Cyprus
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2013 2:02 pm
My sister lives in Cyprus and I have been there a couple of times to visit her.
She is incredibly happy there, and it is a fairly popular place for British people to emigrate to as it is much warmer, has the laid-back Greek culture and beautiful food, isn't too far on the plane and is friendly to outsiders. It has a very positive, outgoing atmosphere.
North Cyprus is Turkish, Southern Cyprus is Greek. When I refer to Cyprus I am only talking about the Greek side. I have not been to the North.
It is a great place for children as there are plenty of beaches, outdoor swimming pools, holiday resorts and family-friendly places you can go to. English is very widely spoken, you do not need to learn Greek but it may be useful if you plan to live there.
Although it is a warm and sunny country, it is very arid, dusty, barren and has frequent sandstorms. The landscape is more reminiscent of the Middle East than Greece due to its location.
Food is typical Greek food- salads, lamb, halloumi, amazing ice cream. Strangely, it can be difficult to find fresh fruit and vegetables, I presume most people grow their own.
In short, it may be worth a visit if:
- You like Greek food, sunshine, calm seas and a fun, party atmosphere.
- You are looking for somewhere to raise children where they can speak English and be accepted quickly by the natives.
- You want a laid-back, quiet life and don't get bored easily.
Why I wouldn't live there:
- There's not much to 'do' unless you like sunbathing all day and going out for a drink on the evenings. The streets are strangely empty in the daytime, especially in the smaller towns, and I didn't sense a great deal of community before 7pm at night.
- The food was difficult to get. It's lovely, but I kept having to eat at restuarants. I've no idea where the natives get their raw ingredients from, all I could find was ice cream, bread and cereal.
She is incredibly happy there, and it is a fairly popular place for British people to emigrate to as it is much warmer, has the laid-back Greek culture and beautiful food, isn't too far on the plane and is friendly to outsiders. It has a very positive, outgoing atmosphere.
North Cyprus is Turkish, Southern Cyprus is Greek. When I refer to Cyprus I am only talking about the Greek side. I have not been to the North.
It is a great place for children as there are plenty of beaches, outdoor swimming pools, holiday resorts and family-friendly places you can go to. English is very widely spoken, you do not need to learn Greek but it may be useful if you plan to live there.
Although it is a warm and sunny country, it is very arid, dusty, barren and has frequent sandstorms. The landscape is more reminiscent of the Middle East than Greece due to its location.
Food is typical Greek food- salads, lamb, halloumi, amazing ice cream. Strangely, it can be difficult to find fresh fruit and vegetables, I presume most people grow their own.
In short, it may be worth a visit if:
- You like Greek food, sunshine, calm seas and a fun, party atmosphere.
- You are looking for somewhere to raise children where they can speak English and be accepted quickly by the natives.
- You want a laid-back, quiet life and don't get bored easily.
Why I wouldn't live there:
- There's not much to 'do' unless you like sunbathing all day and going out for a drink on the evenings. The streets are strangely empty in the daytime, especially in the smaller towns, and I didn't sense a great deal of community before 7pm at night.
- The food was difficult to get. It's lovely, but I kept having to eat at restuarants. I've no idea where the natives get their raw ingredients from, all I could find was ice cream, bread and cereal.