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Latest update:
23/09/2008 00:47 +0300
Practical
Guide to CYPRUS 2009:
CYPRUS |
HISTORY |
GEOGRAPHY & ORIENTATION |
PRACTICAL GUIDE
 Entry Requirements:
A valid passport
is required for a stay of up to 90 days for all bonafide
tourists except citizens of European Union countries,
Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, who may
enter Cyprus with their national identity card provided it
bears a photo. Some non-EU third country nationals require a
visa. Further detailed information can be obtained from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 Getting There: The main
gateway to Cyprus is Larnaca International Airport, 50
kilometres south of the capital, Nicosia, and 70 kilometres
east of Limassol. Cyprus is well-connected by air to most
major centres of Europe and the Middle East. In addition to
regular flights, dozens of daily holiday flights connect
Cyprus with the rest of the world throughout the year.
A second
international airport operates in Paphos, but caters mostly
to charter flights, with limited destinations and
frequencies on scheduled flights.
 Getting Around:
All major cities
of Cyprus are connected with an extensive motorway system
that runs along the southern coast between Aghia Nappa in
the east and Paphos in the west (via Larnaca, Larnaca
International Airport, Limassol and Paphos International
Airport), as well as inland to Nicosia.
Public
transportation is limited to a few intercity buses serving
the major centres. Taxis are widely available and can be
hailed on the street, or ordered by phone or online.
Numerous car-hire outlets, including all the major
international chains, operate in Cyprus and most have desks
at the airports. Driving is on the left.
 Weather
and Climate:
Cyprus enjoys an intense
Mediterranean climate of hot dry summers starting in mid-May
and lasting until mid-September and rainy, quite mild
winters from November to mid-March. Spring and autumn are
effectively short intervals in between, characterised by
smooth weather. With almost year-round clear skies and
sunshine, daylight length ranges from 9.8 hours in December
to 14.5 hours in June. Daily temperatures during the hottest
months of July and August, range between 29°C on the central
plain and 22°C on the Troodos Mountains. The average
maximum temperatures for these two months range between 36°C
and 27°C. In January, the coolest month, the indicative
daily temperature is 10°C on the central plain and 3°C on
the higher parts of the Troodos Mountains while the average
minimum temperatures are 5°C and 0°C.
 Money: As of 1 January
2008, the official currency of Cyprus is the euro (replacing
the Cyprus Pound), divided into 100 cents. The euro comes in
banknotes of
€500,
€200,
€100,
€50,
€20,
€10 and
€5, and
coins of
€2,
€1,
€0.50,
€0.20,
€0.10,
€0.05,
€0.02,
€0.01.
Most major
currencies may be exchanged at banks (open Monday to Friday
08:30-13:00), as well as at the larger hotels.
Round-the-clock exchange facilities are available at both Larnaca and Paphos International Airports.
Outside most
bank branches, ATM’s dispense local currency.
Most major credit cards are widely accepted at almost every
tourist-oriented establishment.
In mid-April 2008
€1=1.59540
Swiss Francs and €1=118.975
Iceland Krona.
 Time: Cyprus time is two
hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Summer time, as in the
rest of the European Union, is in effect from the last
Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, bringing
Cyprus three hours ahead of GMT.
Shop opening hours vary depending on type and location, but
are generally open from between 07:00 and 09:00 until
between 19:00 and 20:00 Monday to Saturday. Wednesday is
generally early-closing day. Most regular shops are closed
on Sundays. Mini Markets and Kiosks keep longer hours and
24-hour service is available in all major cities.
 Electricity: Electricity
in Cyprus is 230V, 50 cycles, with UK-style, square-pin
plugs. More than one low current
rating appliance may be operated from the same supply point
by using an adaptor (i.e. radios, electric clocks etc.). The
use of adaptors for operating high current rating appliances
is not recommended (i.e. electric heaters, toasters, irons
etc.).
Adaptors are widely available at supermarkets, grocery
stores, kiosks etc. Hotel receptions may also be able to
provide assistance.
 Weights & Measures:
Cyprus uses the metric system of weights and measures.
Temperatures are reported in degrees Celsius, petrol is sold
by the litre, grocery items are in grams and kilograms,
fabric lengths in metres, and road speeds and distances
posted in kilometres.
 Telephones: Direct dial
phone service is available between Cyprus and all countries
of the world. International calls may be placed from any
private or public phone. Public payphones come in three
types: Coinphones, outdoor cardphones and indoor cardphones.
All public phones have instructions posted in English and
other languages. Telephone cards are widely available at
kiosks and newsagents. To call overseas, dial 00 + country
code + area code + local number. The international code for
Cyprus (when calling from abroad) is 357.
Mobile phone networks in Cyprus are compatible with the
European-wide GSM 900/1800 standards, but not with the
systems available in the USA and Japan. Cytamobile-Vodafone
and MTN are the two mobile phone service providers in
Cyprus. Both offer roaming in cooperation with foreign
providers, as well as cheap PAYG (Pay-As-You-Go) local phone
numbers and pre-paid cards.
 Internet:
Broadband Internet is available practically everywhere in
Cyprus. Internet cafés provide access and other
computer-related services to visitors. Internet cafés can be
found in all cities and towns of Cyprus. Most hotels also
offer either wired or wireless access.
Internet access will be provided by the organisers at
all Press facilities of the venues of CYPRUS 2009.
 Languages
and Religions:
Greek and
Turkish are the official languages of Cyprus, but English is
very widely spoken. German and French are also spoken
within the tourism industry. English-language newspapers,
magazines and TV and radio shows, either local or imported,
are widely available throughout the island. Cyprus enjoys an
exceedingly high level of freedom of worship. While the
majority of Greek-Cypriots are Greek-Orthodox Christians,
other denominations are represented on the island, including
Armenians, Maronites and Roman Catholics.The Turkish-Cypriot
community is predominantly Muslim.
 Media:
Several
newspapers are published in Cyprus daily in the Greek
language. Additionally, Cyprus Mail is published daily in
English. All newspapers are widely available at kiosks
throughout the country. Seven national TV channels broadcast
to all of the island, in addition to several local TV
stations in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos. News in
English are broadcast on RIK2 of the Cyprus Broadcasting
Corporation very evening. The CyBC is the
state-owned TV and radio company of Cyprus. Numerous talk
and music radio stations are available throughout the
island.
For CYPRUS 2009, a
broadcasting consortium has been set up, that will provide
coverage of all sports and will also produce daily roundups.
These roundups will also be available on this website. A
daily newspaper for CYPRUS 2009 will be published during the
Games by the Press Office of the event.
Cyprus |
History |
Geography & Orientation |
Practical Guide
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