Is Cyprus Greek? Not politically, and not entirely culturally. Cyprus is an independent country with a Greek speaking majority, a Greek Orthodox church and centuries of Greek influence. It is also an island closer to Beirut than to Athens, and the Middle Eastern side of its culture is impossible to miss.
This guide looks at what Cyprus took from Greece, what came from the Levant, and what is entirely its own.
See it for yourself: book guided tours on Klook (affiliate link), skip-the-line tickets to sites like Kourion and Paphos on Tiqets (affiliate link), and hire a car through Auto Europe (affiliate link) to reach the Troodos churches.
Is Cyprus Greek? The Short Answer
Cyprus is not part of Greece. It is a sovereign republic and a member of the European Union in its own right. Most Cypriots in the south speak Greek and belong to the Greek Orthodox Church, and many feel a strong cultural bond with Greece. But the island has its own dialect, its own history, its own food and a way of life shaped as much by the eastern Mediterranean as by Athens.
The fairest way to put it is this. Cyprus has a Greek language and a Greek faith, sitting on top of a culture that is unmistakably Levantine. For a side by side comparison of the two countries on language, history and daily life, see our full guide to Greece vs Cyprus.
Cyprus and Greece at a Glance
- Greek: the language, the Orthodox church, the schools and much of the sense of heritage.
- Middle Eastern: the food, the coffee, the music and the style of hospitality.
- British: driving on the left, common law and a business culture that works in English.
- Purely Cypriot: halloumi, Commandaria, zivania and the painted churches of the Troodos.
What Did Cyprus Take From Greece?
The Language
Greek has been spoken in Cyprus for more than three thousand years, since Mycenaean settlers arrived in the late Bronze Age. Modern Cypriots in the south use standard Greek in schools, government and the media. At home and among friends, they speak Cypriot Greek, a dialect with its own sounds, words and rhythm that mainland Greeks sometimes struggle to follow. The written language is the same. The spoken one has gone its own way. Our guide to what language is spoken in Cyprus covers the dialect in more detail.
The Church
The Church of Cyprus is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and is part of the Eastern Orthodox communion. It shares its faith, its calendar and much of its liturgy with the Church of Greece, but it is independent, with its own archbishop. Easter is the biggest event of the year in both countries, with midnight services, bonfires and fireworks, and the painted churches of the Troodos are among the finest Byzantine art anywhere. Our guide to the monasteries of Cyprus covers where to see it, and a hire car from Auto Europe (affiliate link) is the easiest way to reach them.
Education and Identity
Greek Cypriot schools teach Greek literature, Greek history and the Greek classics, and many Cypriots study at Greek universities. For much of the twentieth century, a large part of Greek Cypriot society saw Greece as a cultural motherland. That history is still felt today, and it is one of the reasons the question of whether Cyprus is Greek carries real emotion here.
Mythology and the Ancient World
Cyprus is woven into Greek mythology. According to legend, Aphrodite was born from the sea near Paphos, and the ancient city kingdoms of Salamis, Kourion and Paphos were Greek in language and religion. Walking around the theatre at Kourion, it is easy to see why the Hellenic link runs so deep. Tickets and guided visits can be arranged through Tiqets (affiliate link) or Klook (affiliate link).
What Came From the Middle East?
More than most visitors expect. Cyprus sits in the far east of the Mediterranean, around 100 kilometres from Syria and a short flight from Lebanon, Israel and Egypt. For thousands of years, ideas, people and recipes moved between the island and the Levant, and you feel it everywhere.
The Food
Cypriot food is where the Middle Eastern influence is clearest. Tahini is everywhere. Bulgur wheat replaces rice in many dishes. Cinnamon goes into savoury meat sauces as a matter of course. Hummus, stuffed vegetables and grilled meats served with pitta would look entirely at home in Beirut. The Cypriot meze, with its long procession of small plates, has more in common with a Lebanese mezze than with most Greek tavern meals. Our guide to Greek and Cypriot food explains exactly where the two cuisines part ways.
Coffee and the Kafeneio
Cypriot coffee, boiled slowly in a small pot and served with the grounds settled at the bottom, belongs to a tradition shared across the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. So does the village kafeneio, the coffee house where older men gather to talk, play cards and backgammon, and watch the world go by. You will find them in almost every Cypriot village, and they feel closer to the Levant than to modern Greece.
Hospitality and Family
Cypriot hospitality is famous, and it has a distinctly eastern character. Guests are offered coffee, sweets or fruit almost as soon as they arrive, and refusing can cause genuine offence. Food is served in abundance, because running out would be a source of shame. Family remains the centre of everything, and extended families often live close together, help each other with property and business, and gather every Sunday.
Music, Architecture and the Pace of Life
Traditional Cypriot music, with its violins and lutes and its improvised verse, carries eastern rhythms that feel distinct from mainland Greek folk music. Village houses built around shaded courtyards, with thick walls against the summer heat, reflect a building tradition found across the region. And the slow, unhurried rhythm of daily life, with long lunches and late evenings, has as much in common with Beirut or Amman as with Athens.
Who Else Shaped Cyprus?
Almost every power that passed through the eastern Mediterranean, and each left something behind.
- The Ottomans: they ruled for more than three centuries and left mosques, hammams, caravanserais, words in the dialect and dishes on the table. The Buyuk Han in Nicosia and the Ottoman hammams are covered in our guides to Nicosia and hammams and thermal springs.
- The Venetians: they built the great walls of Nicosia and Famagusta.
- The British: they left the island driving on the left, a legal system based on common law, three pin plugs and an English speaking business culture that makes Cyprus very different from Greece in daily life.
The island is also home to Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins, each with their own long history here. Cyprus has never been just one thing. Our short history of Cyprus covers how these layers built up, and our guide to why Cyprus is divided explains the island today.
What Is Purely Cypriot?
Some things belong to Cyprus alone. Halloumi is protected by law as a Cypriot cheese. Commandaria is often described as the oldest named wine still made, and zivania is the island’s own grape spirit. Sheftalia, the caul fat wrapped sausage, you will not find in Greece.
Add the lace of Lefkara, the painted churches of the Troodos and the village feasts held in honour of local saints. These are not Greek and they are not Middle Eastern. They are simply Cypriot. For more on the island’s drinks, see our guides to ouzo in Cyprus and traditional Cypriot drinks.
How Do Cypriots See It?
Differently, depending on who you ask. Ask ten Greek Cypriots whether they are Greek and you will get ten different answers. Many will say they are Greek by language, faith and heritage, and Cypriot by nationality. Others feel first and foremost Cypriot. Younger generations, who have grown up in an independent country inside the European Union, often see themselves as Cypriot and European before anything else.
What almost every Cypriot will tell you is that Cyprus is not simply a Greek island. Calling it one, the way you might talk about Crete or Rhodes, misses most of what makes it interesting.
Why Does It Matter for Visitors?
Because it changes what you expect. If you arrive expecting a Greek island, you will find plenty that feels familiar: the language on the signs, the churches, the salads and the sea. But you will also find a place that feels warmer, slower and more eastern than you expected, with food that leans towards the Levant and a hospitality that can feel overwhelming in the best way. Understanding that mix makes a trip to Cyprus far more rewarding. Our guide to what living in Cyprus is actually like goes deeper into daily life here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cyprus Part of Greece?
No. Cyprus is an independent republic and a member of the European Union in its own right.
Do They Speak Greek in Cyprus?
Yes. Greek is an official language alongside Turkish, and most people in the south speak Cypriot Greek day to day, with standard Greek used in schools and the media. English is also very widely spoken.
Is Cyprus More Greek or Middle Eastern?
Both. Its language and church are Greek, while its food, coffee culture, music and hospitality owe a great deal to the Levant.
Are Cypriots Greek?
Most Greek Cypriots identify with Greek language, faith and heritage, and are Cypriot by nationality. How strongly each person feels Greek varies a great deal.
What Is the Difference Between Greek and Cypriot Food?
Cypriot food is more meat focused, more generous and more Middle Eastern, with tahini, bulgur and cinnamon used widely. Our guide to Greek and Cypriot food covers it in full.
How Can I Explore the Greek and Byzantine Sites in Cyprus?
Hire a car from Auto Europe (affiliate link) for the Troodos churches, and book tickets or tours for Kourion and Paphos through Tiqets (affiliate link) or Klook (affiliate link).
Final Thoughts
Cyprus took its language, its church and much of its identity from Greece. It took its food, its coffee, its music and its warmth from the eastern Mediterranean. And it added things that belong to no one else. That is what makes it so interesting, and why the simple question of whether Cyprus is Greek never has a simple answer.
For the full comparison of the two countries, read our guide to Greece vs Cyprus. To taste the difference, start with our ranking of the best restaurants in Cyprus, and see how we review.