Now that Cyprus is in the European Union, more and more people - particularly Brits - are moving here long-term, sometimes after retirement. It's not a particularly cheap place to live any more, and the Summer weather isn't very pleasant, reaching 32-35C or more with high humidity.
Hardly anything starts - or is completed - on time; supermarkets sometimes run out of imported products; driving is haphazard at times; mosquitoes are a problem in the Spring and cockroaches in the Summer. When bizarre things happen, the local people shrug, smile wryly, and say, 'This is Cyprus!'
So what IS the appeal of this island?
It's a relaxing place to live, so
long as you don't
feel stressed about time. The pace of life is slower than in much
of Europe; people still stop and chat, taking an interest in
other people's lives. It's pretty safe for children,
too: family life is still important, with grandparents often living
with or close to their children and grandchildren. We didn't worry much
if our sons were out late as teenagers, walking home from the
town.
It's a great place for visitors, with beaches, nature walks, historic sites and tourist shopping galore, and we've very much enjoyed having many friends and relatives to stay over the years. Besides all that, it's convenient if you want to travel to the Middle East and Northern Africa, or to Asia and most of Europe.
You can find pages on this site covering topics such as education, religion, weather or supermarkets in Cyprus: please use the site map to find your way around.
General information
To find out more from others who have moved here, or to ask any questions, you might like to join one of the online forums which focuses on Cyprus, or read accounts of daily life here from the point of view of ex-pats. There are links to some places where you can find these on the page about expat forums and blogs in Cyprus.
In addition, you can find plenty of information about subjects such as car hire, hotels, sailing and property at the Window on Cyprus site. Official government information can be found at the Republic of Cyprus site, including up-to-date news links and frequently asked questions about living here. There is also a lot of useful information, particularly geared towards tourists and visitors, at the Cyprus home page, or - specifically geared towards ex-pats - the Anglo-info site.
New pages on this site
You can now find separate pages on this site which used to be combined with others. The new pages (January 2010) are