Discover the Sun-Drenched Island Cherished by British Expats: Enjoy €3 Wine, Tax Benefits, and a Wagamama's!

FROM boat trips along the beautiful coastline to eating fresh food in family-owned restaurants, expat Anna Warburton hasn’t looked back since she swapped life in the rainy UK for one of Europe’s sunniest hotspots.

The 34-year-old jokingly calls the idyllic fishing village she lives in “a real life soap – like but much warmer and with less murder”, taking her cat for walks on the beach and spending little on bills. The Sun reveals why tens of thousands of Brits like Anna have ditched the UK for this sun-soaked destination which boasts private schools, affordable housing and even skiing.

Brit expat Anna Warburton swapped life in the UK for the holiday hotspot – where she enjoys year-round sunshine with her cat RichardCredit: Supplied Anna spent seven years running a watersports yacht company in the small fishing village of LatchiCredit: Supplied Vanessa and James Morton also made the move to CyprusCredit: Supplied

Startling figures recently revealed 174,000 16-to 34-year-olds had left the UK in January to March last year, with experts fearing a “brain drain” as countries like the , , and members of the EU attract talent due to their stable economies, opportunities for wage increases and lower .

With branches of M&S on the high street, more than 40,000 Brits have made , a five-hour flight from the UK, their permanent home, making up the second-largest population of foreign-born residents after the Greeks.

Their reward for becoming residents? Access to the country’s version of the NHS, lower cost private schooling, bargain rents, less tax to pay – and even a Wagamama.

The third largest island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus is known for its beautiful beaches and its rich history as the birthplace of the ancient Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.

“One of the main reasons is definitely the climate: with over 320 days of sunshine per year, Cyprus is one of the sunniest countries in Europe,” says Tania Peck, Sales and Marketing Officer at the UK branch of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism, of why so many Brits head here.

“There’s not much I miss about the UK to be honest, only my family,” says Anna, who hails from Chester in and moved to the island in 2018 to work as a scuba instructor.

“In the summer it’s a hive of activity – boat trips along the coastline, buggy and jeep safaris in the Akamas, amazing fresh food in the family owned restaurants.

“In the winter it’s a select group of locals and expats – it’s like living in a real life soap, like Emmerdale but much warmer and with less murder.”

Anna pays €400 (£348) a month for the one-bedroom pad with a sea view she shares with her boyfriend of four years and three rescue cats.

“As residents, we get access to the GESY healthcare system, which is Cyprus’ version of the NHS,” she says.

“We use our aircon to heat and cool, it costs us between €250 (£218) and €400 (£348) bi-monthly but bills drop to as low as €50 (£44) when the temperature averages out.

“I pay €400 (£348) a year for standard insurance cover and we spend €120 (£105) a week for the two of us and our three cats at the supermarket.

“We are fortunate enough to be able to buy what we want, from name brands to imported treats.

“I bought two meals from a restaurant in the harbour to take away, and it cost €33 (£29) – one pork chop and a sweet and sour chicken with rice and chips, both big meals and delicious.”

There’s not much I miss about the UK to be honest, only my family

Anna Warburton

Vanessa and James Morton live in a village called Peyia which is 25 minutes outside of Paphos, a southwest coastal city popular with tourists.

“We’ve got private schools here, we’ve got great dentists, we’ve got really good physiotherapists, doctors,” she says.

“We’ve got a lovely little traditional stone house with a courtyard, whereas when we lived in Cheshire we had a two-up, two-down, Coronation Street-style house.

“Rented houses with swimming pools used to be as little as €550 (£480) a month to rent, you’re now looking at €1,200 (£1,045).

“Food has gone up too but we’re really lucky to have lots of things here that do grow in abundance – potatoes, pomegranates, bananas.

“You can get a large bottle of beer for €3 (£2.60) and they don’t do any wine measures, so you get a large glass of local wine for €3 (£2.60) also.

“You can go out and eat for €15 (£13) with a glass of wine per person.”

Anna, from Chester, moved to the island back in 2018 to work as a scuba instructorCredit: Supplied Anna pays €400 a month for the one-bedroom pad she shares with her boyfriend of four years and three rescue catsCredit: Supplied The sea view from Anna’s home – with cat Richard seen soaking up the year-round sunshineCredit: Supplied

Promoted within a year, Anna spent seven years running a watersports company in the small fishing village of Latchi, nestled in the foothills of the Akamas National Park and home to the Blue Lagoon and Aphrodite’s Bath, she calls home.

Her previous employers helped her gain permanent residency in Cyprus, and post , UK nationals can stay in Cyprus visa-free for 90 out of 180 days.

After this, a Cyprus Pink Slip is on offer to applicants with a secured income and no need to work, valid for one year and available to be renewed for up to five years.

An investor visa is an option for those buying property worth €300,000 or more who have an annual income exceeding €50,000, while a Category F permanent residence permit can be applied for by individuals with an annual income of €15,000 or more for a family of two.

Cyprus also has a competitive corporate tax rate of 15 per cent, which is one of the lowest in Europe, making the country equally attractive for entrepreneurs from the UK.

“Having been under British rule in the past and still part of the , Cyprus maintains very strong connections with the UK,” says tourism officer Tania, of why people from the UK assimilate easily to life here.

“Most locals speak English, road signs and menus at most restaurants are in both Greek and English, they drive on the same side of the road and even the plug sockets are the same three-pin type as in the UK.

“Whilst the Cypriots are very proud of their own unique culture and food, in popular coastal cities such as Paphos and Limassol it’s not uncommon to see familiar high street brands from the UK, such as M&S, Caffè Nero, Jamie Oliver’s, or Wagamama.”

One of the main reasons is definitely the climate: with over 320 days of sunshine per year, Cyprus is one of the sunniest countries in Europe

Tania Peck, Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism

Ski enthusiast Vanessa was stunned to learn that as well as endless sunshine, Cyprus had mountains, snow and even a few chairlifts on offer.

“We flew out to have a look that January, back in 2008, it was sunny on the coast and we drove up to the Troodos Mountains and they had thick snow,” she says.

“We returned to the UK and booked a one way ticket – three months later, we made the move with our baby, who is now 19.”

Despite its British links, yoga teacher Vanessa and property manager James hadn’t heard of Cyprus when a tarot reader suggested they make the move.

“We had moved back to the UK from America and we couldn’t get on our feet financially,” she says.

“We thought: ‘If we’re going to be this skint, let’s go and be skint in the sunshine’.

“I had a friend in the UK who was a tarot card reader, I was telling her what had happened and she offered to give me a reading.

“She read my cards and said to me: ‘You’re moving to Cyprus’.”

Overall, life here is good, she says.

“Probably about 300 days a year, you get the most amazing sunset, which I’ll still run outside to watch,” says Vanessa, who is looking to expand her yoga retreats around Europe.

“Spring is my favourite time of year, it’s beautiful.”

Vanessa and James Morton booked a one-way ticket to Cyprus back in 2008 with their baby sonCredit: Supplied Yoga teacher Vanessa Morton had never even heard of Cyprus when a tarot reader suggested she make the moveCredit: Supplied Vanessa and James Morton with their son Jordi, 19Credit: Supplied

“Cyprus is a little slice of heaven we are fortunate enough to call home,” adds Anna, who has no plans to move back to the UK either.

“It’s honestly a dream and if the country will have me, I’ll be here forever.”

A British colony until 1960, the country’s 1.38 million population has been divided since 1974, when invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island backed by the Greek government.

Today, troops from the patrol a “Green Line” dividing the northern third of the country run by a Turkish Cypriot government and the southern two-thirds run by an internationally recognised, Greek Cypriot government.

When the ‘s November budget announcement included a proposal dubbed a “mansion tax”, Cyprus’s Domenica Property Group spotted that Google searches for “luxury homes in Cyprus” had risen by 200 percent.

Expats are attracted by the favourable tax benefits on offer, with Brits qualifying for non-domicile status enjoying no inheritance or capital gains tax and the option to pay a flat 5 per cent rate on foreign pension income.

“We’re seeing growing interest from British buyers who are shocked by how little £1million now buys in central London,” says Group COO Kyriakos Charalambous.

“When they compare that with what’s available in Cyprus and see the larger homes, private pools and outdoor living, many start to seriously question where their money works hardest.”

Ski enthusiast Vanessa Morton, pictured with husband James and son Jordi, was stunned to learn Cyprus had mountains and snowCredit: Supplied Vanessa and James Morton, pictured with son Jordi, moved the island in 2008Credit: Supplied