Cyprus: is it worth the trip?
 

Friends are proposing to go to Cyprus. We have heard that it is very touristy and is run over by Russian mafia & British tourism.Since we would be traveling from the west coast of the US is it worth the expense? Would you really choose Cyprus over other destinations? We are not really interested in bars, the night scene and crowded beaches.

I think it depends where you go. The extreme east around Ayia Napa is all that is bad with Brits on holiday. Everywhere else is OK with some bits being positively stunning.<BR><BR>Paphos and around is where we have chosen to stay three times. The mountains are tremendous, the history unparalleled and teh people lovely. Everyone speaks English and you even get English language newspapers.<BR><BR>I know nothing about the Mafia ( and if I did I couldn't tell you)

I am not sure where you are hearing all this stuff. It is touristy but there are so many great places to visit, excellent food and the best weather in the world for sunshine. People are very friendly. We go to Cyprus every year (minum once to three times) and we are from Canada and have never met a single Russian mafia person. It is truly a great island. Good luck and hopefully you will not change your mind.

I just went to Larnaca in Cyprus last week. It was very nice. Almost everyone can speak english fairly well, there is almost no crime in Cyprus, and to me Florida was a little nicer than Cyprus. This could be because it is off season there right now. But if you can go there in the Summer months, they tell me it is very, very nice there.<BR><BR>

Matt, you are correct. It is off season between November and March. April to October is the best time to go to Cyprus.

Dear Vera,<BR>Why not try the north of Cyprus? It's not as touristy and not crowded at all. I don't think anyone on this forum has been to the north and I know there may be some concerns about safety but they're all unnecessary. As a native of this beautiful island, I would definitely recommend the north for a quiet, relaxing holiday on a beautiful beach.

Northern Cyprus is, of course, an unrecognised rogue state, but with luck, the UN proposals of last November will fix that problem

I would like to second the suggestion for Northern Cyprus. Unlike the Greek south, the Turkish northern part is virtually unspoiled. The only problem is that it is not easy to get to, because you cannot fly directly to it from anywhere (because it is not recognised). You have to fly into an airport in Turkey first, but sometimes you do not need to get off the plane. I lived in Cyprus for three years (67-70) and the northern part has hardly changed in that time. I like Kyrenia best (now called Girne).