Alix Norman

It was different a century ago. The first petrol car (a Peugeot Type 69 Bebe, should you be interested) arrived on the island in 1907, courtesy of one Dr Ioannis Pierides of Limassol. But for decades, automobiles remained an oddity rather than the norm, and walking was the primary mode of transport.

‘They're building a highway through Akamas while your yiayia waits for her bus in the rain!' There's just one functioning method of public transport on the island of Cyprus.

When Cyprus' cats are in the news, it's usually Not Good. Search Google news for ‘cats' and ‘Cyprus', and you get a slew of poisonings, abuse, and contentious laws, along with reports on cat Covid and outbreaks of disease.

‘This is a place where resilience runs deep, where every struggle only makes us stronger' In Cyprus, legend tells of a warrior so mighty that his strength reshaped the very land…

‘Our Cypriot grandparents didn't know The Magic Number. But they did know the secret to a life well-lived!' In 1976, Stamatis Moraitis was given six months to live.

This year, almost half the world will vote! Cyprus won’t: our presidential elections took place last year. But 28 other nations will. And together, their citizens make up 50 per cent of humanity. Seven of the top 10 most populous nations are going to the polls this year. It began…

“Everywhere changes,” says Sarah Harrison. “But Cyprus changed in ways I could never have imagined: by the time I left, it felt like the island I fell in love with had slipped away...” According to the latest Eurostat data, 18,000 people emigrated away from the island in 2022 (the last…

‘Bark! Bark, bark, bark – all day and all night! I was going insane...' According to 2020 research, Cyprus has by far the highest level of urban noise pollution in Europe.

Yes, larger villages had occasional markets, and there was always a panayiri. But the weekly shop down in the town (hair-raising hairpin bends on the bus; women sitting at the back, men at the front, and chickens in between) was the big event…

Do you think you actually chose your job? In Cyprus, chances are you didn’t. Men are safe – they usually have the freedom to pursue the career they choose. But women? Well, that’s a different story entirely... “On this island, a woman’s career path is often predetermined from birth,” reveals…