An island divided in two, offers twice the experience.

Cyprus lays lazily in the eastern Mediterranean sea seemingly unaware of its historical, political importance. The island, hailed by the Ancient Greeks as the birth place of Aphrodite the goddess of love, has long been seen as just the piece of land that is needed to… well, add your own purpose here! As history has rattled by it has seemed as if all comers have wanted to make the place their own and today it is just as much in demand by us, as tourists.

With promised sunshine (Cyprus averages only twenty rainy days a year at sea level) sun-seekers head there from all over Europe to enjoy the fantastic fine-sand beaches that can be found dotted around the coast. And, even better, following those dots around the coast takes any tourist on a cross-cultural experience across the Green Line and back.

North/South

As any Greek Cypriot does not hesitate to tell you, the north of the island is under “Turkish Military occupation” which conjures up images of evil empires and suffering peoples. However, in reality, you can expect a warmer reception from the Turkish Cypriot locals and certainly fewer of those noisy tourists that seem to get everywhere.

The architecture in the north is perhaps a little tattered if compared to the modern and wealthy Greek south, but this too becomes a welcome relief from the thousands of luxury apartments and multi-colored hotels that splatter the neighborhood of every jam-packed beach front there. In short, it could be said that the north is reasonably unspoiled.

Divide Your Holiday

The advice that many-a-visitor passes on is to freak-out in the south (Re: the wildly out-there resort of Ayia Napa) and chill-out in the north (Re: Golden Beach in the Karpaz) and a tourist tradition has already been hatched that involves starting or basing in the south (because of cheaper and shorter flights there) and then heading north.

This, in fact, seems like the only way around if you consider that you really need to rent a car to do this and cars from the north are not allowed south!

The Green Line

The Green Line is the name of the border between the north and south of Cyprus. No it is not actually green, but the green is supposed to be symbolic of allowance, i.e. to allow peace to evolve between the two sides.

Both sides of the Green Line are patrolled by the respective armed forces of Cyprus and Turkey and yet in the middle are the white and blue forces of the United Nations. On appearance it seems like a conflict zone and a little bit worrying, but there have not been any clashes between the two sides across the line since its inception.

Since 2003 it has not been a problem for tourists to cross at all (only non-Cypriot Turkish residents of the north are not allowed to cross - perhaps you notice a rather favorable arrangement for the south here?) so, despite what you are told by most Greek Cypriots, feel free to go back and forth at leisure. If, however, you ask further advice from a Greek Cypriot you are likely to be told that it is not recommended to, or even impossible to, go north.

Truly you can often feel the animosity, but there is along story behind that and, if it takes your interest to listen, both sides are more than willing to share their views.

The Reason to Go

Today, no paradise is left unturned and the popularity of Cyprus won’t leave you with that inspiring feeling of having discovered lost worlds. But what it is, is a good place to get away to for a week, knowing that the sun will shine, good beaches are there, the food will be fine and that there is something to do after 9pm.