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Things to do and see North Cyprus is one of the most attractive places in the Mediterranean, but because of its troubled history and political isolation, it has remained largely unaffected by mass tourism.
It has a great deal to offer the visitor - there are ancient Roman ruins, Crusader castles, Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques. It has a wonderful climate, with long hot summers and relatively warm winters. The nearest main town, Kyrenia, is full of narrow cobbled streets leading down to the harbour,below, which is lined with a wide range of restaurants. Places
to visit Beaches Along the same road is Deniz Kizi, attached to the hotel of the same name, which is in a pretty bay. Further along the coast you come to Mare Monte, which is well protected in windy weather. A little further on is Alsancak beach, also known as Camelot. This has a rather off-putting triumphal arch by the car park but the beach is clean and simple. As a rule, for beaches near Kyrenia, you have to buy a ticket, which costs about £2, and this gets you sunbeds and the use of showers. On beaches further afield where there are no services there are no charges. The best beach for a day trip is "Turtle Beach' - a long, open sandy beach about 10 miles east of Kyrenia and about half an hour's drive from the house. It is often almost deserted and has a small beach bar where you can rent umbrellas. It is a protected area, and at certain times of the year you can see turtles hatching and scrambling down to the sea. A memorable excursion is a trip to the Karpass peninsula or panhandle. The whole area is entirely untouched, and is a nature reserve populated by flocks of goats and wild donkeys. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to get to there, and it is a good idea to spend the night at the Blue Sea Hotel. This is a one star hotel with no mains electricity but is not without its own special charm. The main attractions, apart from the monastery, are the numerous little bays along the road and the massive expanse of sand at the end, which is certainly one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. Simple food and a warm welcome can be had at Ali's Big Sand Café, which overlooks the beach. Castles St Hilarion is also attractive, and is easy to reach by car. Buffavento is very pretty, but is much more difficult to reach, as you have to climb up the mountain to get to it. Kantara is a long way and probably not worth the effort unless you are passing on the way to Famagusta. In all these castles, there are some sheer drops in unexpected places and the railings are not adequate. Monasteries Walks When walking in the hills, it is advisable to wear suitable shoes as a precaution against snakes. Brown ones are poisonous but relatively rare; black ones are more common but are completely harmless. Other
Towns The old part of Nicosia has a number of lovely ancient buildings all in fairly close proximity. Recommendations include the Turkish baths, the mosque (which used to be a cathedral), the market and the 'Big Inn'. Again, Diana Darke's guidebook is a very good source of information. Place Names Most places
have an English and a Turkish name, which can be confusing. The
most common ones are: Restaurants The Brasserie is at the top of the steps near the Harbour Club. Again, it is a lovely building (the old Governor's residence), and has a simple international menu. More for adults than children. There is another restaurant just beside the steps in the middle of the harbour, which is an old converted carob warehouse. The restaurant, which is on the roof, has a lovely view of the harbour, but the food is fairly standard. Turkish food is a better bet than the European food. Almost any of the other restaurants on the harbour serve reasonable meals - some tend to be 'hamburger and chips' establishments, some offer more local food, but you can normally judge the quality by the number of people. For children or just for a quick meal, the chicken restaurant called ‘Ezic’ in Kyrenia (on the main road, on the right as you come in from Karaoglanoglu and opposite the supermarket) is brilliant. They do take-away barbecued chickens as well. The best restaurant, however, is generally reckoned to be the Address, which is in on the sea in Karaoglanoglu, at the bottom of the hill. It serves Turkish and English food and is immensely popular. Coming down form the house, turn left in Karaoglanoglu and look for the large sign on the right. The full kebab is excellent. Reservations are advised. Closer to home, the two kebab places in Karaoglanoglu do perfectly acceptable local food. The ‘London Butcher’ on the crossroads does Kleftiko (long slow-cooked lamb) once a week as a take-away, but you have to order it in advance. He is a good source for meat, and he speaks good English as well. Jashan's in Edremit serves very good Indian and European food either on the premises or as a take-away, and even does childrens food. It is half way up the hill from Karaoglanoglu to the house. Click on the logo and you will see their prices (notice that they are all in £ sterling!). In Karmi, you can eat at the Levant or at Treasure, where the portions are huge; immediately behind the house is Hilarion Village, which has a restaurant that is open to the public. Other places along the coast (going west) are Guler's, which is an authentic Cypriot restaurant (as opposed to Turkish). It is called 'Guler's Fish Restaurant' but serves meat as well. For a feel of an old Cyprus house, you can visit Planter's, which serves European food. Activities
Scuba Karting Check with them before you go that there is not a local race meeting on. Click on the icon below to see their website: (if you do click on it, press cancel to stop the download of the character set - the site loads quite well without it.)
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