You could travel to every town on earth but I doubt you would find any place more beautiful than Kyrenia in northern Cyprus. With an imposing castle, a picturesque harbour lined with street cafés and a sweeping mountainous backdrop, it will take your breath away.
While the Greek-controlled Republic of Cyprus — which covers the southern two-thirds of this Mediterranean island — has become over-developed in its quest for the tourist dollar, northern Cyprus retains a quaint charm.
Perfect panorama
One of the most spectacular sights in Kyrenia is the castle which dates back to Byzantine times and the ramparts offer fine views of the harbour on one side and the mountains behind. During my visit, I spotted children playing in the sea besides the castle as adults sunned themselves on the nearby pathways.
The primary attraction inside the castle is the wreckage of a ship — the oldest that has been recovered from the waters around Cyprus. The Kyrenia shipwreck is the remains of a cargo vessel that sank near the town around 2,300 years ago.
It is easy to dismiss the exhibit as just old bits of timber, but with a little imagination, it is possible to recreate what the ship must have looked like as she sailed through the waters, laden with her cargo — grain, millstones and almonds.
Two flags fly atop the castle: the Turkish flag and the flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is almost the same as a Turkish flag, but with its colours reversed. Northern Cyprus has been administered — many say occupied — by the Turks since their 1974 'peace operation'. It is more commonly described as 'invasion'. The Turkish forces landed beside Kyrenia, which sits on the north coast of the island, due to which most of the Greek residents of the town fled south.
At the harbour, the thing to do is simply sit and enjoy the view from one of the cafés. The call to prayer from a nearby mosque rings through the air as you sip your cuppa. There are also churches dotted across the town, some of them painted in such bright white they will dazzle you.
Hamlet high
When they finally drag themselves away from Kyrenia's beauty, many people like to head up to the hills and check out the village of Bellapais.
For many years, this village was the home of British writer Lawrence Durrell, brother of naturalist Gerald Durrell. Many of Lawrence's experiences are described in his book Bitter Lemons of Cyprus and his house has been turned into a tourist attraction today.
Most travellers who visit Bellapais, however, are not drawn by the intention of paying homage to Durrell. Instead, they are attracted by the stunning Bellapais Abbey, which was built in the late 12th century by Augustinian monks after they fled Jerusalem.
Indeed, the village gets its name from the abbey, as Bellapais is a rough translation of the French word, meaning 'abbey of peace'. The last of the monks upped sticks in 1976, leaving behind a beautiful cloister and a large refectory. The views down to the sea over Kyrenia are simply fantastic.
Walled city
Over on the east coast of northern Cyprus sits Famagusta, a walled city that hundreds of years ago gained immense wealth due to its success as a trans-shipment point.
The old town is surrounded by walls that date back to Venetian times (the early 16th century).
Like Kyrenia, Famagusta has a castle that sits beside the sea, but the sights of real interest lie inland — and they are more than enough to make the town worth visiting on a day trip. Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque, in the centre of Famagusta, was built as a cathedral in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The structure retains most of the the Gothic grandeur that must have attracted worshippers when it was called the Cathedral of Agios Nikolaos.
Maras mystery
For most of its life, the building has been a mosque, ever since it was converted and a minaret added when the Ottomans took over Cyprus in the late 16th century.
Even non-Muslims are allowed to enter the mosque and gaze at its sprawling interior.
After the old town, it is worth heading south east for a slightly sinister attraction, Maras or Varosia. This is Famagusta's former Greek district and since 1974, with the Greek exodus, it has lain largely abandoned.
Urban legends
There are big perimeter fences surrounding the area and soldiers stand guard to prevent people from going inside.
Legend has it that there is an abandoned car dealership with brand new vehicles still sitting in the showroom.
Who knows what really lies behind those ugly perimeter fences? Perhaps one day, if Cyprus's Greek and Turkish parts join together and the barriers get torn down, the tourists might get to find out.
Go there...Kyrenia
From the UAE
Ercan is one of the closest airports.
From Dubai: Turkish Airlines flies daily via Istanbul. Fare: Dh2,350
Information
I visited Kyrenia, Bellapais and Famagusta on day trips from Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. A dormitory bed costs 5 Cyprus Pounds (Dh42 per night) at Nicosia Youth Hostel.
