Month: November 2015

As the easternmost island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is a natural point of departure for exploring the amazingly diverse region, offering the opportunity to enhance your holiday to the island by extending it to other countries.

Locally-based cruise lines departing from Limassol (Lemesos) Port – mainly during the summer months – provide locals and tourists alike with the unique experience of enjoying the splendours of ancient Egypt, major attractions in Israel and Lebanon, and the charming Greek islands – all just a short cruise away.

The cruises are typically of two-to-five days’ duration and make the most of Cyprus’ geographic position to eliminate the need to book hotels in the selected ports of call. For example, on a two-day cruise, passengers overnight on board, and can then spend a full day exploring the sights of the cruise destination, thereafter, overnighting on the ship again, en route to Cyprus.

The cruises are operated by large and comfortable cruise ships which offer full board accommodation and entertainment at very reasonable prices. Bookings for these cruises can be made while on holiday in Cyprus, whilst many tour operators in Europe and elsewhere also feature the cruises in their holiday brochures. The ships usually leave Limassol Port in the afternoon / early evening, arriving at the destination the following morning. The cruise programmes have been specifically designed to suit varying travel preferences, including departure days and destinations.

For up-to-date information on cruise destinations and itineraries from Cyprus visit:

www.salamiscruiselines.com

www.louiscruises.com.cy

With its close proximity to Middle East ports, excellent port facilities and the many and varied main attractions found just a short distance from them, Cyprus is an ideal port of call for cruises of all sizes.

The rich cultural sites of Cyprus can be explored with ease and comfort during the course of a ship’s short call to the island. These factors, and many others – such as an exceedingly safe environment and demonstrated commitment to the highest travel standards – have made Cyprus one of the most vital and important cruise centres in the Eastern Mediterranean. Many cruise ships already use Cyprus as a base for mini-cruises to popular Middle Eastern destinations during at least four months of the year. Furthermore, most international cruise liners sailing the region include Cyprus in some portion of their itineraries.

At the crossroads of a melting pot of cultures for over 11,000 years, the tiny island is endowed with a remarkably rich historical legacy that encompasses Neolithic ruins, instantly identifiable Greek and Roman sites, formidable Crusader castles, Early Christian basilicas, luminous Byzantine churches, and so much more.

Major places of interest can be reached within an hour drive from the ports of Cyprus. The most impressive archaeological and historical sites are most accessible from Limassol (Lemesos) Port. They include Kourion – an ancient Greco-Roman theatre dramatically perched on a cliff, overlooking lush green fields and the blue Mediterranean Sea – and the Medieval Crusader fortress of Kolossi. Head north from Lemesos and you’ll find yourself in the foothills of the pine-forested Troodos Mountains, with charming villages of stone-built houses, such as Omodos and Laneia along the way. Pafos (Paphos), on the western coast, has so many historical sites that the whole of Kato Pafos has been placed on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List. Amongst its most fascinating sites are the ancient Roman mosaics at the Houses of Aion and Dionysus, the Tombs of the Kings, and Saint Paul’s Pillar.

Varied and interesting excursions can also be organised from Larnaka (Larnaca) Port. These include the Medieval village of Lefkara – famous for its handmade lace, the Troodos Mountains, the capital Lefkosia (Nicosia), and the sights around Lemesos and Larnaka.

With so much to see and do on a compact and beautiful island, discovering something new and interesting on a short stop-over is not only easy, but an experience to be savoured and enjoyed.

– Cyprus is strategically located at the crossroads of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa and only an overnight sailing away from the ports of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and the nearest Greek island of Rhodes.

– The 35^th latitudinal parallel traverses Cyprus which lies at latitude 34A 33’ – 35A’ North and longitude 32A 16’ – 34A 37’ East.

– Abundant copper in antiquity put small Cyprus on the map. In fact Cyprus (Kypros in greek) gave copper its Latin name, cuprum. It was in the late Bronze Age, 1600 – 1050 BC, that Mycenaean Greeks came to Cyprus, integrating with the indigenous population.

– Trade links were established with Egypt and the Aegean islands. The archaeological record bears witness to a profusion of cults and temples from this time, one of the biggest being that of Aphrodite. According to myth, the Ancient Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty was born on Cyprus at the shore [you can visit the site on the way to Pafos (Paphos), a seaside boulder called Petra tou Romiou].

– Cyprus with a population of 946.000 (End 2013) is a modern island nation that retains as essentially Mediterranean character.

– The island has a mild, typically Mediterranean climate, with abundant warm sunshine and little rain.

– The island’s 9.251 square kilometres (3.572 square miles) encompass citrus and olive groves, pine forested mountains reaching heights of 1.950 meters (6.400 feet) and some of Europe’s cleanest beaches.

– While Greek is an official language in the Republic of Cyprus, English is spoken by nearly everyone (Cyprus was under British dominion from 1878 until independence in 1960).

– The road network is modern and extensive. Road signs are usually in Greek and English, and driving is on the left.

– The currency of Cyprus is the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted and there are ATMs in all major towns and many villages.

For more practical information on the island, click here.

Envisioning the ideal Mediterranean idyll brings to mind scenes of landscapes laced with olive trees… stunning cliffs… picture-perfect coastlines… the welcoming smiles of locals who love life, and an evocative sense of antiquity. This vision has a name: Cyprus.

At the crossroads of the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus offers a diverse range of topography and the opportunity for travellers to experience 10,000 years of living, cultural history – all in a comparatively small area.

Though a part of Europe, Cyprus lives and breathes a heritage that could only come from being at the centre of so much world history for so many centuries: Neolithic sites; enthralling sanctuaries to Aphrodite; Roman villas with ornate mosaic floors; city walls erected by Venetians, and a plethora of native treasures and traditions too.

Within the space of a single day, passengers who arrive at a port in Cyprus can take in a number of historical and natural attractions, from the Lemesos (Limassol) Medieval Fort to Kolossi Castle – a Crusader fortress, and the stunning Greco-Roman theatre of Kourion. In the west, the birthplace of Aphrodite and lively Pafos (Paphos) with its Roman mosaics and wealth of archaeological sites await discovery. To the east, the ancient city-kingdom of Kition – and Larnaka’s many quaint villages with their traditional handicrafts – are a delight to explore. Inland, the Troodos Mountains are home to winemaking villages, natural trails, Byzantine monasteries and painted churches.

It won’t take long to see and appreciate all the diversity that Cyprus has to offer. In less than an hour, travellers can go from alpine peaks – where it’s pleasant even in the height of summer – to bustling seaside, where a host of activities can be enjoyed, from swimming in waters that reach temperatures of 27°C (84°F), to sailing, diving, and of course… cruising.

And as the easternmost island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is also a natural point of departure for exploring the rest of this amazingly diverse region – offering the best of all worlds.  

Cruises Interactive Presentation (Windows)

Before the armies of Alexander the Great made their famous thrusts east toward lands unconquered, their ships called into port at Cyprus to be readied and refitted.

The same strategic location that made Cyprus a crucial starting point for Alexander’s expanding empire makes the island a desirable centre today for a calmer kind of maritime activity… cruising.

Whether for a cruise that originates on the island, as a port of call or a fly and cruise option, today Cyprus is among the premier cruising destinations in the Mediterranean…