temperatures are often tempered by westerly winds. Nicosia's summer weather is generally more comfortable than in the seaside towns, where humidity is higher though temperatures are lower. Rain falls almost exclusively from December through March. Winters are usually cool and damp. On the whole, Cyprus has an enjoyable Mediterranean climate.
- Language(s) Spoken
- Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6%; note - data represent only the Republic of Cyprus
- Ethnic Groups
- Greek 98.8%, other 1% (includes Maronite, Armenian, Turkish-Cypriot), unspecified 0.2%
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as "Republic Day"
- Geographic Coordinates
- 35 00 N, 33 00 E
- Location
- Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
- Airports
- 17
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
The North — Kyrenia, Famagusta and the Divided Island
Northern Cyprus occupies approximately 37 percent of the land area of the island, comprising the Kyrenia district in the northwest, the Karpaz Peninsula in the northeast, and the eastern coastal strip including the city of Famagusta. Officially known as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), it is recognized as a sovereign state only by Turkey; the rest of the international community regards it as occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus. This political status has complex practical implications for visitors: entering northern Cyprus directly from Turkey (via the international airport at Ercan or via the ferry from Mersin) is technically illegal under Cypriot law and may create complications for subsequent entry into the Republic of Cyprus. The recommended route for most visitors is to cross from the south at one of the several UN-monitored checkpoints, of which the most convenient for most purposes are the Ledra Street/Lokmaci checkpoint in central Nicosia, the Ledra Palace checkpoint just outside the old city walls, and the Agios Dometios/Metehan checkpoint on the western side of Nicosia. Vehicle crossings are also possible at several rural checkpoints.
Despite the political complications — or perhaps in some ways because of them — northern Cyprus is one of the most rewarding parts of the island to visit. It is noticeably less developed than the south, with less tourist infrastructure but also less commercialization, and in some areas a quality of quietness and even wilderness that is difficult to find in the south's more developed coastal strips.
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Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Medical care is available both at government hospitals and private clinics. Emergency rooms offer adequate care to stabilize patients, most of who are then transferred to private hospitals. Many of the private-sector doctors have been trained in the United Kingdom or the United States. While fees are generally lower than those in the United States, medical supplies are often more expensive. Paramedics do not staff ambulances.
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