Business / shopping hours

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PUBLIC SERVICE HOURS

Winter Period (September 1 - June 30)
Monday - Friday: 07:30 - 14:30
Thursday: 07:30 - 14:30, 15:00 - 18:00
Summer Period (July 1 - August 31)
Monday - Friday: 07:30 - 14:30

SHOPPING HOURS

Winter Period (November 1 - March 31)
Mon, Tue, Thu : up to 19:00 hrs
Wednesday : up to 14:00 hrs
Friday : up to 20:00 hrs
Saturday : up to 15:00 hrs
Summer Period (April 1 - October 31)
Mon, Tue, Thu : up to 20:30 hrs
Wednesday : up to 14:00 hrs
Friday : up to 21:30 hrs
Saturday : up to 17:00 hrs
Summer afternoon recess Mon, Tue, Thu and Friday (June 15-August 31) from 14:00-17:00 hrs

Shopping

Locally produced items, which are popular to visitors, include leather goods, woven goods, (curtains and tablecloths), ceramics, copperware, silverware (especially filigree), baskets and the famous traditional hand-made Lefkaritika lace. These can be purchased from the many souvenir shops found throughout the island and the Cyprus Handicraft Centres.

Cyprus wines and spirits, which have been famous for centuries, are also high on visitors' shopping lists and can be purchased from supermarkets or grocery shops.
Shoes, shirts, imported textiles and spectacles are good value for money.
In most of the tourist areas, both souvenir shops and supermarkets remain open until late in the evenings, and all day on Sunday.

In towns, shops close at 19.00hrs during the Winter period (November-March) and at 20:30 hrs during the Summer period (April-October). As from 15th of June till 31st of August shops in towns close between 14:00 and 17:00 hrs for the summer afternoon break.

On Sundays, shops in towns are closed. On Wednesday and Saturday shops close at 14:00 hrs.
Just before Christmas and Easter, shops usually remain open until late in the evening.
Supermarkets close one hour later on Friday evening.

CHEMISTS PHARMACIES / DRUG STORES

They stay open during shopping hours. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of chemists which stay open until late at night, on Public Holidays and on Sundays are listed in the daily papers. They can also be traced through the following automatic telephones: Lefkosia: 1412, Lemesos: 1415, Larnaka 1414, Pafos: 1416, Ammochostos: 1413.

Vat / tipping

V.A.T. (Value Added Tax)
V.A.T. has been introduced in Cyprus on the purchase of almost all goods and services. Currently, there are three VAT rates - the standard rate which is 15% , the rate of 5% and the zero rate (0%).
Restaurants (with the exception of alcoholic beverages - 15%), and hotel accommodation are taxable at the rate of 5%. Items of necessity such as basic foodstuffs, medical products, children's clothing and footwear, books, magazines, newspapers, airfares are zero rated. Bank services, medical and dental services, the sale of immovable property etc., are exempted from any VAT charge.

Prices displayed for standard rated items should be VAT inclusive.

For further information you may apply:
VAT Service, CY 1471, Lefkosia,
Tel: +357 22 30 63 46
Fax:+357 22 76 79 65

Cyprus Consumers' Association,
Tel: +357 22 51 61 12, 22 51 61 13, 22 51 61 14
Fax:+357 22 51 61 18
E-mail: cyconsas@spidernet.com.cy

Tipping
Because of the 10% service charge levied in hotels and restaurants, a tip is not obligatory, but small change is always welcome.
Taxi-drivers, porters, hairdressers etc., always appreciate a small tip.