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Cyprus

"Balcony View, Aphrodite Resort, Cyprus

Cyprus (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
by Marc Dubin
The Rough Guide to Cyprus is an indispensable guide to this popular Mediterranean island and this new edition is the most in-depth guide on the market. The author's recommended hotels, resorts and restaurants represent the best selection for travellers on every budget. There are full details on hiking trails, archeological sites and the island's famous church frescoes, as well as authoritative features on the island's rich wildlife, turbulent history and current politics. No other guide covers Cyprus' history, politics and personalities in as much detail. More information and prices from:
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The Cyprus Conspiracy: America, Espionage and the Turkish Invasion
by Brendan O'Malley, Ian Craig
In 1974 the Greek colonels ousted the Greek-Cypriot leader of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, and Turkey retaliated by invading and seizing a third of the island. Cyprus remains split in two, like Berlin before the wall came down, bristling with troops and spying bases, and permanently policed by the United Nations. Henry Kissinger claimed he could do nothing to stop the coup because of the Watergate crisis, but this book presents evidence to support the view that it was no failure of American foreign policy, but the realization of a long-term plot. The authors describe the strategic reasons for Washington's need to divide the island. Their account encompasses an international cast of characters that includes Eden, Eisenhower, Nixon, Kissinger, Wilson, Callaghan, Grivas, and the leaders of the two halves of the divided island, Clerides and Denktas. More information and prices from:
Amazon.com - US dollars
Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars
Amazon.co.uk - British pounds
Amazon.de - Euros
Amazon.fr - Euros

Cyprus

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Its numerous bays offer a range of resorts - such as the Aphrodite Resort in Paphos - for beach holidays and watersports while excellent walking routes can be found inland.

Cyprus has a classic Mediterranean climate and sea bathing is comfortable between mid-May and mid-October. May-June and September-October are pleasant; July and August are seriously hot. However, the mountainous interior is significantly cooler throughout the year - it is possible to ski in winter, particularly during the months of December and January.

Cyprus has a long history. Greeks settled there in the Bronze Age, over 3,600 years ago, trading with Egypt and the Aegean islands. Later, it was ruled by Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians and the Romans. For a thousand years it was part of the Byzantine empire, for a hundred it was controlled by Venice. Between 1571 and 1878 the Ottoman Turks held the island, relinquishing it to Britain until independence in 1960. It has been divided into two political entities since 1974: the southern, largely Greek, Republic of Cyprus - now a member of the European Union - and the northern, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

As a former British colony, English is widely-spoken on the island and both parts cater for northern European tourists. However, the southern part of Cyprus has been easier to visit since direct scheduled and chartered flights are available, whereas the north has been accessible only through Turkey. In summer, you can visit Greece and Israel from southern Cyprus.

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