Places to See in Northern Cyprus

Bellapais
Famous for its Abbey and also for the reknowned british author Lawrence Durrell who lived here while writing his novel Bitter Lemons of Cyprus.

Buffavento
A majestic castle overlooking the Mesarya plains and associated with Richard the Lionheart.

Karaman
This Northern Cyprus village of Karaman is situated to the west of Kyrenia, perched high in the mountains and has been lovingly renovated following its abandonment by its Greek-Cypriot inhabitants during the intervention in 1974.

Karpaz
Consisting the eastern tip of North Cyprus, this is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and tranquil parts of the Mediterranean.

Kyrenia Harbour
This famous and historic harbour is situated on the northern coast of North Cyprus and has a 6,000 year long history, dating back to the time of the Byzantines.

St Hilarion
The original castle, to which the monastery gave place, formed part of the Byzantine defence of the Island, which also included Kyrenia castle itself.

Bellapais

Upon purchasing a home in Bellapais, reknowned author Lawrence Durrell remarked that he felt "guilty of an act of fearful temerity in trying to settle in such a fantastic place".

In fact, these days Bellapais is as famous for being the home of its litery son, Lawrence Durrell, as it is for its impressive Augustinian monastery. Today the Tree of Idleness, made famous in his novel "Bitter Lemons of Cyprus", still remains and many tourists seek to enjoy a cold beer in its shade and reflect on Durrell's characters who enjoyed the shade of the tree many years earlier.

The monastery itself is situated to the south east of Kyrenia and is a fine example of gothic architecture. Perched precariously on a natural terrace the abbey gives its name to the fashionable district it overlooks. The original structure was built between 1198 and 1205 by Augustinian monks who had fled palestine following the fall of Jerusalem to the Saracen Selahaddin in 1187. Further construction was undertaken during the reigns of King Hugh lll and King Hugh IV between 1267 and 1359.

Today there exists a mix of building in excellent preservation, and other parts in ruin. The cypress-lined cloisters are impressive and look towards the west where a restaurant has opened and diners gaze over the open coutyard. Above the Abbey lies the village of Bellapais with its narrow and charming streets which have a character all of their own and through which tourists delight to amble during the hot summer months.

Buffavento Castle

This majestic castle, whose name means "buffeted by the winds" perches precariously 940m above the sea overlooking the Mesarya plain to the south. In medieval times it was known as The Castle of the Lion. Little is known about its early history before Richard the Lionheart took it over from the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Isaak Komninos.

Today the attraction of the castle lies in its remoteness and the views from the ruins. Whilst the castle isn't in the best condition there are still a couple of covered chambers and a renovated staircase allows access to the upper parts. Unlike Kantara castle, the walkways are protected and the views from the top are truly magnificent.

Karaman/Karmi

Karaman or Karmi (as some people call it)is a village situated to the west of Kyrenia, high in the mountains. It was abandoned by its Greek-Cypriot inhabitants during the 1974 intervention and within a short period of time the village became a derelict ghost town, losing all its peace and charm in the process.

In an innovative rejuvenation project in 1979, the Council of Ministers put into practice a plan which would breath life back to this small village of amazing natural beauty that has appealed to foreigners for a long time.

In 1983 the Ministry of Interior started to lease out the properties on 49 year renewable leases, mainly to people from the UK. Subsequently over the years the infrastructure was improved by adding in new roads, water supplies and electricity. Great importance was shown to keep the character of the village whilst making sure that the new inhabitants had all their modern needs taken into consideration. Solar heaters are not permitted to be placed on the roofs, wooden rafters and rush mats were used for ceilings and height of water tanks is limited to 60cm above roof level in order not to spoil the village atmosphere.

Karpaz

The long swathe of land forming the Karpaz peninsular was virtually untouched by the events of 1974 and remains a timeless land of rolling fields, beautiful beaches and scattered settlements. It is little visited and quite remote and must be one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and tranquil parts of the Mediterranean, offering a stunning array of landscapes and scenery. Colonies of turtles nest on its southern beaches and the government has plans for making one vast nature reserve here to preserve its natural beauty. In any case, electricity does not reach beyond the village of Dipkarpaz and there is little evidence of the encroachment of man. Wildlife and plant lovers will also be in seventh heaven, especially in April/May, when the spring weather brings numerous species of animals and lots of flowers, many unique to Cyprus, to this unspoiled land.

Wild Donkeys in the Karpaz National Park area (Pan handle):
There are approximately 250 wild donkeys which roam the plains of the Karpaz. They are generally black but are sometimes ginger. You should approach these animals with care.

Kyrenia Harbour

The Jewel in the Crown of Northern Cyprus, historic Kyrenia harbour is situated on the north coast of Cyprus and has a 6,000 year long history, dating back to the time of the Byzantines.

At the entrance to the harbour is the imposing Byzantine Kyrenia castle which has subsequently been influenced by the Lusignans and then the Venetians and found a functional role until surprisingly recent times. Originally built as a roman fort, the impressive castle is stacked full of history and is now home to an informative & interesting museum which houses the oldest shipwreck in the world dating back to the 16th century.

Nestled beneath the Five Finger mountain range to the south and overlooking the shimmering Mediteranean waters, the harbour has an intoxicatingly and serene atmosphere.

As the sun sets over Kyrenia the harbour becomes alive with young and old alike as everyone gravitates to this unique and beautiful part of the town. The streets are alive with stalls selling nik-naks and souvenirs, bars playing music until the early hours, and laughter spills from every restaurant and cafe terrace as the evening progresses. Whether you want a quiet restaurant in the cobbled backstreets or a lively bar with music and dancing... Kyrenia and its harbour has something for everyone.

St. Hilarion

The imposing position enjoyed by this castle explains why as early as the sixth and seventh centuries the mountaintop was used as a watchtower whilst the area was suffering frequent arab raids. The exact date of the construction of the existing structure is not recorded but it was around the end of the eleventh century and formed part of the Byzantine defence of the island which also included castles at Buffavento and Kantara. The castle itself is named after St. Hilarion, a hermit monk who fled from persecution in the Holy Land and lived and died in a cave on the mountain.

When the Venetians captured Cyprus in 1489, they relied on Kyrenia, Nicosia and Famagusta for the defence of the island and St. Hilarion became obsolete and fell into neglect.

In 1964 the castle saw action again as Turkish Cypriots occupied it as a stronghold against the attacks their community suffered at the hands of EOKA greek militants. It has been it Turkish Cypriot hands ever since and the Turkish army have a base nearby, testament to the enduring strategic imprortance of the maintaintop location.

Today it is a major tourist attraction and every year thousands of people climb the hundreds of steps up to the highest point to experience the unique views, likened to being on top of the world! Once there you can sit and try to contemplate the sheer size of what had been achieved in constructing this awesome castle on top of, and into, the Kyrenia mountain range.

Hillcrest Property Consultants
Kyrenia
Northern Cyprus
TRNC
Tel: (0044) (0)1634 778344
Email: info@hillcrest-cyprus.com