Cyprus is a holiday destination where sun, sea, beach and culture go hand in hand. Every year many tourists flock to the southern part of the island. Yet the less touristy north, a mix of authenticity and tranquility, is definitely worth a visit. Below are some day trips that should not be missed during a tour.
Contents
- Location and accessibility
- climate
- History
- Currencies
- Transport
- Day trips
- More information
Location and accessibility
Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean Sea, east of the Greek islands, south of Turkey and west of Syria. South Cyprus can be reached directly via flights from Europe. Northern Cyprus is only accessible from the Netherlands and Belgium via a stopover in Turkey.
climate
Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate. The summers are warm and long, while the winters are mild and short. Precipitation falls from December to March, after which temperatures rise above 20 degrees from April. In May it quickly reaches 30 degrees and in June, July and August the temperature can easily climb to 40 degrees. During this period it is already sweltering around 8:00 to 9:00 in the morning. September and October have the most pleasant temperatures.
History
Cyprus has a long and complicated history. As this article is mainly about travel in Northern Cyprus, only a brief summary of the history is presented. However, it is important to understand the division (North-South) of the island before traveling to Cyprus.
Cyprus, thanks to its strategic location, has been an important trade center between Europe and Asia since ancient times. During the Ottoman period, a large minority of Turks came to live on the island. Cyprus became a British crown colony in 1925. From 1958 onwards, the disagreement between Greek and Turkish Cypriots grew, after which a treaty was concluded between the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey in which the independence of the island was agreed. Greek and Turkish Cypriots would govern together, but in 1963 the Greek Cypriots wanted to limit the influence of the Turkish Cypriots. This led to an outbreak of mutual violence, mainly in the capital Nicosia. Britain tried to separate the two sides by creating a buffer zone. The Green Line divides the capital in two. In 1974 a coup took place and the Turks invaded the country: they occupied the northern part. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriots unilaterally proclaimed the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This republic is only recognized by Turkey. In 2004, Cyprus joined the European Union, but only the southern (Greek) part is recognized by Europe. To date, Northern Cyprus is a stumbling block for Turkey to join/be admitted to the European Union.
Currencies
In southern Cyprus the Euro is the official currency, but in the north the Turkish Lira is used. One Turkish Lira is equivalent to approximately half a euro. So you can approximately divide the amounts by two to convert the Lira into Euros.
Transport
Since Cyprus was once a British colony, driving is on the left side of the road. You can rent cars (both left- and right-handed), but you can also use public transport. There are no trains in Cyprus, but there are bus services between the different cities. The buses (called dolmus) run very frequently and you get on or off where you want. There are also taxis to take you to your destination.
Nowadays you can also go to the south of Cyprus with a rental car, provided you take out additional insurance at the border crossing.
Day trips
Depending on your mode of transport and the place where you are staying, you can make the following day trips:
Trip 1: Kyrenia (Girne)
Kyrenia is one of the most beautiful towns in all of Cyprus. It used to be the main harbor on the island and the horseshoe shape in which numerous sailing boats are moored offers an idyllic sight. You can stroll quietly through the streets and there are plenty of restaurants. Right next to the harbor there is a castle (Girne Kalesi) in which you can visit the oldest preserved shipwreck in the world. From the castle walls you have a beautiful view of the city, while you can cool off under some trees in the courtyard.
Allow approximately 1 day for this excursion. A half day is also possible if you are staying nearby; definitely try to soak up the atmosphere at sunset. On Wednesdays there is the local market, where you can buy local delicacies and clothing.
Excursion 2: St. Hilarion / Bellapais
Not so far from Kyrenia are St. Hilarion Castle and Bellapais Monastery.
St. Hilarion
St. Hilarion is the best preserved of the 3 Crusader castles, next to Buffavento and Kantara, and is also sometimes called Snow White’s castle because Walt Disney is said to have drawn his inspiration from this for the film. This fairytale castle is located in the mountains and offers dazzling views of the coastline of Northern Cyprus. On the way to St. Hilarion you pass a military zone, where it is strictly forbidden to stop or take photos.
Anecdote about the “Queens window”: Queen Regaena had this castle built in the 11th century. She was a beautiful, but also very cruel and stingy queen. Since the castle is located in the mountains, it was a tough job for the workers to get all the materials up. Instead of being happy when the castle was finished, she was concerned that one of the workers would remember where the treasury was. One day, as she sat at the window overlooking the steep valley, she came up with a plan. She had all the workers come to the castle to get paid. One by one they were called into the room, where they were grabbed by bodyguards and thrown out through the window (the Queens window) to certain death.
Bellapais Monastery
Bellapais is an early 13th century Gothic monastery. The name is derived from the French Abbay de la Paix or Abbey of Peace. The monastery is quite well preserved and is a typical example of Gothic art. There are some tourist shops and restaurants around the monastery. It is possible to visit St. Hilarion and Bellapais on the same day. However, it is recommended that you provide your own transportation because there are no vans. It is possible to take a taxi, but this limits your time. The taxi will wait for 1 hour in St. Hilarion and then take you to Bellapais where you will have half an hour. Far too little to visit these beautiful places in peace.
Trip 3: Famagusta (Gazimagusa)
Famagusta, originally a port, is surrounded by enormous city walls. Within the city walls it is pleasant to stroll through the streets and enjoy the many historic buildings that can be visited. Since the Turkish occupation, the Greek Cypriots have been expelled from the city and Varosha (the coastal district) has become a ghost town, a kind of no man’s land, guarded by the Turkish army.
The beaches around Famagusta are beautiful, white sandy beaches, popular with holidaymakers.
Allow at least half a day to visit Famagusta (depending on where you stay). A combination with the ruins of Salamis is possible, but then it will be a rush. It is possible to take a shared taxi to Famagusta: this is cheaper than a regular taxi, but you have to be back at the taxi stand by 6:00 PM.
Excursion 4: Salamis
The ruins of Salamis are definitely worth a visit. They are located close to the city of Famagusta and also represent an important legacy in world history. This archaeological site has only been partially excavated, but is also the most spectacular on the island. In Salamis you imagine yourself in ancient Greece. The gymnasium with its monumental columns, the amphitheater with 50 rows of seats and the marble statues catapult you back into antiquity.
There are several beaches nearby where you can take a refreshing dip in the water after a visit to the ruins. This can come in handy, because there is little to no shade at the archaeological site. So provide sufficient water and protection against the sun. There is a restaurant nearby.
Excursion 5: Turtle Beach
Alagadi beach is also called turtle beach because of the presence of sea turtles. These turtles are endangered and therefore their nests are protected. Students from the United Kingdom have set up a project there. Every night they are present on the beach and mark each nest, where turtles come to lay their eggs, with a basket.
Every afternoon at 4:00 PM a nest is dug up and the little turtles are taken, examined and marked, after which they are released back into the sea around 8:00 PM. The excavation can be attended by everyone and is really worth it. If you want to be there when the turtles are released, you must make a reservation because places are limited. The beach is a protected area and is closed to visitors from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM. However, during the day you can enjoy the sun and the sea. There is a restaurant on the beach where you can rent umbrellas.
Alagadi beach is a good place if you want to relax for a day and do nothing. Moreover, it is nice to combine with the sea turtles.
Trip 6: Karpaz Peninsula
A trip to Karpaz Peninsula is a must for nature lovers. The vast peninsula has the status of National Park. Apartments, hotels and resorts are rare here. You can go all the way to the tip of the island, where the Apostolos Andreas Monastery is located. Here you can drink Holy water from the source and take it with you. At this end point you can see a number of souvenir shops and, above all, many donkeys. Donkeys are the national symbol of Cyprus: they can be seen everywhere on the road and you often have to stop to avoid running over them.
But the peninsula is best known for its Golden beaches. Most places in Cyprus have stone beaches, but here in this place, there are miles of sandy beach. Wonderful for swimming or snorkeling. The area is also beautiful due to the absence of buildings.
Allow at least 1 day to visit this beautiful piece of unspoilt nature. The area cannot be reached by public transport, so you will have to use your own transport (4×4 required!) or you can go with a tour operator. The latter is not recommended because the time you can spend on the beach is very limited (1 to 2 hours) and this is a shame because of the unique swimming opportunities. Make sure you find out how far it is from your place of residence so that you can leave early enough to take maximum advantage. If you can arrange an overnight stay on site, this is the best solution.
Trip 7: Nicosia (Lefkosia)
Nicosia is one of the last divided capitals in the world. The so-called green line runs straight through the city: this is a buffer zone controlled by the UN. The green line owes its name to the fact that a British general drew the line in green on the map. There is one transition from North to South in the capital. Provided you have the necessary documents, identity card and VISA (stamp on a paper you received when you entered Northern Cyprus), you can cross to the other part of the city without any problem. You will quickly notice the difference between the Greek and Turkish parts. In the Turkish part you mainly have clothes shops, while in the Greek part you have a maze of cozy streets with nothing but souvenir shops. Highly recommended is the Büyük Han in the Turkish part.
Be sure to take a day to visit Nicosia. Make sure you have a solid plan so that you know which sights you want to visit, otherwise you will quickly get lost. Also note that many museums in the Greek part are closed in the afternoon: make sure you inform yourself well. Nicosia is easy to reach by public transport (bus).
More information
There is not much travel information about northern Cyprus. A good travel guide to purchase is Bradt North Cyprus. The guide is in English and unfortunately not yet translated into Dutch. Yet it is one of the only guides specifically about Northern Cyprus. Most travel guides mention the north, but this section only covers a few pages.