2008 News Archive - Holidays - No eclipsing the cup
14 03 2007
As a part of Britain's commonwealth, Cyprus was always likely to have some elements of culture rubbing off and one sport, horseracing, certainly has.
June sees one of the main races in the calendar, the Eclipse Cup, held at the Nicosia Race Club, the only place where one can legally place a bet on a horse in the country.
The event sees four year-old horses racing over the 2,100 metre course as they compete for the trophy and £18,000 of prize money.
Nicosia offers a good range of attractions away from the sound of pounding hoofbeats, with a rich history dating back to the bronze age, reflecting an island that has been influenced by a myriad of maritime cultures, from the modern-day Greeks and Turks who divided the island and even Nicosia itself, back to historic cultures such as the Romans and Byzantines.
The discerning visitor can discover relics from all these cultures, with ruins and artifacts both in Nicosia and all over the island.