Essential Information
- Banking, Shopping and Office Hours
- Public Holidays
- Climate in Cyprus
- Time Difference / Sunrise and Sunset
- In an Emergency
- Chemists and Pharmacies
- Driving in Cyprus
- Distance from / to Airports
- Electricity Current / Voltage
- Some basic greek words
Banking, Shopping and Office Hours
Banking
| May to September | Monday – Friday | 08:15 – 13:00 hrs |
| October to April | Monday – Friday | 08:30 – 13:00 hrs 15:15 – 16:45 hrs |
Banks are closed at weekends, on public holidays and Easter Tuesday. Christmas Eve is a working day for banks. Banks at Larnaca and Paphos International Airports provide exchange bureaux services on a 24-hour basis.
There are many Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) outside most branches of banks in all towns and in all main tourist resorts operating 24 hours a day.
Shopping
| May to September | Monday – Friday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs 16:00 – 19:00 hrs |
| Wednesday & Saturday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs | |
| October to April | Monday – Friday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs 14:30 – 17:30 hrs |
| Wednesday & Saturday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs |
Office Hours
| May to September | Monday – Friday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs 16:00 – 19:00 hrs |
| October to April | Monday – Friday | 08:00 – 13:00 hrs 15:00 – 18:00 hrs |
Public Holidays
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| January 6 | Epiphany Day |
| Variable | Green Monday (50 days before Greek Orthodox Easter) |
| March 25 | Greek National Day |
| April 1 | Greek Cypriot National Day |
| Variable | Good Friday (Greek Orthodox Church) |
| Variable | Easter Monday (Grek Orthodox Church) |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| Variable | Pentecost-Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood) |
| August 15 | Mother’s of God Dormition |
| October 1 | Cyprus Independence Day |
| October 28 | Greek National Day |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | Boxing Day |
All Public Services, private enterprises, banks and shops are closed on Public Holidays. In Tourists resorts and coastal areas, however, shops and certain services remain open. Banks are closed on Easter Tuesday but not on Dec. 24.
Climate in Cyprus
Extremes of temperatures are rare, meaning Cyprus has something to offer every month of the year. Long dry summers and mild winters are separated by short autumn and spring seasons.
Spring
March: Moderating weather with nature at its best. Most outdoor activities can be enjoyed, and March is an excellent period for long country walks.
April and May: Days are pleasantly warm, but temperatures may fall a bit at night. Excellent season for those who prefer to enjoy nature, as the countryside is green and flowers are in blossom.
Summer
June – July – August
Warmest months of summer. Ideal for swimming and all beach / water activities.
Autumn
September and October: Warm days, cool October evenings. Swimming and water-sports are still at their best.
November: Pleasantly warm days. Ideal weather for autumn travel. Lunches in the open-air still a delight. Sunbathing and even swimming can still be enjoyed, as well as most outdoor sports.
Winter
December and January: Winter time for us the Cypriots… Autumn for the foreign visitors! It may rain occasionally yet the promise of glorious sunshine is still there. Outdoor activities and excursions can be enjoyed.
February: The possibility of exceptionally warm days. Almond trees in bloom, occasional rain, and mild day time temperatures are the harbingers of spring. It can be quite cold however in the evenings. Conditions are ideal for snow skiing on Troodos Mountains.
Average temperature C:
| Month | Average temp C |
| January | 17.1 |
| February | 18.2 |
| March | 20.4 |
| April | 23.2 |
| May | 27.7 |
| June | 30.0 |
| July | 32.4 |
| August | 32.8 |
| September | 31.1 |
| October | 28.3 |
| November | 23.5 |
| December | 18.9 |
Time Difference / Sunrise and Sunset
Time Difference
Like most Countries in Europe, Daylight Saving Time is observed in Cyprus, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour, resulting in a time 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+3). This comes into effect on the last Sunday of March. After the summer months (last Sunday of October) the time is shifted back by 1 hour resulting in the normal Standard Time (GMT+2).
Sunrise and Sunset
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset |
| January | 06:55 | 17:00 |
| February | 06:35 | 17:30 |
| March | 06:00 | 17:55 |
| April | 06:15 | 19:20 |
| May | 05:45 | 19:45 |
| June | 05:30 | 20:00 |
| July | 05:45 | 20:00 |
| August | 06:05 | 19:35 |
| September | 06:30 | 18:55 |
| October | 06:50 | 18:15 |
| November | 06:20 | 16:45 |
| December | 06:45 | 16:35 |
Sunrise and Sunset times are given for the 15th of each month with the hours and minutes at 5 minutes approximation.
In an Emergency
In case of emergency, (for Ambulance, Fire Service, Police and Emergency Medical Service), immediate response is given by calling 112, from anywhere in Cyprus, (In English).
It is advised to have Medical Insurance when on holiday as the cost for necessary treatment is likely to be high. Emergency treatment in hospitals is free; however you may like to transfer to a private clinic once first aid has been administered.
Chemists and Pharmacies
Open during shopping hours.
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of pharmacies which remain open during the night and on public holidays/ weekends are listed in the daily papers. They can also be traced through the following automatic telephone numbers in English:
| Nicosia | 90901412 |
| Limassol | 90901415 |
| Larnaca | 90901414 |
| Paphos | 90901416 |
| Ayia Napa / Paralimni | 90901413 |
Driving in Cyprus
Traffic moves on the left hand side of the road, not on the right. Fairly good surfaced roads complying with international traffic requirements link the towns and the various villages. Four lane motorways connect the capital Nicosia with the coastal towns of Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos.
European driving licenses are recognized officially. Visitors in Cyprus can also drive using a valid International driving licence, or their National driving licence (for a period of about 30 days), provided it is valid for the class of vehicle they wish to drive.
The use of a mobile phone during driving is strictly prohibited.
Distance from / to Airports
There are two main airports in Cyprus, Larnaca and Paphos. Depending on which resort you wish to visit will determine which airport is best to fly to.
| From | Larnaca Airport | Paphos Airport |
| Larnaca | 5km | 129km |
| Limassol | 70km | 63km |
| Ayia Napa | 46km | 175km |
| Paphos | 139km | 15km |
| Nicosia | 49km | 146km |
Electricity Current / Voltage
The electricity supply in Cyprus is 240 volts, ac 50Hz. Sockets are usually 13 amp, square pin in most buildings. More than one low current rating appliance may be operated from the same supply point, by using an adapter. Many hotels provide adapters upon request from the reception; they can also be purchased from supermarkets.
Some Basic Greek Words
To help you “pick up” some of the more commonly used day to day words, we have provided the table below which shows you the English version of the word and then the Greek version. There’s no need to worry if you cannot master these words, as English is widely spoken across Cyprus.
|
Yes |
Nai |
| No | O’hi |
| OK | Endaxi |
| Good | Kala |
| Thank you | Ef’haristo |
| Please | Parakalo |
| Hi/Hello/Goodbye | Yiassou |
| Good Morning | Kalimerrah |
| Good Evening | Kalispera |
| Good Night | Kalinihta |
| How are you? | Ti kaneis |
| Do you speak English? | Milas Ellinika |
| I don’t speak Greek | Then milo Ellinika |
| Holidays | Theakopes |
| Airport | Aerodromio |
| Restaurant | Estiatorio |
| Shop | Katastima |
| How much is it? | Possah kani |
| One Beer please | Mia bee-ra se parakalo |
| Cheers | Stin igian mas |
| Bon Appetit | Kali orexi |
| 1 to 10 | |
| One | Ena |
| Two | Theeo |
| Three | Treea |
| Four | Tessera |
| Five | Bente |
| Six | Exi |
| Seven | Epta |
| Eight | Octo |
| Nine | Ennea |
| Ten | Theka |
