When going on vacation to Cyprus for the first time, many tourists take a massive first-aid kit. Why?!
It is not at all necessary to overload your baggage with drugs and other things. You can buy almost all the necessary medicines in local pharmacies in Cyprus.
Moreover, in Cyprus it is not difficult to find an English-speaking pharmacist who can advise and recommend the necessary drugs.
By the way, the number of pharmacies in Cyprus is approximately equal to the number of stores. It is not difficult to find a pharmacy. Just look for the signs Pharmacy/Φαρμακείο or a green cross. That's it!
Pharmacy business is one of the most profitable businesses in Cyprus!
Therefore, when you see a luxurious Ferrari at a traffic light, you should not think that they are a Russian oligarch. It is likely that they are a regular pharmacist who went to the supermarket to buy bread and milk.
In general, Cypriot pharmacies are a unique phenomenon. Their assortment is really huge. Yep, you cannot buy bread and cheese in pharmacies, but you can find herbs, cosmetics, coffee, honey... Most medicines here are available without a prescription, with the exception of antibiotics and heavy medical drugs.
In some northern countries the pharmacists sit behind the large glass that fences them off from visitors. These glasses have small windows, and sometimes it's difficult to give some medicine through these windows!
Cyprus pharmacies are different. No glass, no window! Every customer here is a dear guest, or even a friend. In Cypriot pharmacies, pharmacists show you everything, tell you everything, and even make an appointment with a beautician for free, give samples and testers. In large pharmacies there are at least 2-3 consultants who rush to help and please you with all their might.
There are several nuances in the work of Cypriot pharmacies.
For island's guests who are accustomed to round-the-clock service in their home country, the working hours of Cypriot pharmacies are certainly a wonder.
Pharmacies in Cyprus are open mainly from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm on working days (plus a lunch break from 13:30 to 16:00). The lunch break is impressive, isn't it? But that's not all! Local pharmacies are open only until lunchtime on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and they are completely closed on Sunday.
However, night pharmacies can be found if urgently needed. Cyprus has web-sites that show all the pharmacies of the island on the map. Using this site, it is easy to find the nearest pharmacy, and most importantly, you can find pharmacies which operate 24-7.
Today, nonprescription medicine can also be bought in Cyprus on the Internet (you need to pay by card and wait for courier delivery).
As you already understood, a Cypriot pharmacy is a large supermarket with a small section for medicines.
And, as in any supermarket, discounts are periodically announced in local pharmacies.
Most often, they have discounts for decorative and care cosmetics, vitamins, dietary supplements. Also, in each pharmacy, they usually issue client cards for the program 'the larger the purchase amount, the greater the discount amount'. And although the discount is often not significant, it still makes many customers come back to their favorite pharmacy again and again.
Where to look for English pharmacies in Cyprus?
Looking for medicines can be a problem in an unfamiliar country, especially when there is a language barrier. Stop! Most pharmacists speak English. A lot of them can speak fluently or they are even native English speakers.
Below is a list of some drugs popular in Cyprus:
Headache. Aspirin (Ασπιρίνη) is available at local pharmacies. Cypriots most often treat any pain with Depone analgesic. There are also Baralgin and Spasmalgon in local pharmacies.
Allergies. The range includes Claretin (Λοραταδίνη), calcium gluconate (Γλυκονικό ασβέστιο), it is an analogue of Tavegil Clemastine.
Indigestion. Local pharmacies have the Enterosgel and activated carbon (Ο ενεργός άνθρακας). Bifidobacterium is an analogue of Bifiform that can also help.
Cough. A popular cough remedy is the organic propolis tincture, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. You can also buy PhytoBisolvon.
Runny nose. Nasal lavage, and Otrivin.
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