Cyprus an Island For Everyone By Nick Nikolis At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Cyprus lately is increasingly becomes one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, attracting over 3 million tourists per year, from Europe and other countries especially in the U.K.

Cyprus can really please everyone: couples, families and groups can choose between lively resorts and quieter settings with plenty of space to relax. Reasons for its rising popularity is the weather, which remains fair year round, as well as the many beaches and activities. Besides sunny and sea holidays visitors travel in Cyprus for business and real estate.

Wherever you travel you will find ancient monuments and sites, churches and monasteries bearing silent witness to over many years of civilization and history. Although a small Country, Cyprus Island has a huge overwhelming cultural heritage. With a population of only 700 000, large areas of the island remain completely unspoiled.

The Island of Cyprus stands at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe and this exotic mix is well-reflected in Cyprus' cultural history. It is known as the place of Venus, god of love and beauty, who, according to Greek mythology, was born there.

The islands' cultural diversity is perhaps best reflected in the local cuisine, which brings together the best elements of Mediterranean cooking. Meat dishes marinated in dried coriander seeds and wine, and eventually dried and smoked, such as lounza, charcoal-grilled lamb (souvla), sheftalia (minced meat wrapped in mesentery), as well as cracked wheat (pourgouri) are some of the traditional delicacies of the island.

Cyprus also figures in religious literature, most notably in Acts of the Apostles, according to which the Apostles Barnabas and Paul preached on the island.

The traditional folk music of Cyprus has many common elements with Greek mainland and island folk music, including dances like the sousta, syrtos, zeibekikos, tatsia, and the kartsilamas.

Sunny Mediterranean beaches enclosed by rugged cliffs, cool cedar forests, scented orange groves and gentle meadows blanketed in wildflowers, charming villages, ruins of ancient civilizations and distinctive local cultures: there are whole worlds to discover in this eminently accessible island, where the service is extraordinary and the people are as warm as the Mediterranean sun.

As the sun sets and nightlife begins, you will find everything, from traditional taverns to lively bars and clubs. Take time to discover Troodos Mountains and Akamas peninsula, or some of the island's rich history, from pre-historic tombs to Crusader castles.

The island is hilly, with few rivers, and the climate is hot. Climate is temperate and Mediterranean with dry summers and variably rainy winters. Summer temperatures range from warm at higher elevations to Troodos mountains to hot in the lowlands. Winter temperatures are mild at lower elevations, where snow rarely occurs, but are significantly colder in the mountains with sufficient snow for seasonal ski facilities. Dust storms are frequent throughout the year. During the wet winter months Cyprus is a green island. Summer temperatures in the inland capital of Nicosia can reach over 40 degrees Celsius while in the coastal regions they can reach a more modest 35 to 38 degrees.

National languages spoken on the island are Greek in the Republic of Cyprus and Turkish in North Cyprus. Although the island lies close to the Middle East, it is considered to be a European country and is a member of the European Union. The main harbors of the island are Limassol harbor and Larnaca harbor, which service cargo, passenger, and cruise ships. Limassol is the island's second largest city and is located on the south coast.

Cyprus' geographic location, tax incentives and modern infrastructure also make it a natural hub for companies looking to do business with the Middle East, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, the European Union, and North Africa. Generally Tourism, financial services, and real estate are the most important sectors of Cyprus Economy.

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