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Food in Cyprus
Visitors to Cyprus always comment on the quality of the food. There
is a rich variety available, and the quality of the fresh ingredients
make it some of the best you will find nywhere. A popular option
is to order a meze (or mezedes or mezedakia). You may get up to
twenty small plates of savories that will include cheeses (halloumi,
kaskavalli or feta), tomatoes, olives, celery, sliced artichokes
or smoked ham, houmous (ground chick peas, with olive oil and garlic),
octopus (or squid), shrimps, fresh fish such as barbouni (delicious
red mullet), succulent snippets of chicken or turkey, seftalia (homemade
sausage), koupepia (stuffed vine leaves) or taramosalata (fish roe,
olive oil and lemon). The can be followed by a main course of moussaka
(made from minced lamb or beef and herbs covered with layers of
sliced potatoes, eggplant and zucchini) or tavas (a veal, onion
and herb dish served in little earthenware bowls straight from the
oven and sprinkled with spices. Another option is Souflakia, a kebab
of lamb or pork skewered and roasted by slow charcoal fire and eaten
with chopped onion, salt and pepper in a pitta bread with delicious
local yogurt. It is often a meal in itself. A further option might
be avgolemoni (lemon and egg soup), patcha (a kind of lamb stew
served with lemon), kleftiko (lamb roasted in traditional oven)
or suckling pig with roast potatoes. If you prefer a more simple
meal, Cyprus' national dish of sailors' beans is called fasolada,
or there is afelia, which is pork soaked in wine, sautéed with oil,
coriander and wine. There's also zalatina (highly seasoned brawn),
and Cyprus smoked sausages, flavoured with pepper and lentisk, or
laurel. The people of Cyprus love sweet things. Souzoukko, a favorite
at Cyprus festivals and fairs, is made by dipping strings of nuts
in heated grape juice until the confection solidifies. Glyko are
preserves of apricot, cherry, almond, date, quince or grapes, always
served with a glass of cold water. Baklava and Kadeifi are rich
honey cakes.
 Weather
in Cyprus
The weather in Cyprus is one of its main attractions. Cyprus is
the generally hottest and driest island in the Mediterranean. Poor
weather is not usually a cause for complaint from visitors. It enjoys
more sunshine than any other Mediterranean destination - typically
340 days of sunshine per year. The spring season in Cyprus is mild.
During April the spring flowers are at their best, and this is a
good time to visit if you don't enjoy the periods of peak temperature.
During the months of July and August the temperature can be well
above 30°C.
Travelling to Cyprus
Cyprus has two international airports which handle the many chartered
and scheduled flights from London and a variety of other international
cities. The flight from the UK is a 4 ½ hour trip. One of
the airports is located 15km east of Paphos town. This is especially
useful for thos who buy property in Pafos and the surrounding area.
Property Investment in Cyprus
Over the past few years property prices in Cyprus have been rising
steadily. Property here still represents good value for money, and
a strong property market has been established.l. Cyprus is viewed
one of the more affordable places in the Mediterranean to buy, and
property prices are currently rising by as much as 20%.
One of the benefits that UK tax payers find in Cyprus is that it
has a favourable tax position on pensionable income. This makes
it especially popular with British retirees. Areas such as Paralimni/Kapparis
and Protaras to the east of the island are becoming hotspots for
those looking for investment opportunities. The town of Paphos in
the west has some of the more expensive properties on the island
but it is one of the most unspoilt regions and has because of its
strong historical and archaeological links, it has strict planning
regulations.
Overall, the cost of living in Cyprus is approximately 30% cheaper
than in the UK. Inflation is currently about 3.5%, and the unemployment
rate is low, at about 3%.
Cyprus has many attractions, which means that renting out property
is potentially a good source of income. Investors targeting the
busy coastal areas should look for villas and apartments which are
located close to the night-life, as these are more easily rented
out than properties located some distance away. Property prices
in these areas might be higher, but the return on investment will
be much better. Villas are also a good investment, especially for
rental by families.With the climate being hot all year round and
the summer so long, you can anticipate rental income for nine months
of the year.
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