Books About Cyprus: Complete Guide for Archaeology, History, and Culture Lovers

Planning on visiting Cyprus? Perhaps you’re taking one of our archaeology and history-focused Cyprus tours? Or maybe you’re just curious about this enigmatic little island in the Eastern Mediterranean.

As a cultural anthropologist and founder of Take Me To Europe Tours, I’ve curated this comprehensive selection of the best books about Cyprus. These recommendations will help you understand Cyprus’ history, culture, politics, and social life spanning 9,000 years of recorded history.

You’ll find that many of these Cyprus history books, books set in Cyprus, and Cyprus archaeology books have Cypriot authors, and when you can’t find them at major online resellers, you can find them at Cypriot Bookstores, like Moufflon Bookshop in Nicosia.

Books About Cyprus Expert Picks for Different Travelers

First-Time Cyprus Visitors: Bitter Lemons of Cyprus by Lawrence Durrell - Essential cultural context
Archaeological Enthusiasts: The Archaeology of Cyprus by A. Bernard Knapp - Perfect site preparation
History Buffs: Hostage to History by Christopher Hitchens - Modern political understanding
Contemporary Insights: Christofi's Cypria
Art & Culture Lovers: Ancient Art From Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection - Visual exploration

Cyprus Books about Memoir, Travel Narrative & Personal Exploration

This section features literary works, memoirs, and travel writing that capture the personal experience of Cyprus, both past and present.

Through the eyes of visitors, residents, and storytellers, these books immerse readers in daily life, local traditions, and the emotional landscape of the island.

Whether blending myth and memory or tracking journeys across divided communities, each book offers intimate perspectives and vivid impressions that bring Cyprus’s character and spirit alive.

1. Bitter Lemons of Cyprus

AUTHOR: Lawrence Durrell | PUBLICATION: 1957, Faber & Faber | Still in print | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A classic memoir blending lyrical prose, humor, and firsthand observations of 1950s Cyprus—including the tensions leading to independence.
SYNOPSIS: Durrell’s evocative memoir recounts his attempt to find tranquillity in a rustic Cypriot village, where local customs and gossip weave into the rhythm of daily life. What begins as a chronicle of idyllic Mediterranean living gradually intensifies as the looming political unrest and the struggle for Enosis (union with Greece) bring violence and uncertainty to the island. Durrell’s keen observations, wry humor, and affection for the people around him make this book both a literary gem and a deeply human record of a pivotal historical moment. Through colorful anecdotes and encounters, Durrell reveals both the beauty and complexity of Cyprus, providing readers with an intimate window into its soul at a time of great change.
PERFECT FOR: Cultural understanding tours, first-time visitors, Mediterranean literature enthusiasts
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

2. The Sunrise

AUTHOR: Victoria Hyslop | PUBLICATION: 2014, Headline Review | ISBN: 978-0755377336 | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A sweeping novel set against the backdrop of 1970s Cyprus during the Turkish invasion, exploring family, love, and loss.
SYNOPSIS: Hislop weaves together the stories of two families—one Greek Cypriot, one Turkish Cypriot—whose lives become intertwined during the tumultuous events of 1974. Set in Famagusta, the novel captures the cosmopolitan life of the resort town before division tears it apart. Through richly drawn characters, readers experience the human cost of political conflict and the enduring power of hope. Hislop's meticulous research and emotional storytelling bring Cyprus's recent history to life, making complex political events deeply personal and accessible.
PERFECT FOR: Historical fiction lovers, understanding modern Cyprus division
Available At: Amazon, Waterstones, local booksellers

3. Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean

AUTHOR: Alex Christofi | PUBLICATION: 2024, Bloomsbury Continuum | ISBN: 978-1399401883 | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A literary journey mingling myth, personal discovery, and modern Cypriot traditions; evocative, poetic prose.
SYNOPSIS: Fiada’s story draws readers into the landscape and spirit of Cyprus by artfully interweaving her own journey with ancient myths and the contemporary realities she encounters. From sun-baked villages to shimmering coastlines, she draws vivid scenes of daily life, seasoned with folk tales, conversations, and historical asides. Rich with sensory detail, the book meditates on belonging and identity, inviting readers to discover Cyprus as a living mosaic of legend and the everyday. Its reflective and imaginative style will appeal to those who love travel writing that reads like literature—and want a deeper, more emotional sense of place.
PERFECT FOR: Literary travel writing fans, contemporary Cyprus culture
Available At: Amazon, Waterstones, Bloomsbury, local booksellers

4. Journey Into Cyprus

AUTHOR: Colin Thubron | PUBLICATION: 1975, Heinemann | Multiple reprints available | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A travel literature classic, chronicling Thubron’s 1973 walk across Cyprus, combining narrative brilliance with historical and social insight.
SYNOPSIS: In his now-iconic journey, Thubron sets out on foot across the length and breadth of Cyprus, encountering a society just before its tragic division. With poetic sensitivity and deep curiosity, he meets farmers, priests, and artisans, listens to laments for lost times, and records his candid impressions of rural and urban life in an island on the threshold of permanent change. The book weaves in sweeping history, illuminating ancient ruins alongside modern anxieties, and presents Cyprus not as a static relic, but as a living, breathing culture. For readers interested in understanding the emotional geography of the island as well as its scenic vistas, Thubron’s work is a masterclass in immersive travel writing.
PERFECT FOR: Classic travel literature fans, pre-division Cyprus understanding
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

Outdoor dining area with several tables and chairs, each set with red and white checkered tablecloths, shaded by large trees and surrounded by potted plants, creates a relaxing atmosphere reminiscent of the gardens near Hypogeum Malta.

5. Echoes from the Dead Zone: Across the Cyprus Divide

AUTHOR: Yiannis Papadakis | PUBLICATION: 2005, Bloomsbury Publishing | ISBN: 978-1850434283 | READING LEVEL: Academic/general crossover
OVERVIEW: An anthropological memoir exploring the realities and stories of divided Cyprus with deep empathy.
SYNOPSIS: Papadakis—a native of Cyprus—sets himself an unusual challenge: to break through the silence and stereotypes that had separated Greek and Turkish Cypriots for decades. Drawing on his background in anthropology and his personal quest for understanding, he travels back and forth across the UN Buffer Zone, engaging with locals on both sides. Through firsthand interviews, observations, and personal memories, the book uncovers the layers of myth, mistrust, and hope that define the island's divided communities. Papadakis's sensitive approach humanizes both "sides," while his reflections on nostalgia, loss, and belonging offer a poignant meditation on identity in a land shaped by rupture.
PERFECT FOR: Classic travel literature fans, pre-division Cyprus understanding
Available At: Amazon, academic bookstores, Bloomsbury

6. Narratives of Cyprus

AUTHOR: Jim Bowman | PUBLICATION: 2014, I.B. Tauris | ISBN: 978-0857736758 | READING LEVEL: Academic/general crossover
OVERVIEW: Stories, travelogues, and journalism illuminate how history shapes contemporary life and literature in Cyprus.
SYNOPSIS: Bowman’s collection gathers together essays, short stories, and thoughtful reportage that capture Cyprus’s diverse society in all its color and contradiction. Whether recounting a village festival, revisiting a local legend, or discussing the politics of language and memory, Bowman’s writing draws out the resonances of Cyprus’s ancient and modern identities. Each piece stands alone, but together they form a portrait of a country where history is never far from the surface—even in ordinary, everyday interactions. Readers will find themselves drawn into the minutiae of island life while gaining big-picture insights into Cypriot culture, humor, and the bittersweet traces of its divided past.
PERFECT FOR: Diverse perspectives on Cyprus, academics
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

7. Ledra Street: Stories

AUTHOR: Nora Nadjarian | PUBLICATION: 2006, Armida Publications | ISBN: 978-9963620432 | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A vibrant collection of short stories and prose poems evoking life along Nicosia’s Ledra Street, capturing the absurdity of borders, the everyday reality of division, and the rich cultural life at the heart of the capital.
SYNOPSIS: Through a series of poetic vignettes and brief narratives, Nadjarian breathes life into Ledra Street—the symbolic center of Nicosia—where daily routines unfold in the shadow of borders and barbed wire. Her characters navigate love, friendship, longing, and uncertainty, their stories echoing the resilience and contradictions of Cypriot society as a whole. By focusing on small moments and revealing the humanity beneath political divides, Nadjarian creates a mosaic of voices and moods. Her writing, at once lyrical and spare, invites readers to wander the street’s length and to sense the hopes, disappointments, and quiet joys that survive in the heart of a divided city.
PERFECT FOR: Contemporary Cyprus literature, understanding Nicosia
Available At: Armida Publications, Cyprus bookstores. Moufflon Bookshop, Cyprus

History, Politics & Culture Books on Cyprus

Here you’ll find insightful books that unravel the historical, political, and cultural forces that have shaped Cyprus over centuries.

These works illuminate pivotal moments—from colonial rule to division and conflict—while exploring identity, nationalism, and society.

Rich in analysis and storytelling, this section is ideal for anyone seeking to understand the deeper context behind the island’s current realities and its ongoing dialogues with the wider world.

A metal gate topped with barbed wire blocks a narrow alley between old, weathered buildings—much like the hidden entrances to the Hypogeum Malta—with trees beyond the gate and several warning signs posted nearby.

8. Hostage to History: Cyprus from the Ottomans to Kissinger

AUTHOR: Christopher Hitchens | PUBLICATION: 1989: Noonday Press/Farrar Straus & Giroux (Paperback) | ISBN: 978-0374521844 | READING LEVEL: General readers with interest in politics
OVERVIEW: Combines history, personal perspective, and international context on Cyprus’s modern fate with Hitchens’ wit and insight.
SYNOPSIS: Hitchens draws on a journalist’s eye and a scholar’s rigor to dissect the tangled history and global context that led Cyprus to its current state. Moving chronologically from Ottoman times through British rule and independence to the events of 1974, he explores the ways in which outside influences—especially the US and UK—shaped the island’s destiny. Hitchens combines archival research with interviews, personal anecdotes, and polemical commentary, producing a lucid and sometimes provocative account of international interventions and local aspirations. Readers seeking a clear yet passionate primer on Cyprus’s modern complexities will find this a deeply engaging and often revelatory book.
PERFECT FOR: Understanding modern Cyprus politics, geopolitical context
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

9. Colonial Cyprus: A Cultural History

AUTHOR: Maria Hadjiathanasiou, Andreas Karyos, and Emilios A. Solomou (Eds.) | PUBLICATION: December 12, 2024, Bloomsbury Academic | ISBN: 978-0755640645 | READING LEVEL: Academic/general crossover
OVERVIEW: Accessible essays exploring the lasting impact of British colonial rule on Cypriot society, identity, and nationalism.
SYNOPSIS: This volume brings together contributions from leading scholars who examine how British colonialism transformed the island—raising questions about governance, education, language, religious life, and cultural heritage. Spanning the late 19th to early 20th centuries, these essays connect colonial policy with the emergence of nationalist sentiment, social reform, and the powerful sense of identity that endures in Cyprus today. The book offers a nuanced view, highlighting not only oppression but also cultural innovation and change, making it an accessible resource for understanding how colonial experiences still ripple through Cypriot society.
PERFECT FOR: Colonial history students, understanding modern Cyprus identity
Available At: Academic bookstores, Cyprus cultural institutions

10. The Cyprus Problem: What Everyone Needs to Know

AUTHOR: James Ker-Lindsay | PUBLICATION: April 21, 2011, Oxford University Press | ISBN: 978-0199757152 | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: A concise, unbiased overview of the modern Cyprus conflict—the events, negotiations, and international influences behind the divide.
SYNOPSIS: Ker-Lindsay distills a complex, decades-long story into clear, digestible chapters that address the roots, development, and ongoing consequences of Cyprus’s partition. Covering everything from constitutional experiments and military interventions to peace talks and property disputes, the book helps readers grasp the big picture without being overwhelmed by detail. Balanced and pragmatic, it also anticipates common questions and misconceptions, making it both a primer and a practical reference for those new to the Cyprus issue or seeking to update their knowledge before a visit.
PERFECT FOR: Pre-trip preparation, understanding the current Cyprus situation
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

11. The Cyprus Conspiracy: America, Espionage and the Turkish Invasion

AUTHOR: Brendan O’Malley & Ian Craig | PUBLICATION: 2001, I.B. Tauris | ISBN: 978-1860645525 | READING LEVEL: General readers
OVERVIEW: Investigative, narrative reporting on the geopolitics behind the dramatic events of 1974 and the Turkish invasion.
SYNOPSIS: O’Malley and Craig blend investigative journalism with dramatic storytelling to uncover the global political machinations that shaped Cyprus’s fate in 1974. Drawing on declassified documents, interviews, and secret diplomatic cables, they trace how the ambitions and blunders of superpowers—from the CIA and State Department to the UK and NATO—intersected with local tensions to produce crisis and division. The book reads like a thriller but is anchored in rigorous research, offering readers both a compelling narrative and essential background to a pivotal moment in Cypriot history.
PERFECT FOR: Cold War history enthusiasts, understanding 1974 events
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

Archaeology & Ancient Art

This section presents authoritative texts on Cyprus’s archaeological and artistic heritage, ranging from comprehensive academic surveys to lavishly illustrated explorations of ancient sites and artifacts.

Readers will discover the island’s role as a crossroads of Mediterranean civilizations and gain essential background for exploring Cyprus’s monuments, museums, and rich cultural legacy.

Perfect for those eager to engage deeply with the island’s material history and its place in world archaeology.

A display of an ancient wooden shipwreck cross-section with amphorae and storage jars arranged inside, shown in the Shipwreck museum , Kyrenia, a stop every Cyprus tour.

12. The Archaeology of Cyprus

AUTHOR: A. Bernard Knapp | PUBLICATION: 2013, Cambridge University Press | ISBN: 978-0521723473 | READING LEVEL: Academic but accessible to general readers
OVERVIEW: The definitive introductory academic text on Cypriot archaeology, tracing the island’s development from prehistory onward.
SYNOPSIS: Knapp presents a thorough yet readable synthesis of Cyprus’s archaeological heritage, structured chronologically from the prehistoric Neolithic era through the Bronze Age and beyond. By linking archaeological findings to broader Mediterranean networks, he demonstrates why Cyprus was such a crucial crossroads for ancient trade, innovation, and migration. Rich with maps, illustrations, and clear summaries of key discoveries, this volume provides an essential foundation for anyone wishing to explore Cyprus’s sites in person or delve into the scholarship behind the region’s most legendary ruins.
PERFECT FOR: Archaeological tour preparation, understanding the rich prehistoric heritage of Cyprus
Available At: Amazon, Booktopia, local booksellers

13. Ancient Art from Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection

AUTHOR: Vassos Karageorghis & Joan R. Mertens | PUBLICATION: 2000, Metropolitan Museum of Art | ISBN: 978-0870999420 | READING LEVEL: Academic with visual appeal for general readers
OVERVIEW: An illustrated exploration of the richness and diversity of Cypriot antiquities.
SYNOPSIS: Karageorghis and Mertens guide readers through one of the world’s most important collections of Cypriot ancient art and artifacts. Each chapter showcases objects—ranging from figurines and sculpture to jewelry, utensils, and pottery—while explaining their cultural context, function, and artistic significance. Lavish photographs complement insightful essays, making this volume both a beautiful art book and a window into everyday and ritual life in ancient Cyprus. A perfect companion to museum visits or for anyone fascinated by the visual culture of antiquity.
PERFECT FOR: Museum visitors, art history enthusiasts, visual learners
Available At: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Amazon, academic bookstores

14. Early Cyprus: Crossroads of the Mediterranean

AUTHOR: Vassos Karageorghis | PUBLICATION: 2002, J. Paul Getty Museum / 2003, Oxford University Press | ISBN: 978-0892366798 | READING LEVEL: General readers with some academic depth
OVERVIEW: Accessible, artifact-rich overview of Cyprus’s role in ancient Mediterranean civilization.
SYNOPSIS:Focusing on the island’s pivotal position as a meeting point for civilizations, Karageorghis traces the evolution of Cypriot society from Neolithic settlers to major trading power. With an approachable narrative, he illuminates key sites, objects, and innovations that reveal the ways Cyprus contributed to and drew from broader Mediterranean worlds. Illustrated with maps and artifact photographs, the book gives travelers a helpful roadmap for understanding the sites they encounter, and offers readers at home a captivating introduction to Cyprus’s ancient legacy.
PERFECT FOR: Understanding Cyprus's ancient cultural connections, Bronze Age enthusiasts
Available At: Getty Museum, Oxford University Press, Amazon, academic bookstores

Monique Skidmore, Take Me To Europe Tours founder

About the Author

Dr. Monique Skidmore is a distinguished cultural anthropologist with over three decades of experience studying conflict and cultural resilience. As founder and CEO of Take Me To Europe Tours, she specializes in small-group archaeological and cultural expeditions throughout the Mediterranean.

Dr. Skidmore holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from McGill University. Her expertise in cultural analysis and conflict studies provides a valuable perspective for understanding Cyprus’s complex cultural and political landscape.

She is the author of eight scholarly books and has been featured as an expert commentator by BBC, CNN, ABC, PBS, Newsweek, and Time. Through Take Me To Europe Tours, she leads archaeological and cultural expeditions that explore Mediterranean history and civilizations.

Cyprus

PrevNext