The history of any country requires careful and rather delicate treatment. And Cyprus even more so. Because, being on the sea routes connecting Europe and the countries of the Near and Middle East, as well as the northeastern part of the African continent, Cyprus has always been a tasty morsel of land. Therefore, its history is one of constant invasions, wars, and death of peoples. Not the most cheerful topic for conversation.
So, starting from the Neolithic era – approximately 7.5 thousand years BC, there was a settlement of Choirokoitia on the territory of Cyprus, the excavations of which today are part of the UNESCO heritage.
By the way, you can learn more about travel, visas, laws and real estate in Cyprus on specialized websites.
Skipping many centuries of the island's existence and development, we turn to the Roman period (1st century BC). Cyprus becomes part of the Roman Empire. The Apostles Paul and Barnabas bring Christianity to the island. This was perhaps the most serene stage in the history of this state. And today you can even see monuments of this era: the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, the ruins of the old city-states of Kourion and Amathus.
After Rome, power in the eastern and western parts of the island passed to Byzantium. But then Arab influence continued simultaneously. Although the Arabs themselves constantly raided the island, destroying its population. But at the end of the tenth century, Byzantium strengthened its dominance and was the full mistress until the beginning of the 20th century.
Then the King of England Richard the Lionheart captured Cyprus and sold it to the Knights Templar. Then came the Frankish period, then the Venetian, and then the Ottoman. All this time, the island was plundered – all treasures (vases, lamps, gold items and other historical monuments) were taken out of the country. Currently, they are in various museums around the world. Only in the 19th century did the British persuade the Turkish authorities to cede Cyprus. Although it remained nominally under Ottoman rule, power actually passed to Great Britain.
And only in the 1960s did Cyprus become an independent state. And history has left such historical sites as the Venetian Castle, Kolossi Castle, the Archbishop's Palace in Nicosia, the Selimiye Mosque – a real paradise for tourists.
So we quickly went through the history of this country, running through all the main events. Therefore, the influence of many countries has affected various aspects of the life of the Cypriots themselves. And now it is not surprising that the modern country resembles Noah's Ark, so in addition to the indigenous Cypriot population, there live English, Poles, Romanians, French, Germans, Russians, and African Arabs.
But the traditions of the country itself are still distinguished by their uniqueness and originality, although they have been subject to various influences. One of them is hospitality. To this day, Cypriots love to treat their guests to coffee and sweets.
Cypriots are a cheerful people, so such holidays as the "Carnival", dedicated to the biblical stories of Noah and the Great Flood, are most revered in Larnaca. The Wine Festival in Limassol lasts for 10 days, thus honoring Dionysus – the god of fun and winemaking. But the most beloved and main holiday of the islanders is Easter.
A vacation on this island will make you forget all your worries and anxieties for a while. Beaches with golden sand, excellent cuisine, crystal clear water, amazing nature – all this is fully at your disposal. Nature lovers will meet turtles that have occupied Alagari Beach. In the evening, many of these small animals crawl out of the sand and rush to quickly get into the clear sea.
And during the rainy season (December – March), pink flamingos await you on Lake Alyki in Larnaca. On the island of Paphos, Aphrodite's Bay will grant eternal youth to those who bathe there. And lovers of sea fun will be attracted by Ayia Napa beach, where you can see coral reefs.
In no other country in the world will you see a shipwreck museum; only in Cyprus can you get acquainted with exhibits of ships raised from the depths. There is even a merchant ship from the time of Alexander the Great.
PR