Now that Cyprus is in the European Union, more and more people are moving here long-term, sometimes after retirement. It's a relaxing place to live, so long as you don't feel stressed about time. The pace of life is slower than in much of Europe; people still stop and chat, taking an interest in other people's lives. It's safe for children, family life is still important, with grandparents often living with or close to their children and grandchildren.
It's a great place for visitors, with beaches, nature walks, historic sites and tourist shopping galore. Visitors to Cyprus tend to return to the island every year, now with the joining of the European Union people are settling onto the island too.
Working in Cyprus - unless you are a European citizen, you need a visa to stay for more than three months. You also need a work permit if you want to do paid work in Cyprus. If you have been offered a job before coming, your future employer should be able to deal with this, or at least give you help and appropriate documents. Finding a job after you arrive should not be a problem especially in the tourist area. Foreign students (other than Europeans) are not permitted to work in Cyprus, despite what they are sometimes told before coming. The alternative to a work permit is to have sufficient income from elsewhere. For instance, if you are retired, or work as a freelance writer or artist, or own a good business, or have property that you rent out, and can prove that you have a regular income from a country outside Cyprus, then you may be able to get a visa on these grounds, although not a work permit. For more information and useful contacts please visit our working in Cyprus page.
Education in Cyprus - For further details please see our Education in Cyprus section. If either parent is Cypriot, children are required to go to school, with no exceptions, until they have passed Year 9, or age 15. Most stay on until they are 18 and gain a high-school diploma, which is required before they can apply for university or a job. All the free schools are Greek-speaking, and rigid in their curriculum. Most people who move to Cyprus send their children to private English-speaking schools. The page Schools in Cyprus gives more detail and useful contacts. Foreigners sometimes choose to educate their children at home; at the time of writing there are about 15 families on the island who home educate, using various methods, according to the regulations (if any) of their home countries.
The Summers are well-known for being hot and humid, ideal for lounging on the beach, doing a little swimming, and taking a long siesta. Winters are moderate. For more detailed month-by-month information, see the page Weather in Cyprus.
Religion in Cyprus - The main religion of the country is Christianity which is worshiped in The Greek Orthodox Church, but there is freedom of religion for all. There are several Protestant Churches, some Catholic Churches, and a few adherents to other beliefs. For more details, see the page about religion in Cyprus. For Holy days and Bank Holidays please refer to Cyprus Public Holidays
Food in Cyprus - There are plenty of supermarkets as well as smaller well-stocked bakeries and greengrocers, and one or two health-food shops. In the main supermarkets you can buy nearly anything you want, as many British/Russian produce are exported to Cyprus to cater for tourists/overseas residents. See the page on buying food in Cyprus for more information. There is not the choice of processed or ready-made food that we tend to expect in Europe, but all the ingredients can be found to prepare most meals, including organic grains and legumes. Some things seem expensive compared to the UK, but other things are much cheaper, especially if you stick to buying foods in the larger supermarkets as opposed to the kiosks in tourist areas.
Eating out is not too expensive, there are roadside stalls which sell excellent 'fast-food' souvlaki (kebabs in pittas) or hot dogs, as well as American-style fast-food places such as KFC or McDonalds, and a wide variety of more formal restaurants, ranging from traditional tavernas to the finest steak and sea food restaurants.