A jewel of a Mediterranean island and the birthplace of Aphrodite, Cyprus combines a remarkable cultural and archaeological heritage with great natural beauty.

Greeks, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Arabs, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British have all left their distinctive marks in a country the size of Connecticut.

Today, Cyprus is a stable, economically-advanced member of the European Union and provides an interesting contrast between its westernized cities and ultra-modern beach resorts that exist side-by-side with traditional mountain villages and monasteries with ancient customs and traditions.