The notes in a Cypriot till are the same euros used across the currency union. The local character is on the national side of the coins, arranged in three families that are easy to learn.
Three motifs, one island
The note colours work like a quick index
Grey EUR 5, red EUR 10, blue EUR 20 and orange EUR 50 notes cover most ordinary cash purchases. The green EUR 100 and yellow-brown EUR 200 carry more value but can be awkward at a bus kiosk, bakery or small taverna. Note size rises with value, giving you a second clue when the light is poor.
A EUR 500 note can be valid without being practical
The Europa series stops at EUR 200. Older EUR 500 notes are no longer issued, yet they retain their value and can be exchanged at euro-area national central banks. Finding one is therefore possible; trying to spend one on a small purchase is another matter.
Check real cash with feel, look and tilt
Cash by Country illustrations teach colour, layout and denomination, not authentication. On a genuine note, feel the raised print, look for the watermark and security thread, then tilt for the hologram and changing features. Use several checks together.
Build the pocket around change
Small notes and EUR 1 and 2 coins are the useful island layer: they keep bus fares, coffee stops, tips and small counters easy. Break a EUR 50 at a supermarket or established business before expecting a village kiosk to provide a pocketful of change.