Island of Cyprus (sometimes written Kypros)

A Note About this Cyprus Guide

This guide is about Cyprus the island, and does not discuss the political division between North Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus. Many articles have been written about travel between these territories. In general, as long as you enter Cyprus via the Republic of Cyprus in the south, you should be able to travel to and from northern Cyprus without problems.

Location of Cyprus

The island of Cyprus is located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey, north of Egypt and west of Syria. Although it is physically located in Asia, the Republic of Cyprus belongs to the European Union.

Major Cities on Cyprus

The largest cities in Cyprus include the capital city, Nicosia, which sits on the division between North Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus, as well as Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos.

Cyprus Weather, Geography, and Climate

At about 240 km long and 100 km, with a land area of 9251 square kilometers, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily and Sardenia. The island was created by a collision between the African and European tectonic plates. Because of this there are plenty of mountain in Cyprus. The same collision created the island’s two mountain ranges the Troodos Mountains, a tall range in southwest that comprises approximately half of the island, and the Kyreni range, a shorter narrow range along the northern coast. The highest point on Cyprus is Mount Olympus in the Troodos range at 1952 m. A central plain called the Masaori covers most of the remainder of the island. Although much of the coastline is rocky with cliffs, there are also plenty of sandy beaches around the island, which make good jumping-off points for diving in Cyprus.

Weather in Cyprus is very pleasant. The island has a subtropical climate–the warmest in the Mediterranean part of the EU. Generally speaking, winters are mild and summers are hot, although Cyprus weather varies greatly with altitude. Cyprus is generally dry during the summer (April – November) and wetter in the winter (December – March), when there is actually enough snow in the high Troodos Mountains for skiing. At sea level the average high during the summer ranges from 21.3°C in April to 30.4°C in August. During the winter highs are around 17-18°C and lows range from 8-10°C. In Prodromos, at 1380 m temperatures can be more than 10 °C colder than those at sea level.

Cyprus Description

Cyprus is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, and that’s saying a lot. Sunny summers, beautiful beaches, proximity to Europe, relatively cheap prices (compared to most of the EU), and historical significance all play a part in drawing over 2 million visitors to Cyprus each year. Although it is not the mainstay of the economy, Cyprus takes tourism seriously and it shows. The World Economic Forum ranked the country (i.e. The Republic of Cyprus) was as having the #1 tourism infrastructure in the world in 2011. This well-developed tourism industry, along with a population in which three out of four people speak English means that Cyprus is an easy destination for even the novice traveler to navigate.

Two awesome historical attractions on Cypres are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites the village of Khirokitia and the Tombs of Kings, both of which contain remains from the 10th Millenium BC. The mixture of Turkish and Greek cultures and architecture also make for a unique cultural experience, not to mention great food.

Although Cyprus is relatively small, its diverse geography makes for a wide range of outdoors adventure activities, especially in the southwest. In the southwest section of Cyprus you will find skiing, watersports of all kinds (including surfing) as well as trekking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. Cyprus has four ski clubs and a ski hill with four lifts on Mt. Olympus. The skiing may not be fit for the gods, but you really can’t complain when it’s within driving distance of the beach. In fact, you could theoretically ski and surf in the same day if motivated enough, as the southwest coast has breaks that can accommodate surfers of all levels. Of course, there is also plenty of windsurfing and kiteboarding, and sea kayaks are also available in the area. Scuba diving in Cyprus is fantastic, with regular trips to Zenobia, ranked one of the ten best wreck dives in the world. There is also a wide variety of sites for rock climbing in the Troodos Mountians.

Activities and Sports on Cyprus

• Surfing
• Stand-up paddle boarding
• Scuba diving (wreck, cave, reef)
• Snorkeling
• Surfing (all levels)
• Sailing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Parasailing
• Paragliding
• Hang gliding
• Sky diving
• Bungee jumping
• Hot air ballooning
• Kayaking (sea)
• Hydrospeed/riverboarding
• Caving and spelunking
• Hiking/trekking (all levels)
• Ziplining/rappelling
• Rock climbing (all levels)
• Abseiling/rappelling
• Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
• Horseback Riding
• Skiing and snowboarding

Cyprus Accommodation and Food Prices

Cyprus accommodation prices vary widely depending on where you are. Accommodation is much cheaper in the north in shared dorms, such as Cyprus Dorms, which run about $12 USD per person per night. If you want to stay in the south near the mountains and surf beaches, however, it will cost a bit more. If you have a few people in your party, the most reasonable option is to share a room in one of the cheaper hotels in Cyprus, such as the Mariela Hotel in Paphos, for around $20 USD per person per night.
More information on accommodation in Cyprus can be found here.
• On the low end breakfasts and lunches can be found for about $7 USD, and go up from there. Kebabs are a delicious and inexpensive local delicacy. They are highly recommended.

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Photos

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Images (in order) courtesy of disparkys (365), ronsaunders47, LauraTofton, dollie_mixtures, android_man, THEfunkyman, Dr Phil, dolanh, sciascia, beast love, Son of Groucho, and U Kersting on Flickr.

Suggested Books about Cyprus

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Cyprus Map

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The information on this page was provided by My Cyprus Info. If you want to know more about Cyprus they are the people to ask.

Paphos Vacations

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Malta

Location

Malta is an archipelago in the Mediterranean Ocean about 100 km south of Italy.

Climate and Geography

The Maltese archipelago is made up of about two-dozen islands that cover 316 km², but only the largest three, Malta, Comino, and Gozo, are inhabited. The islands are remnants of an ancient land bridge between Sicily and North Africa. They are low-lying (the highest point is 253 m) and have numerous bays rimmed by cliffs and sandy beaches. Malta has no permanent lakes or rivers, although some small rivers will appear during heavy rains.

Malta’s climate is classified as Subtropical-Mediterranean. Summers in Malta are long, hot, and dry. With average highs around 30 °C, and an incredible average of 12 hours of sunshine per day in July, summers in Malta are pretty much guaranteed to be gorgeous. And they’re long too, lasting for 8 months (from April to November). With temperatures ranging from 12 – 20 °C the winters aren’t bad either, although it is windier and rainier in Malta during those months.

Description

Sometimes referred to as an ‘open-air museum’ Malta has a long and rich history. Malta is good for much more than just beach holidays. It’s home to some of the world’s oldest standing buildings and has been inhabited since the fourth millennium BC. Its unique history, climate, proximity to Europe, and reasonable (by European standards) prices for food and accommodation have made Malta a popular destination with European tourists. In recent Malta has also been billing itself as a medical tourism destination and drawing many British citizens seeking sunny destination in which to recover.

Wind, sun, and seas make Malta an ideal destination for ocean adventurers. Wakeboarding, sailing, windsurfing, and kite surfing are all popular on the islands, and with wrecks, reefs, and caves all nearby, Malta is a must-see for scuba divers. There is less to do on land than in the water, however, scenic coastal roads make for gorgeous bike rides, and Malta’s seaside cliffs are perfect for climbers of all levels.

Other Resources

• Hiking/Trekking
• Rock climbing
• Coasteering
• Cycling
• Paragliding
• Windsurfing
• Kiteboarding
• Water skiing
• Wakeboarding
• Sailing
• Scuba Diving

On a Budget?

• Accommodation on Malta does not come cheap. Some hostels have dorm beds for $30 USD per person per night, but many charge more, and campsites start at a little over $20 USD per person (site only, no tent).
  More information on hostels in Malta can be found here.
• Inexpensive restaurants will have breakfast for around $7-8 USD and lunch and dinner for around $11-13 USD. Of course, the supermarket is always an option.

Activities

• Malta Tourism Board
• Malta Travel Guide on WikiTravel
• Malta holidays from DirectHolidays
• Sea kayak rentals in Malta
• Malta Hikes at MaltaBulb

Have Insurance?

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Photos

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Images (in order) courtesy of KNOW MALTA by Peter Grima, larrylurex, Heini Samuelsen, Twilight Tea, gnuckx, re-ality, victoriapeckham, gnuckx, and @sahxic < twitter.

Suggested Reading

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Map

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The information on this page was provided by My Destination Malta. If you want to know more about Malta they are the people to ask.

The post Malta Adventure Travel Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.

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Place

Marbella, Spain

Location

Marbella is a city on the Costa Del Sol in the province of Málaga, in the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain.

Climate and Geography

Marbella is a city of approximately 135,000 on Spain’s southern coast, near the tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Sandwiched between the Mediterranean ocean and the Sierra Blanca mountain range, Marbella sits in a rich and diverse geographic area. Nearby are pristine beaches, sections of rugged coastal cliffs, several natural and national parks, and some of the highest mountains on the Iberian Peninsula, including the famous Sierra Nevada Ski Resort.

Located abound 200 km from the Tabernas desert (the only desert in Europe), Marbella has a warm subtropical Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers, and warm, still-pretty-dry winters. In the summer the temperature averages 26°C (with highs around 30°C) and in the winter the temperature averages 17°C, and rarely falls below 15°C. The warm climate, and average 320 days of sunshine that it receives each year, makes it a great destination outdoor adventure activities year-round.

Description

Marbella grew quickly from a village of only 900 people in 1940, to a destination of nearly 100,000 for Europe’s jet-set elite in just 50 years. Now, Marbella is often featured in movies as Spain’s playground for the rich. An affluent modern city steeped in history, Marbella is known for celebrity sightings (Antonio Banderas and Dolph Lundgren, among others, have homes here), sunny weather, and gorgeous beaches. It’s a popular port for luxury yachts, and golf in Marbella is among the finest in Europe. With all the international attention that it gets, flights to Spain are frequent and easy to find.

Although the city itself does not feature much for adventure-seekers, the surrounding area features an incredible diversity of outdoor activities. The surrounding beaches are great for scuba diving and snorkeling. Surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, and sailing are all popular here, and competitions in all these sports are often held at nearby Tarifa. The famous Sierra Nevada ski resort is just a 1.5 hour drive from the city, and the nearby Sierra Blanca mountain range is perfect for all manner of extreme sports such as mountain biking, climbing, trekking, canyoning, paragliding, and more. The Camino del Rey walkway, billed one of the scariest walks in the world, is definitely worth a look.

Activities

• Paragliding
• Scuba diving
• Snorkeling
• Kayaking
• Surfing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Sailing
• Hiking/trekking
• Mountain climbing
• Ice climbing
• Canyoning
• Mountain Biking (novice to expert)
• Skiing/snowboarding (novice to expert)

On a Budget?

• The cheapest accommodation in Marbella are pensions and hostels, which start at about $25 USD per person per night. Some of the cheaper places include  the Hostal del Pilar and Hostal Berlin.

You can find more information on hostels in hostels in Marbella here.

• There are also several campsites near the city with rates ranging from just over $20 USD per two people in the low season to just over $30 USD in the high season.
• Inexpensive restaurants will have breakfast for around $7-8 USD and lunch and dinner for around $11-13 USD. Of course, the supermarket is always an option.

Travel Insurance

I like to use World Nomads. It’s not too expensive and signing up is fast and straightforward. They also have pretty good coverage for sports equipment like surf and snowboards, but it varies depending on your country of origin, so be sure double check. You can get a free quote on their website.

Adventure Businesses in and Around Marbella

Fly Spain Paragliding – Tandem paragliding flights and paragliding lessons based in scenic Ronda.

Sierra Nevada Ski Resort – The best skiing in Southern Spain, hands down!

Photos

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Images (in order) courtesy of adriagarcia, Wolfiewolf, Arkangel, Adam Solomon, Serafin-Sanchez, Adriano Morán, juandesant, Bert Kaufmann, Wolfiewolf, and taquiman on Flickr.

Suggested Reading

Click on an image for more information.

Map

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The information on this page was provided by My Destination Marbella. If you want to know more about the Marbella they are the people to ask.

Marbella Vacations

The post Marbella, Spain Adventure Travel Guide appeared first on XpatMatt.