Preparing for the long-awaited vacation, I want to spend it perfectly, and of course there are doubts and contradictions where it is best to spend it. In my head, diagrams and tables with pluses and minuses begin to take shape, but it does not work out in any way because you want to be in time for everything and everywhere. Does this sound familiar to you?
Personally, yes.
If this year you have a choice of Cyprus or Turkey, then I will try to help as much as possible to dispel your doubts and make your choice.
Pros and cons of staying in Turkey
pros
- Relatively low price for tours
- famous "all inclusive"
- lack of a language barrier (many locals here speak Russian)
- good sandy and pebbly beaches (most of the beaches are awarded the blue flag for environmental friendliness)
- low prices for clothing, leather and fur products, etc.
- short flight
- no significant time difference with Russia (same time zone with Moscow)
- safety on the streets and in hotels
- large selection of excursions
- most hotels have free beaches with sun loungers and parasols.
- free internet in hotels and transfers
- low prices in most restaurants and cafes and large portions, sometimes even very large.
Minuses
- Choosing all inclusive, you become attached to the hotel (after all, when you leave for a walk in the city, you can skip lunch)
- From the first disadvantage follows the second - excess weight at the end of the vacation
- Turkey is still a Muslim country (modern Turks are very liberal towards tourists, but when arriving in a foreign country you need to respect their customs and religion. Be prepared for the morning singing of Mullah, meeting with locals in closed clothes and restrained behavior outside the hotel.
- Expensive alcohol
- Gasoline is also not cheap (about 76 rubles per 1 liter)
Pros and cons of holidays in Cyprus
pros
- For entry, a free provision is made out
- Beautiful sandy beaches
- Plenty of seafood (delicious fish meze)
- Lack of dangerous insects and poisonous snakes
- Beautiful nature and the purest sea air
- Everyone speaks English, this is a big plus
- Loyal attitude of law enforcement agencies towards tourists, of course, if you yourself do not ask for trouble
Minuses
- High tour price
- For sockets, you need to buy adapters
- Most of the tours do not include all inclusive (and if there is an "all inclusive" then the price is simply fabulous)
- High prices in restaurants and cafes (on a par with the center of Moscow)
- Expensive souvenirs
- Paid internet in most hotels, and poor quality
- Left-hand traffic (although you quickly adapt to this)
- Expensive food in supermarkets and alcohol
- High prices for gasoline (if you decide to rent a car)
- very scorching sun in July / August
Which country to choose for a vacation with a child (with children)
It all depends on your budget. In Turkey, it will be much easier and cheaper to organize holidays with children at a high level than in Cyprus. Sandy beaches with a gentle entrance, small waves, playgrounds and parks, water parks, animations are all at a good level in both countries. But Turkey's pricing policy is more loyal. So it all depends on your wallet.
Is it possible to go to Cyprus directly from Turkey?
If you are tired of Turkish hotels, you can independently visit northern Cyprus, which is considered Turkish territory. There are several ways to get to Cyprus:
- by plane;
- on a ferryboat.
By plane, flights from Turkey are carried out by local airlines such as Pegasus Airlines, the travel time is about 1 hour non-stop, and the price starts from 290 lira per person. Departure is carried out from Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and other large cities of Turkey, in the territory of Northern Cyprus the operating airport is called Ercan. After arriving from the airport, it still takes time to get to the nearest city.
The most common way is ferry from Turkey to Cyprus... The ferry departs from Alanya, Mersin and Tashuju. The time to get, of course, is longer (from Alanya 3.5 hours, from Tashuju 2), but the views are mesmerizing. You can even drive your car or van from Tashuju to Girne.
The cost of a ferry ticket depends on age and social status (a student, a pensioner, a worker, purchase tickets at different prices), and children under 2 years old are transported free of charge.
The ferry starts operating from Alanya in May, in winter time to Northern Cyprus the ferry goes from Tashuju and Mersin.
Comfortable intercity buses run from Alanya to Tashiju and Mersin from the bus station.
Ferry Schedule Tashuju-Girne-Tashuju
Ferry Schedule Girne-Alanya-Girne
If you pay for the carriage of the car, you do not need to take a separate ticket for the passenger. You can buy a ticket online on the website of the transport company Akgünler Denizcilik, which carries out the transportation.
Where is the warmer weather?
The weather in the warmest place in Turkey - Alanya is practically no different from the climate in Cyprus. The Mediterranean climate prevails here, the season starts the same in May and ends in October. Although the hottest months of July and August are harder to endure in Cyprus, due to the nature of the terrain (fewer trees, mountains, flatness). Although this may be my purely subjective opinion.
Where is the sea better? Compare the beaches of Turkey and Cyprus
Cyprus is washed only by the Mediterranean Sea, and Turkey by 4 seas - the Mediterranean, Marmara, Aegean and Black. Each of them is remarkable and unique in its own way.
But the most popular among tourists is the Mediterranean coast. There are more resort towns with comfortable hotels here, and the sea is cleaner and warmer.
In both countries, all beaches are municipal, which means they are free, but sunbeds and umbrellas are private property, so you have to pay to use them.
Comparison of Cleopatra Beach (Turkey) and Nissi Beach (Ayia Napa)
| Cleopatra beach | Nissi Beach |
Who does not know about the beautiful island of Cyprus with a gentle turquoise sea, warm climate and tourist season all three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Despite the fact that the tourist boom around this island happened in the 90s of the last century, vacation in Cyprus to this day has not lost its attractiveness, but tours to Cyprus popular today.
Thanks to a very simple (in comparison with other developed countries of the European Union) procedure for obtaining a residence permit, many of our compatriots live in Cyprus. Some come to the island to work and then stay forever: immigrating to Cyprus for a business idea, or opening a business here, is quite easy and does not require significant costs.
The island's authorities are interested in Cyprus maintaining and developing its reputation as a center of entertainment and recreation, therefore significant funds are invested in the tourism industry, and local residents, whose main income is highly dependent on guests of the island, are very welcoming to foreigners. You can come here all year round and take with you pleasant impressions and bright memories. Of course, there are not only pluses, but also minuses in a vacation in Cyprus. Before you purchase, vouchers to Cyprus let's try to consider both the positive and negative sides and start with the negative.
Minus the first. Get ready for the fact that in Cyprus food (especially wine and meat and fish dishes) and transport (taxi) are very expensive. In addition, taxi drivers do not give change if it is small. You can also get around the island by bus, but they are extremely rare.
Minus the second. Hunters who are accustomed to bringing gigabytes of pictures from vacation should submit a written request before taking pictures of local state attractions. Naturally, sending a request and receiving a response to it will take some time. The border zone between the two parts of the island, military installations and military personnel, as well as the decoration of some churches, are prohibited from photographing at all.
Minus the third. Those who like to splash in the sea should be aware that swimming in open water can be quite cold in winter. In addition, a lot of algae can bring to the coast of the island - this phenomenon is unpredictable and can happen in any season.
Minus the fourth. Medicine on the island is paid and not cheap. Emergency assistance to tourists is free, but inpatient and outpatient treatment can cost a pretty penny.
Minus the fifth. Many tourists complain about more than mediocre hotel service and unkempt beaches.
And what about the positive aspects?
Plus the first. Since the island is actually divided into two conditional parts: Greek (the Greeks are the main indigenous population of the island) and Turkish (since Cyprus was part of the Ottoman Empire for more than 300 years, the Turks make up almost the majority of the island's population), you have the opportunity to get acquainted with culture and cuisine of both countries at once.
Plus the second. Since Cyprus is part of the European Union and has no land borders with any countries, you can easily visit, for example, Egypt or Jerusalem without a visa or flight: sea cruises are organized there.
Plus the third. Since Cyprus is a mixture of different cultures, you can get acquainted with the historical monuments of many civilizations: Byzantium, Greece, Turkey, Britain.
Plus the fourth. The nature of the island has prepared the same variety for you: here you can swim in the sea and ride on the snowy mountains - and all this in one day.
Plus the fifth. The very way of life on the island is very unhurried and measured - what else is needed for a full-fledged quiet rest? But at the same time, Cypriots are very fond of holidays and know how to spend them on a grand scale.
2016 october minutes
We will talk about the most important, in my opinion, advantages and at the same time disadvantages of staying on a wonderful island.
I want to immediately point out that everything described below is relevant for that region of Cyprus, which is called Konnos Bay, or in Russian Konnos Bay. This is a fairly popular resort area, especially among Russian-speaking tourists. We stayed at the Konnos hotel Bay Hotel Apartments 3 stars, 150 meters from the sea.
Panorama Konnos bay // Pawel Kazmierczak, shutterstock.com
I will not say unequivocally that my assessment concerns the entire state as a whole, however, perhaps the picture of recreation is repeated in other regions as well. I'll start with the pros.
Pros of vacation in Cyprus
1. Getting to know Cyprus from the registration of documents for entry - the absence of a visa as such. Unlike the rest of the European Union, Cyprus has simplified, at least for Russians, the regime of entry into the country, offering its own Schengen visa as an alternative, which takes almost 1 day and does not cost anything - a completely FREE visa! You only need to print a preliminary version of the visa (done either by your travel agency, or on your own after filling out an elementary electronic questionnaire), present it and - you are in Cyprus. The most interesting thing is that we had to present this pro-visa only at the exit! from Russia, in Cyprus itself, they showed only the foreign country, in which they put a stamp on us without any questions.
2. What pleased me was the Russian-speaking staff. And we are talking not only about the hotel, but also about almost all establishments, including restaurants and supermarkets. It's nice to hear your own speech when you are understood and communication develops without much stress. You definitely won't get lost here!
3. An impeccable beach holiday. If your holiday is to wake up in the morning, go to the beach to sunbathe, swim in the sea, come back to lie down, then Cyprus is the perfect place for you. Moreover, Konnos Bay, where a large number of hotels are located near the sea. The beaches are mostly sandy, which is important. The water is the purest, at a depth of 170 cm, the bottom is visible with the naked eye, and I have big vision problems . By the way, for children and those who are afraid of depth, the entrance to the water in this place is gradual and, admittedly, quite long, so you still have to manage to drown.
4. As we managed to notice from the first day, day and night in Cyprus are two completely different worlds. You can see everything during the day, nothing at night, pitch darkness... Moreover, we found the moon somewhere at the transition between day and night, from midnight to early morning - you are unlikely to see the moon. Moonless nights. In addition, Cyprus is not lit in the same way as Moscow, there are not so many lights. What gives rise to a beautiful and rare zest for a Muscovite - the stars. They can be seen very clearly in Cyprus, the picture is pleasing to the eye, and in fact it is romantic!
5. We rested on Konnos, and this is an area between two cities - Ayia Napa and Protaras, that is, one might say, in the countryside. House building is low-rise. However, having visited both Protaras and Ayia Napa, I can say with a certain degree of responsibility that this type of buildings, apparently, is characteristic of the entire island. I consider this feature to be a plus, because, being constantly in a metropolis, you often get tired of skyscrapers and want at least on vacation to take a break from the noisy and bustling high-rise buildings blocking the sun and savor the "village" life.
6. Clean sea air.
7. The benevolence of the local population. Cypriots are a very sympathetic and affable people, carefree by nature, and from this they are extremely willing and disinterested in visiting newcomers. Theft and greed are foreign words for Cyprus, generally speaking. Trust is one of the important values of this region. Rooms in hotels can be left with open balconies, even on the ground floor, money and valuables will be completely safe, you put them in the most prominent place. Checked!
8. You will not leave the cafe / restaurant / tavern hungry: the portions are VERY large. We met similar portions in Greece, well, in fact, Cypriots are the same Greeks. You can safely order one dish and eat it together. The generosity of food is another nice feature of the Cypriots.
9. Unlike Tunisia, the complete absence of dangerous flora and fauna. On the island you will not find unexpectedly poisonous animals, plants, both on the shore and in the sea. Of the fauna, I can say that the most common animal is cats. There are actually a lot of them here. Even too much. Especially within the food zone. In restaurants and taverns, you will be peeled from all sides, asking for a bite! Well, how can you resist ?!
10. Stable comfortable air temperature. I will talk about October, because except in October, I have never been to Cyprus again. This season, the temperature there is paradise - 26 degrees during the day, 22 at night, water - 25. Beautiful cloudless days with impeccable calm weather. If the breeze is felt, it is exceptionally soft and warm. We wore T-shirts and shorts. You don't need to get used to the water. In general, there are no complaints about the weather.
Cons of vacation in Cyprus
1. Absence nightlife... As I said, my statement is pertinent with regard to Konnos Bay, in part the situation is similar in Ayia Napa and in Protaras. After 10 pm, life on the Gulf ends. People who walked around the city disappear with the onset of darkness, the town plunges into darkness. For me, as an owl person who loves to walk at night (I can't say that I'm partying, but I have a certain interest in night walks), this is a disaster. My friend and I noticed with horror that all the tourists and all the staff who are hiding where in the corners, not sticking out to the streets until sunrise. Not a single round-the-clock restaurant, not a single shop close to the hotel (at night there is only one supermarket, located 3 km from the hotel) - nothing. Considering that we arrived very late on the first day, checked into the hotel at 9 pm, while we figured out the number and local rules, we got very hungry and went out in search of evening food. To our horrible surprise, all establishments were already closed by 10. We were left without a ride, went to bed absolutely hungry. In the 21st century, in my opinion, this is unthinkable, especially in the resort area, especially for people who have come to rest / hang out / hang out / relax (as anyone). In the process of mastering, after the n-th number of days, we somehow found a Russian restaurant in Ayia Napa, which worked after 12 at night. By the way, it turns out that there are also clubs there, but they are also located in Ayia Napa, almost in the same zone, which is half an hour away by bus from our hotel. One of the brightest is Ambassaden.
2. As soon as you arrive in Cyprus, you leave the city from the airport, the first thing you feel is a strong stench, similar to the smell of rotten water. This was probably the smell of the garbage dump, but it periodically haunted us throughout the rest.
3. Unlit tracks. From the bus, if you go at night, you can't see anything. Elementary, the roadway and pedestrian roads have to be illuminated with a phone flashlight in order to see where you are stepping and not to fall / fall under a car. In Greece and Spain, all this is simply ennobled, is it really impossible to put ordinary poles with lanterns at a distance of 500 m?
4. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Internet - only at the reception (the hotel consists of several buildings, the reception is one). Wildness for Europe!
5. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Fanatical saving of light in the hotel buildings. To pass adequately to your room, to climb the stairs, you need to turn on the switches endlessly along the way, a good half of which does not work.
6. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Mechanical locks on the doors to the room.
7. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Rooms are cleaned daily, but, oh dear God, only in the morning. Exactly at 9 in the morning, when a tourist tired of everyday life is enjoying the sweet dream of a child, there is a confident knock at the door. The carelessly sleeping, of course, does not hear the knocking. Then, through the tourist's dream, another knock is heard. And what do you think - the lock opens and the cleaning lady bursts in on the threshold without waiting for an answer with the deafening words Clean room !!! And at this time you are lying on the bed with your bare ass up and do not understand what is happening at all. You can hardly pronounce Later. They start to tell you Later only tomorrow. You, barely holding the causal place covered by the duvet cover, squeeze OK, please tomorrow and, pretty freaking out, close the door and rush back onto the bed.
I just once rested in the Greek hotel Cosmos, which was awarded 2 stars, but even there you are not harassed by the cleaning lady, you never see her. "Clean room" takes place without your presence. Well, this is generally complete insanity, gentlemen, even more so for European 3 stars !!!
8. Bus stops are not announced. A tourist who has not been to these lands must, apparently, esoterically and intuitively understand where he needs to go.
9. Many socially important establishments can be quietly closed before the appointed hour, probably at the completely free will of the seller. For example, once a supermarket was completely shamelessly closed at 21.40 when we approached it, and this is when the schedule is open until 22.00.
10. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: TV only catches 1 Russian-language channel with exhausting advertisements about slimming panties, blender, weight loss products and all sorts of crap for 70 euros. There are no music channels at all. And there are 8 channels in total. 11. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Disgustingly buzzing when you turn on the light ventilation in the toilet-bathroom.
12. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: The toilet stinks of pissing (despite the daily chlorine cleaning), the shower pressure leaves much to be desired. All consumables, be it rags, soap or shampoo, we buy, my dears, ourselves.
13. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: There is an air conditioner in the room, but it will not help you, because it is turned off. To turn it on, you need to pay 6 euros per day.
14. Relevant for Konnos Bay Hotel Apartments: Meanness on the part of the hotel - sockets in the American manner. To charge your phone, you need to rent a European adapter, the rent is 10 euros. This is a deposit, it is returned when the European adapter is returned. A trifle, but unpleasant.
15. Pharmacies - only in the city. So if you suddenly feel bad, you need to travel by bus for half an hour, and then you need to be in time before 18.00.
16. We weren't enriched with money for endless dining. Fortunately, our hotel had a mini-kitchen, so we had to go to large supermarkets. The largest is Lidl, which is located in Protaras. There he is considered a hypermarket, but, I give my word of honor, he did not lie next to our Auchan. Why is there Auchan, Lidl is 2 times less than our Billa. The choice is appropriate.
17. There is one beach for the whole turgorod. It seems to me that people come to the beach from all the outskirts of the region, so even in October one should look for free sun loungers here.
18. The pluses indicated the abundance of food and its size. This plus is, of course, bold. And I put the emphasis on the word bold. The food here is incredibly full of fat, so much that already on the 5th day my poor stomach could not stand it and fell out. All the other days I ate only soups, which, by the way, are not favored here, and Russian cuisine, which I managed to find in Ayia Napa!
19. Prices. The cost of goods and services is incomparable with ours, so you need to be ready to take more money with you so that you have enough not only for food. We went for 11 nights, took 720 euros with us, and upon arrival in Moscow, we had 60 euros left in our hands. I will cite just a few items of expenses:
Supermarket:
Bread - about 3 euros
Water (set of 6 x 1.5 liters) - 2 euros
Pepsi - 1.5 euros
Packaged juices - 2 euros
Bounty bars - 90 cents
Bus travel € 1.5 per person during the day, € 2.5 after 20.00.
I don't know the taxi prices. I know it's expensive.
Public beach: sun loungers - 2.5 euros per person, umbrella - 2.5 euros.
Attractions at Lunapark in Ayia Napa: there is a system of exchanging money for tokens on the territory of the park. For example, 1 token costs 1 euro, and already 12 tokens - 10 euros. We went to the Ferris Wheel - 3 tokens per person, Pirate Ship - 3 tokens per person, 5D Cinema - 4 tokens per person. Attractions such as Catapult or Booster - about 25 tokens.
Restaurants / Cafes / Taverns (here I am guided by prices in non-luxury restaurants). We were at Pirrilis Restaurant (tied to Konnos Bay Hotel Apts), Kafkaros Tavern, Spartiatis Restaurant. The average bill for two people is 20-25 euros when ordering two dishes for each. Each dish is in the range of 6-8 euros. And that's if you don't take the fish menu. Let's say that with fish meze you will no longer be able to meet these amounts.
I hasten to warn you that the Ravioli "s and UMI Sushi Bar Restaurant are premium. The service here is real restaurant, but there are also requirements for guests, starting with the style of dress that is acceptable for a restaurant, ending with the menu and its prices. The average bill is at least 35 euros for two, if again you order the cheapest one.Recognizing these restaurants is easy - Ravioli "s is located opposite the 5-star Grecian Park hotel with a corresponding audience, while UMI is located right in this hotel on the 4th floor. Be careful!
We also visited McDonald's in Ayia Napa, the taste of some dishes is different, but I was not so surprised by the difference in composition as by the difference in price. Big Tasty - 5 euros, and so any loaf costs. amounted to 16 euros.
Bottom line: Cyprus is a wonderful country, but rather not mine, it seemed boring to me. Nevertheless, I tried to describe Cyprus - the Cyprus as it appeared before me - from all sides. It is up to you to decide whether this type of vacation suits you or not. I hope that when you are about to fly to this miracle island (and it is undoubtedly wonderful), you will make an informed decision.
Adel
17/10/2016 13:00
The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editorial board.
Forecasters claim that Cyprus is the sunniest island in the Mediterranean. Here weekly festivals or carnivals are held, bathing season lasts more than eight months, and the beauty of the landscapes delights even those who are indifferent to nature. What you need to know when traveling to Cyprus?
No one wants to get in trouble on vacation, so you need to remember important rules of conduct. The first danger is the Cypriot sun. In the very first days of their stay on the island, if you do not take any measures, tourists get sunburn.
Children especially suffer from this, so it is advisable to make walks, travel around the island, hikes to the beach, to local attractions before noon or after 16 hours. In the first two to three days, you need to spend as little time as possible in the sun, until the skin tanns a little and the risk of getting a burn decreases.
On a note: Insurance does not treat sunburns. Therefore, if something happens, you will have to pay out of your pocket.
The local population is very emotional: people talk loudly, reinforcing their statements with active gestures. But if you behave with them in the same way, the Cypriots will perceive it as an act of aggression.
How to get to Cyprus for Russians
The easiest way to fly is from Moscow, where a lot of flights are offered by a variety of companies. Inexpensive tickets can be purchased from the following airlines:
- JatAirways - from 12,000 rubles. Disadvantage: and a long wait for the next flight.
- Aegian - about 11,000 RUB Flaw: .
- AirBaltic - RUB 10,000 Disadvantage: transfer in Riga.
Note: Waiting for a transfer on one of the above flights is an opportunity to explore several nearby attractions.
There are several more charter flights from Moscow to Larnaca, so you can choose the most suitable option, including taking into account the cost.
Several carriers offer to purchase affordable air tickets from the Northern capital (ticket for one):
- UIA - RUB 13,000
- Transaero - 15,000 RUB
- Aeroflot - 16,000 rubles
There are also flights to Cyprus from Minsk, Mineralnye Vody. To get to the island by boat, you can, for example, fly to Vienna, and then by ferry, paying $ 90.
Entry rules for Russians and citizens of the CIS in 2019
What is prohibited from importing into Cyprus?
You cannot bring a lot of money across the border: if more than 10 thousand euros undeclared are found at customs, you will have to pay a fine.
Important: it is strictly forbidden to bring dairy products, meat, flowers, fresh vegetables, fruits to the island.
Security
Cyprus is considered to be a safe and peaceful place, which is excellently provided by the local police. The latter are always ready to help in case of unforeseen situations. But this does not mean that you can relax: people are different, including visitors.
To eliminate unpleasant situations and have a safe vacation in Cyprus, you must:
- Keep track of your belongings and pockets.
- Don't get involved in conflicts.
- If there are valuables, it is best to keep them together with documents in a safe.
Attitude towards Russians
Judging by the reviews of tourists, Cypriots treat all visitors equally: if only they pay money. And the more you pay and the more services you use, the better the attitude towards the guest.
What not to do on the island
When visiting temples and mosques, certain norms of behavior must be observed. It is unacceptable for women to enter religious institutions with open knees, shoulders, neckline, head. Men have their own dress code: no headdress and closed legs.
When entering the temple, you must take off your shoes, put the phone on silent mode, do not answer calls and do not call anyone yourself, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke. The overwhelming majority of Cypriots are Christians.
A very painful topic for the locals is the division of the island into two states, so it is unacceptable to discuss this, let alone joke about this topic.
Language
Knowledge of English is good. But in Cyprus there are many Russians, Slovaks, Montenegrins, who are gladly hired to work in the tourism industry - in hotels, restaurants, cafes. Since the inhabitants of Russia often rest here, Cypriots partially understand Russian, so it always turns out to be able to communicate with them.
Features of the language in Cyprus
To make excursions more accessible to Russians, they are also conducted in Russian.
On a note: the presence of an English phrasebook will partially alleviate the problem of communication.
Read a fascinating article on our website -
Beach season and best time to relax in 2019
The period from May to almost the end of October is considered the high season here. But most of the tourists come to the island in July and August. Usually at this time it is difficult to book a hotel room, so it is advisable to complete this procedure in advance - in January – February.
It is quite comfortable here in November and March, but swimming at this time will not work: the water is not warm enough for this.
Weather and water temperature by month
The climate in Cyprus is very mild, which creates ideal conditions for relaxation. It is hot in summer, there is no precipitation at this time, in winter it is warm, sometimes it rains.
Cyprus is in the lead in terms of the number of sunny days per year
Monthly water and air temperature (° С)
Buying insurance
You can exchange the required amount of foreign currency at one of the banks (working hours: Monday – Friday from 8:00 to 13:00). The exchange takes place only if you have a passport. You will need to pay a commission in the amount of 1 to 2%.
You can withdraw money from a card at an ATM around the clock. In this case, the amount of the commission is 4%. You can pay with a credit card in the following places:
- hotels;
- restaurants;
- entertainment establishments.
Important: it is better to avoid taking 100 and 50 euro banknotes from the local population for change. More often than not, they are the ones who are fake.
Currency and money in Cyprus are described in detail and interestingly in the video.
The beaches of Cyprus are considered one of the best in all of Europe, so many tourists who want to taste the joys of a beach holiday in the Mediterranean choose this island country as a tourist destination. Most of the Cypriot beaches are marked with the EU Blue Flag for the purity of the water and the coastal zone, which makes a beach holiday in Cyprus comfortable and memorable.
2.
Entertainment for every taste
There is something for everyone in Cyprus. You can bask on sandy beaches, explore antiquities, worship local Orthodox shrines, admire nature, take spa treatments and visit thalassotherapy centers, go to noisy night discos, diving, windsurfing and sailing, play tennis and golf, go horseback riding and participate in jeep safari, go downhill and water skiing.
3.
Excellent conditions for a family holiday
Cyprus is ideal for families with children - a short flight, mild climate, shallow sea with a gentle slope, sandy beaches. Most hotels provide discounts for children, each has the necessary infrastructure - children's pools, slides, mini-clubs and playgrounds, special menu, children's animation. In addition, the resorts have aqua and amusement parks, zoos, kids are offered interesting excursion routes.
4.
Good service and developed infrastructure
In Cyprus, all life is subordinated to the interests of tourists, because the country's economy rests on vacationers. Therefore, in all hotels, even the 2 * category, excellent service. Any of the island's resorts has the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable stay - excellent beaches, shopping and entertainment centers, nightclubs and discos, bars and restaurants, water parks.
5.
Mild climate and beautiful nature
The climate in Cyprus is quite mild, with hot and dry summers and short, warm and humid winters. The season runs from April to November. There are a lot of sunny days in the year, it rains mostly in January and February, the winds are light and warm. The nature of the island is picturesque, you can admire it all day long, and many beaches are marked with a blue flag for excellent ecology.
6.
The friendliness of the locals
For many centuries there have been friendly relations between Russia and Cyprus, we have a common religion. And the Cypriots sincerely love Russians to this day. Russian-language TV channels and the press, menus in their native language, and a special range of products are at the service of tourists from the Russian Federation. Many local residents know Russian well.
7.
Parties in Ayia Napa
In the modern resort of Ayia Napa, there are almost no houses of local residents - sheer hotels, bars and restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment establishments. The carefree party life rages in the daytime in the area of numerous beaches, and in the evening it moves to the city center, where vacationers move from one entertainment place to another and do not go to bed until the morning. Most of those who come to Ayia Napa are British, Germans, Scandinavians, but Russians are also frequent guests here.
8.
Greek cuisine
In Cyprus, they know a lot about excellent food. The national cuisine is mainly Greek, but has absorbed all the best recipes from its Mediterranean neighbors. One of the main dishes is moussaka, minced meat baked with vegetables. You should also try hummus pea puree, kolokassiya sweet potato, souvlaki beef baked with young onions, suzuko and paluzes sweets. Cypriot wines are also famous. The dessert is especially popular - Commandaria.
