Strike out beyond the sun-soaked stretches of sand to discover an island of compelling culture and landscapes, steeped in myth and riddled with ancient riches.
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, with spectacular scenery and an enviable climate. An island of beauty and a country of contrasts with its cool, pine-clad mountains forming a complete scene-change compared to the golden sun-kissed beaches. Its tranquil timeless villages are also in striking contrast to the modern cosmopolitan towns, luxurious beach side hotels and large areas of natural unspoiled countryside. Cyprus may be a small country, but it is a large island with a big heart; an island that gives its visitors a genuine welcome and treats them as friends.
Strategically located, Cyprus is a natural meeting place. An island drenched in sun and mythology at the crossroads of ancient civilizations, had numerous visitors through the years, all of whom left their mark. Some built temples to their Gods, others castles to their Kings, while the Crusaders used Cyprus as a staging post and the pirates for a plunder. Storytellers refer to the magnificent royal weddings and incomparable works of art created by its artists. Those who visited Cyprus were enchanted by its splendor since the island’s beauty is the legacy of Aphrodite, Goddess of beauty and love.
- St. Barnabas Monastery:
St. Barnabas, born of a Jewish family in Salamis, returns to Cyprus after his studies in Jerusalem and in 45 A.D. starts to work with St. Paul as a missionary for Christianity. Because of his activities he is killed by his compatriots and his corpse is hidden in a marsh, later to be deposited into the sea. The followers of St. Barnabas watch the events; they take the corpse to an underground cave to the West of Salamis and bury it there after putting a copy of the Bible made by St. Mathews on his chest. The corpse remains hidden for many years as its whereabouts is known to noone.
432 years later, Bishop Anthemios says he has seen the grave in his dream, and has the place dug. When the grave is opened, St. Barnabas can be identified because of the St. Mathews Bible. After this incident, the bishop goes to Istanbul to inform Emperor Zeno, and gains the autonomy of the Cyprus Church. The emperor makes a donation for a monastery to be built at the location of the grave. The monastery constructed in 477 A.D., consists of a church, a courtyard, and living quarters for priests.
- Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque – St Nicolas’ Cathedral:
The building which was constructed between the years 1298-1312 in the Lusignan period is one of the most beautiful Gothic structures of the Meditteranean region. The Lusignan kings would be inaugurated as the King of Cyprus at the St. Sophia Cathedral in nicosia first, and following this they would be crowned as the King of Jerusalem at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in famagusta. These ceremonies continued to be held until 1571 when the cathedral was turned into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks. The architecture of the western front of the building has been influenced by the architecture of the Reims Cathedral. It has an unparalleled window with Gothic style tracery. The 16th century Venetian gallery in the courtyard is today used as a reservoir for ablutions. A Venetian insignia can be seen above the circular windows at the entrance. The relief ornamented with animal figures is thought to have been brought from a temple in Salamis. The apsis of the cathedral is in the Eastern style and is composed of three parts as in most Cyprus churches. The windows in the top part have been well preserved. There are two chapels at the side. The cumbez tree in front -a tropical fig tree- is a rare tree in the north of the island.
- Selimiye Mosque – St Sophia Cathedral:
Construction of St Sophia Cathedral started in 1209 during Lusignan’s time and completed at the beginning of 1300s. It is the perfect reflection of Medieval French architecture. When Ottomans conquered Cyprus in 1571 They turned this cathedral into a mosque. Selimiye name comes from the Sultan Selim II who conquered the island. This structures located just
next to Büyük Han (Grand Bazaar) in Lefkoşa (Nicosia). It is one of the most famous historical places in Cyprus.
- Bellapais Monastery:
It is located in Beylerbeyi village. It was built between 1158 and 1205. Its name is coming from French “Abbaye de la Paix” which means, Peace Monastery.
When Selahaddin Eyyübi concurred Jerusalem, Augistignan priests left there and moved to Bellapais Monastery. They are the first people recorded in the monastery.
Today, there is also a concert hall in Bellapais Monastery and it is actively used. If you follow the concert schedule you may add a unique experience to your Cyprus trip.
- St Hilarion Castle:
It is a castle built on the North side of Beşparmak Mountains. Castle is located 10 km away from Kyrenia. St Hilarion is 700 m high from the sea level. You can reach the entrance with your car but after that, you need to climb up to approximately 500 stairs to reach the top point of the castle. If your energy is not enough for the top, even in de lower parts there is a very nice panoramic view.
The castle is open until 5 pm in summer and 2 pm in winter. This is a place that you should definitely add your tour plans in Northern Cyprus. Sometimes, there are special events in the castle. For example, we have found a tango festival and we danced a bit, despite our slippers. It was a very nice and unique event.
- Kyrenia Harbour & Kyrenia Castle:
Nowadays, it is used as a yacht marina but originally it was built by the Romans as a trading port. Today, there are many restaurants, cafes, and bars next to the port. I suggest you spend one of your nights in this historic port. Especially during sunset you can take very nice pictures and enjoy the island’s lovely atmosphere.
This castle is the symbol of Kyrenia. It was built in Byzantine times and hosted many cultures after that. The purpose of this castle was to protect the island from Arabian attacks. In the castle, you can see the Byzantine, Lusignan, Venice and Ottoman culter’s marks.
- Salamis Ancient Town:
Salamis is an ancient town 6km from the center of Famagusta. The first findings belong to the 11th century BC. It is a typical Roman town, with a gymnasium, forum, agora, and bathhouse.
During the excavations between 1952 and 1974, most of the town was discovered. After the Turkish military intervention. In 1998, Ankara University started the excavation works again.
Salamis Ancient Town is a place that must be seen in Northern Cyprus. During summertime don’t forget to take some water and sun cream and discover this historical place.
- Karpaz Peninsula:
The Karpaz Peninsula or “panhandle” as the British called the north-east part of Cyprus is a land where time stands still. There are miles of sandy Karpaz beaches with not a person in site. Ancient towns, basilicas, ruins and tombs scatter the area waiting to be explored. To get a taste of Cyprus 20 years ago, the traveler must visit the Karpaz. There are rural traditional Cypriot villages where the land is agricultural and the majority of the villages live off the land.
The Karpaz Peninsula has miles and miles of wonderful Karpaz beaches. It is quite normal to share the sea shore with donkeys rather than other tourists. It has been called the nature reserve of Cyprus for birds, wild flowers, and sea fossils are to be found everywhere.
Moreover, about 46 sandy beaches in the Karpaz comprise the main nestling ground for the endangered Chelonia Mydas and Caretta Caretta sea turtles in the Eastern Mediterranean. In 1992, about 1,500 rare female turtles laid eggs on the shores of North Cyprus.
- Shopping:
The visitors to Cyprus can find a wide range of consumer goods and services. Many of the popular imported brand names are readily available and can be found in local supermarkets. There can be found some really good shops in Cyprus that follow the latest fashion and also the shops selling accessories of great many sorts are frequent. Also you can find cute and colorful clothes for children. The markets in Cyprus are found in major cities, like Nicosia, Famagusta and Kyrenia and local people call them bazaars. Bazaar shops with amazing collections of Turkish pottery, tiles, silk, cushion covers, scarves and ornaments of all descriptions cover the villages and towns in Cyprus.
- Historical Areas:
The Island of Cyprus lies at the crossroads between East and West. Due to its strategic location, it was ruled by many civilisations throughout history, namely the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Knights Templar, Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans and the British. A lot places to see like castles, monasteries, churches, museums around.
- Entertainment & Nightlife:
Cyprus has one of the best nightlife in Europe with tourists from different countries making it even more exciting. Nightlife in Northern Cyprus centres on restaurants and bars. With a multitude of picturesque harbours and beaches, it’s hardly surprising that most of the entertainment takes place outside. Whether you prefer dancing all night or quietly sipping cocktails, Cyprus has got you covered. For a really sophisticated evening, head for a public games rooms. Here you can play the tables or the machines and cards.
- Food & Drink:
For every holidaymaker this means definitely an inseparable adventure as tasty Cypriot food represents a part of the unique culture. Cyprus is literally studded with restaurants ranging from the authentic Cypriot cuisine serving, which offer very good value for money, to the fashionable restaurants like French, Chinese or Indian. Lying on the crossroad of the three continents, the Turkish-Cypriot cuisine has been influenced by different cultures throughout history, owing most of its heritage to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Many dishes vary from region to region making Cyprus a marvellous place to eat.
- Water Parks:
For those who love excitement and enjoyment of cool fun and splash of water, there is, however, a number of water parks in Northern Cyprus mostly included in hotel complexes. Slides of different shapes, sizes and colors are becoming more and more attractive for kids and adults and are often included in the swimming pool areas. These are supervised by the lifeguards who are present to ensure the proper and sensible usage of the slides.
- Yatching:
Yacht and boat tours are available throughout the summer from Girne Harbour. There are many vendors, so take time to find a suitable service. Many are full day excursions and include swimming, fishing and barbeques.
- Diving:
Welcome to the fascinating and unique underwater world of North Cyprus, where you can enjoy one of the longest diving seasons in the Mediterranean. You will find crystal-clear, unpolluted water where the marine life is still undisturbed. Underwater visibility can be more than 30 meters.
Down in the deep and warn blue you will meet sting rays, amber jacks, scorpions, bream, grouper, cuckoo, wrass, and now and then a sea turtle. The under water terrain is furthermore an ideal place for octopus and moray eel, colorful sponges, soft, soft corals, as well as treasures from ancient times.
- Thief (Cube)Kebab:
It is also called Kleftiko, which means “thief food” in Greek. Rather than hiding the lambs that they stole, the lamb thieves in Greece hastily cut and buried them in the ground and set fire to them. The lamb beneath the ground was slowly cooked under the influence of the fire that was burned on it, thus turning into a burglar’s feast.
- Halloumi Cheese:
Halloumi is brined, slightly springy white cheese, traditionally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, although these days cow’s milk is also used. Its texture is similar to that of mozzarella or thick feta, except that it has a strong, salty flavour imbibed from the brine preserve.
- Black-Eyed Peas (Louvi):
Louvi is a traditional Cypriot dish of black eyed peas, with onions, garlic, parsley and silverbeet or Swiss chard, seasoned with salt and pepper and served with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juic
- Pirohu Pastry:
Pirohu is a dish made from dough. But it is cooked in water, not oil. The Pirohu dish uses ingredients specific to Cypriot cuisine. The most important of these is hellim and the other is salt-free “nor”. The Pirohu dish resembles the ravioli dish in appearance and preparation.
- Peach Kebab:
It is a dish of sheep or goat’s inner membrane called banna or terb, mixed with minced meat, onion and parsley and wrapped in stuffed form and cooked on skewer or grill.
