Cyprus Travel Guide

Cyprus, once a center for the cult of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, is a modern island nation that retains an essentially Mediterranean character. Its 3,572 square miles (about the size of Connecticut) encompass citrus and olive groves, pine-forested mountains, and some of Europe's cleanest beaches. The easternmost island in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus has a 403-mile coastline and is approximately 60 miles west of Syria, 47 miles south of Turkey, and 200 miles north of Egypt. The island has a mild, typically Mediterranean climate, with an average of 340 days of sunshine a year. In winter, visitors can ski in the Troodos Mountains in the morning and sunbathe on the beach in the afternoon.