Missing Piece · Map quiz · Series
Missing Piece #12: name the country in 3 clues
Three clues, four options, one piece of the world: halloumi cheese comes from here, legend says Aphrodite was born on its shore, and its highest peak is called Mount Olympus. Watch the film and lock in your answer before the piece drops. The answer, and how to go there, is below. Spoilers from here on.
The places in this film
- 1
The answer: Cyprus
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. Halloumi, the firm cheese that holds its shape on a grill, has been made here for centuries and is protected as a Cypriot product in the EU. The highest point, Mount Olympus in the Troodos range, rises to about 1,950 metres and often has snow in winter, while the coast stays mild.
- 2
Paphos
Paphos, on the south-west coast, has sea caves and cliffs along its shore and an archaeological park known for its Roman floor mosaics. The park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. The harbour, with its small medieval fort, is the centre of town life, and the coast to the north leads to the Akamas peninsula.
- 3
Aphrodite's Rock
Petra tou Romiou, Aphrodite's Rock, is a sea stack on the coast road between Paphos and Limassol. In Greek legend, Aphrodite rose from the sea foam here. It is a short stop from the road, with a pebble beach below the viewpoint, and is best at sunset.
Plan it
- Best time
- April to June and September to November are warm without the peak summer heat. Winter is mild on the coast, with snow in the Troodos mountains.
- How long
- Four to five days covers Paphos, the coast and the mountains. A week allows Nicosia and Limassol too.
- Getting around
- Rent a car; traffic drives on the left. Intercity buses link the main towns.
Good to know
- Visit the Paphos mosaics early in the day, before the heat.
- In winter, combine a coastal stay with a snowy day in the Troodos mountains.
- Try halloumi grilled, the way it is most often served on the island.
Frequently asked
What is Missing Piece? +
Missing Piece is a short 3D map quiz by Drift Vistas. A country is lifted out of the globe, you get three clues and four options, and the piece drops back into place to reveal the answer. Then the film cuts to real footage of the country.
Is Cyprus warm in winter? +
Mild rather than hot. The south coast averages about 18°C by day in winter, among the warmest places in Europe, but evenings are cool and showers come about one day in three.
Where was Aphrodite born? +
Greek legend places her birth at Petra tou Romiou, a sea stack on the south-west coast of Cyprus between Paphos and Limassol, now known as Aphrodite's Rock.
