Akrotiri and Dhekelia are two British military bases on the island of Cyprus with around 15,000 inhabitants. The two official languages are English and Greek, and the euro is used as a means of payment.
Both British territories are roughly the same size and make up around 4% of Cyprus' land area. Each territory has its own Royal Air Force military airfield.
The few sights in Akrotiri and Dekelia include the port of Dekelia, the Dekelia Power Station, the Orthodox monastery of Akrotiri, a bathing beach, the large salt lake and the port of Akrotiri.
In May 2019 I first visited Akrotiri and then Dhekelia with my rental car. The land areas claimed by the British Army are approximately 80 kilometers apart.
Akrotiri, located southwest of Limassol, seems very cozy, with many small English pubs and a beautiful village center. The monastery on the outskirts is a great photo opportunity, especially the large, ancient olive trees at the back. To my surprise, this small village of Akrotiri even has a Hofbräuhaus, a small offshoot from Munich. Another tourist attraction of Akrotiris is a small sandy beach.
The Dekelia area is located in eastern Cyprus, south of the city of Famagusta, on the border with Northern Cyprus and not far from Larnaca. The village seems a bit smaller and rather deserted. Apart from a supermarket, a restaurant and a large cemetery, I hadn't discovered anything interesting there. Due to its power plant with an extra-high tower and the associated harbor, Dekelia cannot be overlooked from afar. However, most of this military exclusion zone is not accessible to visitors.
My short visit to both areas was quite interesting, but nothing particularly special.
Akrotiri and Dhekelia are actually only listed as a territory in a well-known travel club, but are not a suitable tourist destination.
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