NorthCyprus4holidays
© North Cyprus 4 Holidays 2006 -
North Cyprus remains wonderfully un spoilt with many secluded golden sandy beaches, crystal clear seas,
beautiful forested mountains and an interesting varied historical past.
Nicosia (Lefkosa), the capital of the Turkish Cypriots, is a divided city between North and South Cyprus. Inside the old Venetian walls, surrounding the city, there are many historical buildings, mosques, cathedrals and monuments including Kyrenia Gate, Atatürk Square and the Venetian Column, Selimiye Mosque and the
Great Khan.
Famagusta (Gazimiğuza) is the largest port in Cyprus and, due to its location, one of the most strategic spots in the Eastern Mediterranean. The old city wall contains Othello’s tower and Akkule (Ravelin) one of the entries. Inside the walls and around Namik Kemal Square are Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque (St Nicholas Cathedral)and the Venetian Palace.
Kyrenia (Girne) is a bustling harbour town, with many restaurants and bars. Away from the harbour there are numerous historical sites including Kyrenia Castle and Shipwreck Museum, St Hilarion Castle, and Bellapais Abbey.
Morphou (Güzelyurt) situated in the northwest is one of the richest agricultural areas in Cyprus and is famous for citrus fruit, lemons, oranges and grapefruit. Nearby are the Ruins of Soli and the Palace of Vouni.
Karpas peninsula (the panhandle of Cyprus) is the easternmost part of the island with miles of long golden sandy beaches and un spoilt natural countryside. The peninsula is where migrant birds including rollers, golden oriels and bee eaters can be found. This is also the area for protected turtle beaches.
Turtle Beaches, Birds and Flowers Loggerhead and green turtles nest on beaches of North Cyprus between end June and beginning of September. There are many wild flowers, including 32 species and variants of wild Orchids, 347 species of birds on Cyprus and 119 winter migrants. Many other birds can be seen during the north migration March – May and south migration August – October.
Crusader Castles
Kyrenia castle, still in perfect condition, was used to protect the city against Arab raids. Buffavento castle, at 950 meters above sea level, controlled the passage through the mountains. Its position enabled signals to be seen by the mountain castles of Kantara and St Hilarion along with Kyrenia.
Salamis
The history of Salamis dates back to the 11th century BC. During the Roman era Salamis received its share of wealth of the period and became an important trading centre in the Mediterranean