Currency

Euro

Government

Republic since 1960 with a democratically elected parliament

Religion

Greek Orthodox

Cuisine

Cyprus cuisine is comprised of a combination of the Mediterranean, Southern European and Middle Eastern cuisines.

The most popular dish is kebab wrapped in a pitta («souvlaki stin pitta»), and Cypriot cheese («halloumi») Local dishes are tasty and appetizing, but the first thing you should try is a "meze" which will be served at any taverna. A meze is a rich selection of around 20 appetizers and dips. Meze comes in three types: meat, fish, and mixed. When ordering any type of meze, you become part of a gastronomic ritual. Dishes will be placed at your table in a certain order, over a period of one and a half to two hours. A glass of Zivania, the national Cypriot drink made from grapes will go well with any meze to stir your appetite.

Traditional desserts include green walnuts in syrup; rizogalo (sweet rice pudding with cinnamon), halva, made from semolina and nuts with sugar, honey and vegetable oil, baklava, and other kadaifi eastern sweets

Banks

Visitors to Cyprus can exchange currency, open bank accounts, send cash and carry out various types of non-cash transactions in banks.

Mon-Fri 08:15 - 13:30 May - September

Mon-Fri 08:30 - 13:30 and Mon.15:15 - 16:45 October - April.

Shops

Shops are open during the week generally from 09:00 - 13:00 and from 15:00 - 19:00 (with some shops also being open until 21:00), on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 09:00-13:00. Some are also open on Sundays and holidays.

Post

Post Offices are open weekdays from 07:30 - 17:30 for District Post Offices and 08:00 – 14:30 for urban and rural Post Offices.

Telecommunications

To use payphones, you will have to buy phone cards from post offices or newspaper kiosks. For calls within Cyprus, Pay As You Go sim cards are available from most kiosks at a reasonably low cost.

Electricity

240 volts AC, 50Hz.Square 13-amp three-pin plugs (UK-type) are used.

Adaptor plugs are widely available from hotel receptions or shops.

Country Code

+357

Important Telephone Numbers

Police 112/199

Fire brigade- 112

Ambulance-   112

General Phone Information - 11800

Urban Busses – 25 354 050

Airports/Flight Information – 7777 8833

Harbour Authority – 25 207 200

Pharmacies (all day/all night) – 9090 1405

Lemesos Municipality – 25 884 300

Yermasoyia Municipality – 25 879 898

Ayios Athanasios Municipality – 25 724 252

Mesa Yeitonia Municipality – 25 723 597

Kato Polemidia Municipality – 25 821 382