Shopping in Cyprus

You can shop till you drop on this island. Whether you are in the North or the South, Cyprus has plenty of shops catering for all tastes and requirements.

By Louise R. Candy

Nicosia in particular has smart, fashionable boutiques, as well as British chain stores such as Marks & Spencer and Woolworths. You can now also find an Ikea in the divided capital and most of the major cities in the South have shopping malls. Just remember, if you cross the border in either direction to shop you are only allowed to bring goods worth €135 before you have to pay import duty.

In the North the choices of shops are a bit more limited. You can still find an extensive range of consumer goods and popular imported brand names, but you might have to hunt around a bit to find your favorite item. The local supermarkets like Lemar, Tempo and Astro are very convenient but much pricier than if you go to the local market, baker and butcher. Imported goods cost a bit more than in the UK, but local produce and brands are very cheap.

Shop opening hours in Cyprus vary in the summer and winter, so it might be worth asking. They tend to open at 8am, then close in the middle of the day for an hour or two. After that they'll stay open until 5.30pm in the winter and 8pm in the summer. Supermarkets are open late.