Driving in Cyprus

Yes, Cyprus was colonized by Britain for a while! You can still see the remaining affects most directly by their driving habits. Please note that you drive on the left hand of the road! The drivers seat is on the right side of the car, and if you rent a manual car, you will be shifting gears with your left hand!

Drive slowly and safely, and be careful to mind the traffic signals. Like in the USA, a green arrow means that there still might be cross traffic. Look carefully before making a right turn across incoming traffic. Green does not mean go blindly!

Also note that in many of the cities there are few to no marked pedestrian crossings, this means that pedestrians will be leaping out of random places. Though the pedestrian first mentality is not of great concern, many will cross whenever the feeling hits them. Also note that if there is a pedestrian crossing, it is common to mark it with a blinking orange light that may turn red if someone hits the crosswalk button. The light may never turn green, so you are allowed to cross on the orange, but watch carefully for people.

A Divided Cyprus

Note that there is a division line and boarder within Cyprus between the European and Turkish sides. This includes boarder control. If you are planning on crossing between the sides be sure to have your passport with you. Also note that the car insurance for your rental car commonly only covers one side or the other, so be careful to not drive across the boarder without making the proper arrangements.