Semester in Cyprus

Program Description and Highlights Program Itinerary Why Should I Join This Program? Host Institution Curriculum and Faculty Student Housing Admission Requirements Dates, Costs and Deadlines Host Country & City

Program Itinerary

Students on the Semester in Cyprus study abroad program have a series of excursions to every major town in Cyprus over the course of the semester.

Key Travel Locations

Major Cyprus cities such as Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Ayia Napa.

Days in Host Country: 126 (Spring), 105 (Fall)
Days of In-Country Travel: 5-7


Excursion 1: Modern and Medieval Nicosia
Duration: 1 day

Excursion 2: Larnaca & Ayia Napa
Duration: 2-3 days

Excursion 3: Lefkara, Limassol & Paphos
Duration: 2-3 days

Excursion 4: Troodos
Duration: 1 day

NOTE: This is a representative itinerary and is subject to change. There are minor changes that occur from semester to semester.
Day Trips

Walking Tour of Nicosia

Nicosia has been the capital of the island for over 1,000 years. We spend a day walking the city. Among the highlights of the tour will be:

 

• The six-hundred year old Venetian wall that separates the old city from the new city
• The Famagusta Gate that is now converted to a Cultural Center
• The Byzantine museum and Archbishopric
• Several Byzantine churches
• Laiki Yeitonia, a neighborhood reconstructed to reflect what Nicosia looked like at the turn of the century
• The modern shopping street of Makariou

National Museum Tour

This is a half day tour of the Cypriot National Archaeological Museum. The Museum Director will make some brief remarks, after which an expert on Cypriot history will walk us through the most important collection of Cypriot artifacts on the island.

Troodos Mountain Day Tour

This is a day-trip where we explore the Troodos mountain range, which in ancient times served as a refugee for the Cypriot population from invaders. We travel by bus through the picturesque village towns of Pedhoulas, Mouttoulas and Kakopetria, stopping to walk through and experience a traditional mountain village. Eventually, we reach Mount Olympus, the highest point of the island, where on a clear day you can see down to the southern coast of the island.

We may stop for a traditional lunch at Platres, the hill station of the British administration.

Overnight Trips

Southeast Coast: Larnaca, Ayia Napa & Protaras

This is an overnight trip that first takes us past the Hala Sultan Tekke, an important Islamic holy site that is located on the Larnaca salt lake.

After that, we continue on to the beach resorts of Ayia Napa and Protaras that are known for some of the best beaches on the island, including the beautiful protected park reserve of Cape Grecko. Ayia Napa and Protaras are two of the best known resorts in Europe and make for a very pleasant weekend.

Limassol

We spend a weekend in Limassol on the southern coast of Cyprus. Limassol is the second largest city in Cyprus and home to the shipping and off-shore sector.

In Limassol, we will visit:

• The historical Old Town with its narrow streets, coffeeshops and restaurants
• Limassol Castle, where Richard the Lionheart married Queen Berengaria in 1191
• Kolossi Castle, a military castle built in the plantations outside of Limassol. Kolossi was the Grand Commandery of the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and eventually passed to the Knights Templar. Kolossi is also the home of the production of Commandaria wine, the oldest continuously produced brand of wine in the world.

Paphos

We spend a weekend in Paphos, a city so rich in history that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On our way to Paphos, we stop at Curium, a remarkable Greek-era city built on a cliff overlooking the sea and Petra tou Romiou, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and an iconic location for Cyprus.

In Paphos, we stay near the pretty harbor and fort. Our visit is focused on the mosaics of Paphos, some of the best-preserved ancient mosaics in the Eastern Mediterranean.


Free Week

Students also have a free week during the semester during which they can choose to pursue independent travel. Students in the past have chosen to travel to the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Israel and Jordan during their free week. Students are responsible for researching the appropriateness and safety of any independent travel they conduct.