Cyprus: Rated Tops 2023

[TLCOhio]

From Forbes magazine earlier this month, they had this headline: “Best Places To Travel In 2023” with these highlights by writer Daniel Pöhler to spotlight Cyprus: “Cyprus is the island of cats: They are literally everywhere. Many Cypriots and tourists take loving care of the felines and have set up feeding and water stations at restaurants, hotels or along the road. If you are more interested in marine life, you can discover sea turtles while snorkeling or diving. These animals are threatened with extinction, so please keep a respectful distance.  Cyprus is divided: Legally, the whole island belongs to the Republic of Cyprus, but Turkish troops have occupied the north since the 1970s. The capital Nicosia is also divided, with a UN-controlled neutral zone in the middle. You can take a break there at The Home Cafe next to an abandoned hotel practically in No Man’s Land.”

 

We enjoyed our 2018 visit to Cyprus, especially seeing the historic and coastal areas, etc.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/travel-rewards/best-places-to-travel-2023/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,541 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[TLCOhio]

For Cyprus, there seems some confusion as to whether it fits most on Cruise Critic boards for here under "other Med" locations.  Or, on the Greek CC board.  This nation's connections are somewhat split and divided.  

 

For our first visit to Cyprus in 2018, we traveled through the foothills where most of the country's vineyards and the orchards of the Phassouri citrus groves exist.  Our first destination was Petra tou Romiou, the symbol of the city of Paphos. Legend tells us that it is here, the goddess of Cyprus, Aphrodite, was born from the foam of the sea and carried by the sea's waves to the coast of Cyprus.  She is the embodiment of the fertilizing dynamism of Love, believed to fertilize the whole of nature and spread happiness. Archaeological evidence and inscriptions bear witness of the existence of numerous sanctuaries and temples dedicated to Aphrodite throughout Cyprus.

 

Next we went to Pafos, now a small harbor town and popular holiday resort.  In Hellenistic and Roman times Pafos served as the capital of Cyprus. It remains the home of colorful Dionysos mosaics, knowned throughout the Mediterranean. The entire town of Pafos is included in the official UNESCO list of culture and natural treasures of the world heritage.  We visited the House of Dionysos, famous for the mosaics unearthed during the excavation of a Roman nobleman's villa from the 3rd century AD. There is an extensive complex of buildings here that are fitted with \mosaic floors showing Roman legends and characters, but mostly representing scenes from Greek mythology.

 

We also visited a large Greco-Roman theater built in the 2nd century BC which is still used today for many performances, including ancient dramas. Perched high on a cliff, this location offers great views of the ruins and the sapphire sea.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,755 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

In departing our ship, we were greeted by local dancers to sample a little of their culture and welcoming.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

These two visuals offer a sample of the waters and coastline areas in Cyprus.:

 

 

Here is a small sampling of the Dionysos mosaics and other related historic areas.:

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Below are four more visuals from our November 2018 Cyprus visit giving a sampling for the various mosaics, historic sites and finally that large Greco-Roman theater.  Like the location facing the sea?

 

From the New York Times at: 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/06/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-cyprus.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2F36-hours&action=click&contentCollection=travel&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=42&pgtype=collection

this major publication offered in 2017, a detailed summary for Cyprus titled: "36 Hours in Cyprus" by Seth Sherwood that has this sub-headline: "Recovered from its economic woes, the mythological birthplace of Aphrodite is solvent again and undergoing a rebirth of its own."

 

This NYT travel section profile also shared: "In the coastal city of Limassol, a vast new waterfront gleams with boutiques, art galleries and glassy modernist buildings full of stylish seafood emporiums. In the nation’s capital city, Nicosia — divided by barbed wire and sandbags since a 1974 Turkish invasion that seized the northern part of Cyprus — skyscrapers and squares by celebrity architects are sprouting alongside a new world-class museum, upstart restaurants and buzzing night life. All the while, the sun-soaked island’s ancient ruins, medieval fortresses, powerful wines and clear waters remain as alluring as ever."  There are a number options and tips contained in this summary, plus pictures, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,865 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923