While it remains the working person's dream, to retire to a foreign country and experience a completely new and refreshing way of life, it's difficult to be sure your decision is a wise one. In contemporary society a great deal of the retired generation are moving to Cyprus, an island 100km in length just off the south coast of Turkey and the west coast of Syria. So what makes so special?

With its rich history of passion filled warfare and unquestionable beauty; the island of Cyprus lays claim to being one of the most desired locations in the world. Even today, so many thousands of years after the battles, Cypriot culture is vibrant and interesting. Whether you consider the signature Cypriot halloumi cheese and calamari or the violin and lute folk music experienced at the ever enjoyable festivals, it's a fact that Cyprus has kept its ancient traditions going strong.

It is partly these factors which attract so much of the retired population to invest in Cyprus properties, but there are other factors which sway the decision making process towards the east of the Mediterranean Sea as well. Take the sub tropical temperatures for example; in summer they are usually between 25C and 35C, so it's rarely uncomfortably warm. Winter temperatures never drop below 7 degrees and there isn't much rainfall either. All in all Cyprus' climate is a pleasant one, especially when you have the middle of the day to enjoy.

The landscape in Cyprus is certainly something to be mentioned. There is the perfect balance between scenic mountainous ranges on the Northern edge of the island, fertile flat land in the center of the island and coved beaches all along the Cyprus coast. It takes no more than two and a half hours to drive from the eastern tip of the island to the west when traveling at 60mph, so residents and visitors are never too far from anything. UK drivers who relocate to Cyprus are usually very pleased at how Cypriots also drive on the left hand side of the road. It is the little things like this which make retired life on this Greek island so much more enjoyable.

The average price of living in Cyprus is also a big deciding factor. Cypriot residents can live on almost half the sum of money that they would need to be comfortable in the rest of Europe and for a far better quality of life. Not only does that mean less stress and budgeting in the wait until retirement but also that the wait is shorter; people can afford to retire early when they plan to move to Cyprus.

Of course not all people coming up to retirement age want to leave the family they have in the UK. Thankfully flights to and from Cyprus are frequent, reliable and affordable. There are four airports on the island; Nicosia (NIC), Larnaca (LCA), Paphos (PFO) and Lefkosa (ECN) and with flights leaving from both Gatwick and Heathrow in England too there should be minimal traveling required. While relatives may not be just around the corner, they are given the perfect excuse to hop on a plane and have a great holiday away from their stresses in the UK. In fact, a lot of people who retire to Cyprus like the fact that they can provide a 'home away from home' for their loved ones.

Another concern when retiring to a foreign country is having to get used to a very different way of life or having to learn another language. When UK citizens move to Cyprus they are usually surprised at how much the island has in common with Western Europe, particularly the way that 90% or Cypriots speak English as well as Greek so there are very few language barriers to be struggled through. Couple this element with the top quality and affordable, easily accessed health service and duty free shopping and there's little to complain about!

Last but not least there are of course different areas and types of neighborhoods in which to move in Cyprus. There are those near the town in the cooler areas with lots to do and see, or there are much quieter and more rural areas towards the mountains which tend to be a little warmer in summer. Whichever area an individual, couple or group choose to relocate to, they are bound to be greeted with fellow UK retired citizens who have had the same, well-informed idea.