Travel Guide Pyla

Pyla/Pile is a special case in Cyprus. It is one of the island's four villages located in the buffer zone along with Athienou, Troulli and Denia. But it is the only one of them to have a mixed population: two-thirds Greek Cypriots and one-third Turkish Cypriots. The two communities live in peace, but each on its own. In the central street, a Turkish Cypriot café faces a Greek Cypriot café. On either side of the sports field, a Greek Cypriot school and a Turkish Cypriot school. And while it's not unusual to see a steeple next to a minaret all over the island, here the church and the mosque are both open for worship. UN soldiers police the village under the watchful eye of the Turkish military, posted on the hill overlooking the village. Linked to the neighboring village of Beyarmudu (Πέργαμoς/Pergamos), Pyla is one of nine crossing points between the northern and southern parts of the island. The surrounding area is rather touristy, with a small stretch of coastline, a fishing port and a beach. In the town itself, there's a large hotel complex and plenty of bad, exotic restaurants. Not so different from the rest of Cyprus, in fact.