itinerary ideas for 8 days in cyprus?
Apr 21st, 2005, 07:54 PM
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itinerary ideas for 8 days in cyprus?
Hello,
I will be spending a month this summer on an academic program in Nicosia, but have allowed 8 days after the program is done before coming back to the states... What shall I do? There won't be time during the program for travel, so I could see more of Cyprus, or head to Greece or the Greek Isles? Any ideas? I will most likely be alone and am on a student's budget! Is town-to-town travel on Cyprus fairly easy (I don't want to rent a car)?
Any ideas are much appreciated! Thanks!
I will be spending a month this summer on an academic program in Nicosia, but have allowed 8 days after the program is done before coming back to the states... What shall I do? There won't be time during the program for travel, so I could see more of Cyprus, or head to Greece or the Greek Isles? Any ideas? I will most likely be alone and am on a student's budget! Is town-to-town travel on Cyprus fairly easy (I don't want to rent a car)?
Any ideas are much appreciated! Thanks!
Apr 22nd, 2005, 04:38 AM
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Cyprus is easily worth 8 days of anyone's time. It would save you the cost of travel, and meantime I think Cyprus will be cheaper than Greece.
I'd stay a day or so in Nicosia, which is well worth seeing itself, then go down to the South West- the area around Paphos- and you can use service buses to get around quite easily. The people are just wonderful.
I'd stay a day or so in Nicosia, which is well worth seeing itself, then go down to the South West- the area around Paphos- and you can use service buses to get around quite easily. The people are just wonderful.
Apr 22nd, 2005, 04:36 PM
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Sheila,
Thanks for the reply...you seem the resident Cyprus expert! A couple more questions for you: Is it safe to travel alone as a female (assuming regular precautions/awareness)? What is appropriate attire for females? And finally, with regard to accomadations, are there hostels, or just hotels?
Thanks so much!
~meg
Thanks for the reply...you seem the resident Cyprus expert! A couple more questions for you: Is it safe to travel alone as a female (assuming regular precautions/awareness)? What is appropriate attire for females? And finally, with regard to accomadations, are there hostels, or just hotels?
Thanks so much!
~meg
Apr 23rd, 2005, 12:31 AM
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It's actually a while since I was in Cyprus (I've transferred my allegiance to Crete).
It is certainly safe for a sole female to travel in Cyprus. I look like the back of a bus, and even I attracted "interest". It is probably just that, and certainly was characterised by kindness and concern and was never intrusive.
It's a holiday island; they are used to people wearing almost nothing. They do NOT do nudity however. In more remote inland areas, you'd be better to have shorts and tee shirt than bikini- at least in the streets
. Cover up in Churches and Monasteries.
I can't think of any hostels as such. That doesn't mean there weren't any, just that I didn't look. I'll check when I get home, in the books.
By comparison with Greece, I think there are fewer small hotels- tho' they certainly exist, at least in the cities, like Paphos. I don't recall much evidence of the "rent room" think you see everywhere in Greece. It's all pretty regulated, and there are maximum prices you can be charged.
It is certainly safe for a sole female to travel in Cyprus. I look like the back of a bus, and even I attracted "interest". It is probably just that, and certainly was characterised by kindness and concern and was never intrusive.
It's a holiday island; they are used to people wearing almost nothing. They do NOT do nudity however. In more remote inland areas, you'd be better to have shorts and tee shirt than bikini- at least in the streets
. Cover up in Churches and Monasteries.I can't think of any hostels as such. That doesn't mean there weren't any, just that I didn't look. I'll check when I get home, in the books.
By comparison with Greece, I think there are fewer small hotels- tho' they certainly exist, at least in the cities, like Paphos. I don't recall much evidence of the "rent room" think you see everywhere in Greece. It's all pretty regulated, and there are maximum prices you can be charged.
Apr 23rd, 2005, 01:51 AM
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Sheila
My M.I.L goes to Cyprus regularly, in fact she is there now.
She always says she prefers to go to Northern Cyprus.
I know there have been some political problems with the Greeks and Turks but I am not well studied on the situation at all. What is the situation in Northern Cyprus? she tells stories of an airport untouched for 30 years and planes still standing on runways as they were left years ago.
This may be a dumb question but it is something I need to find out and will no doubt research soon, your insight may be a great place to start.
thanks
Muck
Apr 23rd, 2005, 05:25 AM
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Mucky, I am a political animal; and the father of my husband's best man was our High Commissioner in Cyprus at the time of the Emergency so my views are not unbiased and should therefore be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.
In the mid-50s, the Greek nationalist movement (EOKA) startng blowing things up and killing people in Cyprus with a view to achieving enosis (union with Greece). Oddly the Turks were against that.
The usual British historic compromise and Cyprus became independent (presumably you know that because of its geographic position in the Mediterranean, it had a mixed population of people of Greek and Turkish extraction- I think about 3 to 1; easy enough to check; the population had, by and large, got on OK together for centuries)
In 1973, the Colonels took power in Greece, and, at the time, the President of Cyprus, one Archbishop Makarios (known as "black Mac" to our pals, not because of his views, but because of his garb), banned EOKA B becuase they were plotting a coup, funded by the new Athens goverment.
The "couped" anyway, and we rescued Makarios and he led a government in exile. The Turks were, understandably pissed off, and launched an invasion fleet.
Within 3 days, the junta was deposed, and their puppet president resigned, but it was too late. The Turks had landed. Up to this point there wasa figment of politics going on, that everything that had been done, had been done by Cypriots.
The Turkish Cypriots, led by Ralf Denktas, wanted some form of authority over about 1/3 of the island. This was under negotiation, the negotiations had broken off for consultation, and the Turks just took the land anyway with a new border along what is known as the "Green Line".
Although the Turks in the south were not ACTUALLY told to leave, they did, and went north. The Greeks in the north were told to go and they did. Altogether about 1/3 of each poulation was displaced.
There has beena de facto division of the island ever since. The UN does not recognise the Turkish Cypriot regime (which is why I've never been).
Until recently you couldn't travel into the north from the south. There have been serious efforts in recent years, in anticipation of Cypriot accession into the EU, to fix things, and relations have got less strained. But the Turks would not play at the last minute and thus only the south has joined the EU.
I'm sure the north is less expensive, it is less developed, and it welcomes international fugitives (Remember Nadir, and Polly Peck?)
What your MIL is talking about is seen most obviously around Famagusta- just north of Ayia Napa. The Green Line is made up of the Turkish and Greek lines, with a buffer zone between that's controlled by the UN, and sometimes, for example in Nicosia, the buffer zone is so thin that you realise that those buildings just through there, the ones sporting a red and white Turkish flag, are actually in northern Cyprus. In other places, it's some miles wide; and nothing has been touched inside the two lines since 1974. It's said you can still see washing hanging on lines where it was just left when the Greeks fled.
I think the thing I saw that brough this home to me most forcibly was when we visited Nicosia the last time we were in Cyprus. Nicosia lies in a plan in teh centre of the island with mountain ranges between ita nd the south coast and ita nd the north coast. As you cross the mountain range from the south, this MASSIVE crescent and star flag (the Turkish flag) is picked out on the side of the hills overlooking the city from the north. It's hard to describe what a blatant insult that must be to the Greeks.
I'm most sympathetic to the ordinary people of both sides, caught up in this stupid division, but Ralf Denktas is princiaplly to blame for 30 years of suffering by the Northern Cypriots.
In the mid-50s, the Greek nationalist movement (EOKA) startng blowing things up and killing people in Cyprus with a view to achieving enosis (union with Greece). Oddly the Turks were against that.
The usual British historic compromise and Cyprus became independent (presumably you know that because of its geographic position in the Mediterranean, it had a mixed population of people of Greek and Turkish extraction- I think about 3 to 1; easy enough to check; the population had, by and large, got on OK together for centuries)
In 1973, the Colonels took power in Greece, and, at the time, the President of Cyprus, one Archbishop Makarios (known as "black Mac" to our pals, not because of his views, but because of his garb), banned EOKA B becuase they were plotting a coup, funded by the new Athens goverment.
The "couped" anyway, and we rescued Makarios and he led a government in exile. The Turks were, understandably pissed off, and launched an invasion fleet.
Within 3 days, the junta was deposed, and their puppet president resigned, but it was too late. The Turks had landed. Up to this point there wasa figment of politics going on, that everything that had been done, had been done by Cypriots.
The Turkish Cypriots, led by Ralf Denktas, wanted some form of authority over about 1/3 of the island. This was under negotiation, the negotiations had broken off for consultation, and the Turks just took the land anyway with a new border along what is known as the "Green Line".
Although the Turks in the south were not ACTUALLY told to leave, they did, and went north. The Greeks in the north were told to go and they did. Altogether about 1/3 of each poulation was displaced.
There has beena de facto division of the island ever since. The UN does not recognise the Turkish Cypriot regime (which is why I've never been).
Until recently you couldn't travel into the north from the south. There have been serious efforts in recent years, in anticipation of Cypriot accession into the EU, to fix things, and relations have got less strained. But the Turks would not play at the last minute and thus only the south has joined the EU.
I'm sure the north is less expensive, it is less developed, and it welcomes international fugitives (Remember Nadir, and Polly Peck?)
What your MIL is talking about is seen most obviously around Famagusta- just north of Ayia Napa. The Green Line is made up of the Turkish and Greek lines, with a buffer zone between that's controlled by the UN, and sometimes, for example in Nicosia, the buffer zone is so thin that you realise that those buildings just through there, the ones sporting a red and white Turkish flag, are actually in northern Cyprus. In other places, it's some miles wide; and nothing has been touched inside the two lines since 1974. It's said you can still see washing hanging on lines where it was just left when the Greeks fled.
I think the thing I saw that brough this home to me most forcibly was when we visited Nicosia the last time we were in Cyprus. Nicosia lies in a plan in teh centre of the island with mountain ranges between ita nd the south coast and ita nd the north coast. As you cross the mountain range from the south, this MASSIVE crescent and star flag (the Turkish flag) is picked out on the side of the hills overlooking the city from the north. It's hard to describe what a blatant insult that must be to the Greeks.
I'm most sympathetic to the ordinary people of both sides, caught up in this stupid division, but Ralf Denktas is princiaplly to blame for 30 years of suffering by the Northern Cypriots.
Apr 24th, 2005, 04:38 AM
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Thanks Sheila for the explanation, It really is a sad situation.
Do you think it will ever be resolved?
It really is a shame, as MIL says that part of the island is so beautiful.
Once again thanks,
Muck
Do you think it will ever be resolved?
It really is a shame, as MIL says that part of the island is so beautiful.
Once again thanks,
Muck
Apr 24th, 2005, 05:32 AM
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I think it will, but i wouldn't like to put a timescale on it. The situation is much better than it was a few years ago. Do you remember the student protests, maybe 5 years ago, when the Grek kids went up to the Gren Line and 2 of them were killed? That couldn't happen today (I think).
And Greek Cypriots can now get visas to cross over- that's just within the last 12 months.
I suspect teh EU will again put ona huge amount of pressure to try to get Turkey to sort it out in the context of accession. Turkey will, of course, say "Nothing to do with me, gov". So it will be interesting to see how the politics pan out.
And Greek Cypriots can now get visas to cross over- that's just within the last 12 months.
I suspect teh EU will again put ona huge amount of pressure to try to get Turkey to sort it out in the context of accession. Turkey will, of course, say "Nothing to do with me, gov". So it will be interesting to see how the politics pan out.
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