Cyprus, Our Next Stop in Unknown Europe

Cyprus, an island nation south of Turkey was once considered the home of Aphrodite (that's right the Goddess of LOVE) and is now a tourist destination for over 2 million people a year. Consider Cyprus a unique, if not distant, Greek Isle.
Don't tell the some of the inhabitants that, though, as Cyprus has strong political viewpoints concerning the sovereignity of other countries. The island was controlled by the English and has subsequently become an independent country (or two). You see, Cyprus is is basically cut in half, with the northern part controlled by the Turkish-controlled government and the south controlled by The Republic of Cyprus government that makes up more than half the island. Both parts are worth seeing for adventurous travellers.

The capital of Cyprus is Nicosia and, just as Berlin was once cut in half, so too is Nicosia. Neither government, though at odds with each other, are tyrannical like you might think when picturing Berlin before the collapse of the wall.

There are many sights to see including museums and churches, but a lot of the fun resides outside the city, where you can get a Greek Isle feel with the countryside and sea-side caves to explore. The rest of the island can be explored out of such cities as Limassol (industrial center of Cyprus) and Pafos (resort area). Inside and outside of these cities, you can find incredible archeological sites from Greek temples to Venician ruins.

So for those of you who appreciate a good political fight, history, culture, beaches and mountains, visit Cyprus! This can be an ideal location for any type of vacation including those of you with children. If you've already been, share your stories with us. We look forward to hearing from you!

And for those Real Housewives of NJ fans, Cyprus is where Dina's daughter vacationed for a couple weeks!