All holiday makers arriving in Cyprus should hold a valid passport. No other form of identity is acceptable. Maximum stay is 90 days.

Visas are not required for holders of passports of most countries with which a Bilateral Agreement exists.

As for health requirements no immunizations are currently required for visits to Cyprus.

A health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in a period 12 months to 30 days prior to entry is required when you bring dogs and cats into the country. A notarized English translation of this certificate is also necessary.

Passengers visiting the Republic of Cyprus may enter the Republic only through the Legal ports of entry; Larnaca or Paphos international Airports or the ports of Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos.

The ports of Famagusta, Kyrenia and Karavostasi, as well as Tympou airport have been declared by the government as prohibited points of entry, and no visitor is allowed to enter the republic through these ports.

The local currency is the Cyprus Pound (CYP), which is divided into 100 cents.

Coin denominations are 1 ,2,5,10,20 and 50 cents.

Paper denominations are 1 ,5,10 and 20 pounds (CYP).

Current currency rates are available from the Central Bank of Cyprus and are available from banks and in daily newspapers.

Exchange facilities are available at all points of entry, banks, hotels, and currency exchange offices. Rates are displayed and you may wish to ask for a receipt.

Credit cards and Traveler's Cheques are accepted at most hotels, car rental agencies, shops and restaurants. Major cards accepted are Master Card and Visa.

Traveler's Cheques can be exchanged at any bank at the official rate.

There are no restrictions on visitors to bring in or take out foreign currencies.  However, the amount to export cannot exceed the amount imported and declared.

The amount of local currency (CYP) to bring in is also unlimited, provided it is declared upon arrival.

The maximum amount of local currency that can be exported is CYP 10,000.

The above restrictions do not apply for European Union citizens.

The climate of Cyprus makes the island one of the healthiest places in the world. The long and dry summer fills alike the bathing beaches and the pine clad mountains, where the climate is equally dry, sunny and bracing. The winter is mild and invigorating: with 340 days of bright sunshine annually and the lowest sea temperature being 17^oC (62^oF) (in January) you can still swim in the crystal clear blue sea or sunbathe on the lovely sandy beaches. On the mountains, snow begins to fall late December and skiing is usually possible from January to March.

SPRING:
Light shirts, trousers, skirts; woolen clothing for evening.

SUMMER:
July and August are very hot. Thin cotton dresses, shirts, shorts which can be worn until October. Plenty of beachwear of course.

AUTUMN:
Similar to Spring. Can be warm enough for light dresses and trousers in November. Woolens at night.

WINTER:
January and February can occasionally be very wet and quite cold, so bring some warm clothing.

The main official language is Greek.

English is widely spoken along with German in the tourist areas.

Cyprus is far enough from Europe's major cities to be different, but yet close enough to be less than a few hours fly time away. The island is easily accessible as more than 37 Airlines operate scheduled flights from / to Larnaca and Paphos International Airports.

Indicative fly times from some of the major European airports to Cyprus are shown:

• London: 4 hours 30 min
• Paris: 3 hours 30 min
• Vienna: 3 hours
• Zurich: 3 hours
• Frankfurt: 3 hours 30 min
• Athens: 1 hour 35 min
• Amsterdam: 3 hours 30 min
• Stockholm: 5 hours
• Bahrain: 3 hours

The electricity supply is 240 volts, A.C. 50 cycles per second, single phase for lighting and domestic requirements. The larger hotels provide points for electric shavers giving voltages of 230/115. Be sure to bring an adaptor plug to use in the electrical outlets.

There are daily airmail services to all countries. One can find post offices in all areas and also plenty of yellow letterboxes.

Cyprus has one of the most advanced telephony systems in the world and one of the cheapest in Europe. Automatic 24-hour telefax service is also available as well as automatic telex and telegraph services to virtually every country in the world. The whole country is fully covered from a cellular GSM network.

The international dialing code for Cyprus is +357. Since June 2002, the whole of Cyprus belongs to a unique dialing area with 8-digit numbers and without any city/area codes being required. All calls within the coutry are charged as local calls (apart from those to mobile phones). For consistency purposes each city's numbers and mobile numbers start with the same two digits, as follows:

• Nicosia: 22
• Limassol: 25
• Larnaca: 24
• Paphos: 26
• Paralimni: 23
• Mobile Phones: 99

Publc Service opening hours are:

• Winter Period (1 Sep - 30 June):
  Monday - Friday: 07:30 - 14:30
  Thursday: 07:30 - 14:30, 15:00 - 18:00
• Summer Period (1 July - 31 Aug):
  Monday - Friday: 07:30 - 14:30

Shops opening hours are:

• Winter Period (1 Oct - 30 May):
  Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 13:00, 14:30 - 18:30
  Wednesday, Saturday: 09:00 - 14:30
• Summer Period (1 June - 30 Sep):
  Monday - Friday: 09:00 - 13:00, 16:00 - 19:30
  Wednesday, Saturday: 09:00 - 14:30

The banking system in Cyprus is well-developed and capable of coping with the diverse needs of the business community. The commercial banks in Cyprus have correspondents in most major cities around the world and transactions can be negotiated in all leading currencies.

Commercial banking arrangements follow the British model and the majority of banks are full members of S.W.I.F.T.

Banking hours for the public:
Monday - Friday: 08:15 - 12:30

Banks at Larnaca and Paphos International Airports provide services throughout the day, as well as a night service for most flights.

Hotels, large shops, restaurants usually accept travelers cheques and major credit cards.

Exchange rates are usually published daily in the local press.

Excellent medical care is widely available.

The private doctors and the public hospitals may expect immediate payment in cash for health services.

Cyprus has a low crime rate. Crimes such as burglary, petty theft, and narcotics trafficking are still in a low level . Pick pocketing and purse snatching does not occur in the big cities .Of course travelers must take normal precautions to safeguard their valuables, money, and credit cards. Any loss of valuables or official documents must be reported immediately to the local police station and to the embassies. There are no extremist or terrorist activities.

Visitors in Cyprus can drive using a valid International driving license, or their National driving license, provided it is valid for the class of vehicle they wish to drive.

Driving in Cyprus is on the left side of the road.

International road traffic signs are in use and are placed along the roads and highways on the left hand side.

Distances and road speed limits are posted in kilometers and kilometer per hour (km/h) respectively.

Maximum speed limit on the motorways is 100 km/h and the lower speed limit is 65 km/h. On all other roads the general speed limit is 80 km/h unless stated otherwise. In built up areas the general speed limit is 50 km/h unless stated otherwise.

The use of front and rear seatbelts is compulsory.

Fairly good surfaced roads complying with international traffic requirements link the towns and the various villages. Four lane motorways connect all towns.

Visitors wishing to bring their own cars can do so for a period up to 3 months, provided the car has a valid registration number of its country of origin.

Motor fuel can be bought at petrol stations. Fuel is sold by the liter and is approximately charged as follows (prices include 15% VAT):

• Unleaded: 45 cents/liter
• Supers: 48 cents/liter
• Diesel:18/liter.

Petrol stations in the Capital and all seaside areas are equipped with 24-hour petrol vending machines, accepting credit cards and bank notes.  Please note that above may only be price indications, as prices fluctuate.

Parking places are found in town centers, charging about 50 cents for half a day parking.

Parking meters charge 20 cents an hour. No fee is required on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and Public Holidays.