Diana Darke - North Cyprus

North Cyprus
Dont miss

Crusader castles

North Cypruss lofty castles evidence the islands long and troubled history; pictured here, St Hilarion makes for a great half-day trip from Girne (SA/D)

Local culture

Local festivities allow visitors to experience the colourful North Cypriot culture. Here, folk dancers show off their skills in Gazimausa (a/S)

The Karpas Peninsula

Clear, Mediterranean waters lap the pure white sands of North Cypruss last wilderness (s/S)

Nature and wildlife

A dash for the sea: North Cypriot beaches find favour with nesting turtles (NCTC)

Girne Harbour

A beautiful setting, Girnes harbour draws in most visitors for an alfresco meal at one of its manyrestaurants (ND/S)

It is the sheer power of Girnes castle walls that impress the most (NCTC)

Resplendent Bellapais Abbey draws many visitors yet retains a peaceful ambience out of peak periods (GR/D)

The Kyrenia Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop to Lefkosa, where the Selimiye Mosque dominates the skyline (KM/S)

With endless churches and historic buildings, Gazimausa can provide a days wanderings around what seems like an open-air museum. Pictured here, the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque sits on the main square (KM/S)

Karaman is the only village in the north to have been entirely renovated by foreigners (SS)

Once the bustling centre for traders, Lefkosas Great Inn (Byk Han) is now a relaxing venue for a drink or some souvenir hunting (t/S)

The Byzantine monastery church of Panagia Kanakaria stands in splendid isolation at the western end of the Karpas Peninsula (SS)

The many abandoned churches of the Karpas Peninsula signify that the areas population was once predominantly Greek Cypriot (NCTC)

The interior of the monastery of Antiphonitis exhibits some fine frescoes (RA/S)

The theatre at Soli dates from the 3rd century AD and still hosts occasional performances by local schools (ND/S)

Well-preserved Roman mosaics adorn the baths at Salamis (k/S)

Lefkosas Mevlevi Tekke Museum was once a monastery for whirling dervishes (m/S)

Kantara Castle offers magnificent views over both sides of the Karpas Peninsula, and on a clear day as far as Turkey and the mountains of Lebanon (r/S)

Venetian lion at the Sea Gate, Gazimausa. The Sea Gate is one of two original gates to the walled city, dating back to 1495 (RA/D)

Salamis, the most extensive ancient site in North Cyprus, is still only partially excavated (YA/S)

The steep hike up to Buffavento Castle rewards the intrepid with stunning views (t/S)

The imposing Kyrenia mountain range straddles much of North Cyprus (t/S)

Cypriot donkeys roam freely in the Karpas Peninsula (NCTC)

Once thickly forested, the Mesaoria Plain now resembles a semi-desert (DP/AWL)