The Cypriot diaspora: an island that travels

There are Cypriots in far more places than Cyprus. Waves of emigration through the twentieth century carried islanders to Britain, Australia, North America, South Africa and beyond, and their children and grandchildren have kept a surprisingly warm connection to a homeland many visit every year.

Where they went

London holds one of the largest Cypriot communities in the world, its tavernas and bakeries a home-from-home; Melbourne and Sydney, Toronto and New York, Johannesburg and beyond each gained their own Cypriot neighbourhoods, churches and clubs. The recipes, the name-days and the language travelled intact.

Coming home

The tie runs both ways. Diaspora families return each summer to villages that fill again with familiar names, second-generation Cypriots come to study or to settle, and many eventually buy the house that keeps the connection alive. For an island of its size, Cyprus casts a very long shadow — and a welcoming one.

If your roots are here and you are thinking of coming back, we can help. Tell our concierge your plans and we will connect you with the right people to make the return easy.