Cyprus may be a small country, but it's a large island and it is well-worth thinking about hiring a vehicle if you want to make the most of your stay. Both the Turkish North and the Greek South have plenty of 'off the beaten track' attractions which are best-reached by car. You will need a driving license or International Driving Permit and will have to be over 21 years old (some car hire companies will loan you a vehicle at 18, although this is the exception rather than the rule). Traffic moves on the left and road signs are generally in English.
Hiring a car in Cyprus isn't something that should be undertaken lightly. Please feel free to contact us to help you organise car hire. Be warned that the Levantine attitude to The Highway Code is distinctly laissez faire and a genetic tendency to speed shared by both the Greeks and the Turks. Driving in Cyprus can be something of a white-knuckle ride and urban road networks make the Minotaur's maze look like child's play. However, the freedom that a car affords you more than justifies any associated hassle.
You can make considerable savings by booking in advance and the Internet provides the best starting point. If you aren't able to organise anything in advance you can expect to pay a financial premium and unfortunately there's little room for haggling. Most of the major players have car hire operations on the island and there are plenty of local entrepreneurs ready to take up the slack. Cyprus is a testing environment for automobiles: road maintenance is fairly desultory and servicing often infrequent, so make sure you take your car for a quick spin before signing anything (otherwise you could spend your first Cypriot sunset waiting for the local equivalent of the AA to turn up).
Then it's simply a matter of getting hold of a map and deciding where to go. In the south recommended 'days out' include: the ancient city of Amathus , the unspoilt Akamas peninsula and the Troodos Mountains . If you're visiting the north then don't miss medieval Famagusta , the ruined city of Salamis or the string of crusader castles above the port of Kyrenia .
|