Off to Bellapais Gardens for our first visit to Northern Cyprus in 2 weeks! Any advice welcome - looking at other posts it seems the weather may be variable. Would love to hear of great beaches and not-to-be missed experiences. My husband and I are mid 50s, so we%26#39;re not talking hectic nightlife, more nature and culture!! Also any great eating places not too far away. Will be hiring a car for a few days (only there for a week). Any tips on changing money in Kyrenia/where to find an ATM which takes Visa cards would be really helpful. Am guessing a mixture of clothing with some warm layers for evening will be best. Hope some of you can help!
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Several good places to eat in Bellapais. The hotel ( albeit rather pricey ), bella View fish restaurant 200 yards right of the hotel as you leave it, Ayna traditional restaurant about 3/4 mile down the hill off to the left ( very popular with locals ), and Gardens of Irini ( Guthrie`s Bistro ) 300 yards up the hill past Durrell`s Bitter Lemons house. Deirdre is the host and has evening meals by appointment. Go onto thebuzzbook.com website to check phone numbers. Several great places within 4 mile radius on the east road towards catalkoy: Courtyard, Rafters, Ani`s fish restaurant.
In Kyrenia try Morrelli`s which is very close to the main car park (otopark ).
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Hi mab,
We have visited North Cyprus for the last three years. Cannot advise you on places to eat as we stay half board. However if you are hiring a car you must visit Famagusta. Take the road over five finger mountain which will take you onto the main Nicosea to Famagusta road. When you arrive at Famagusta make your way to the beach by the Palm Beach hotel. From here you have a view over the abandoned town and sea front hotels of Verosha. Then go to the old walled city where you can wander around and view the old churches and Othellos castle and tower. Travel north from the town and you will come to the site of Salamis. and ancient roman villa etc. Just north of this is the lovely fishing village of Borgas. There are beaches on both side of Kyrenia, on most you pay to use the facilities but to the east is the large beach at Alagadi which is where the turtles nest. Try to get hold of a road map, jump in your car and explore. Have a good time.
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Thanks, really helpful! will look forward to trying some of those.
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Thanks for the tips on Famagusta - it sounds great. Do you know if Nicosia is worth a trip? I haven%26#39;t got my head round the scale of things yet, so not sure how far away it is.
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Nicosia is an absolute pain to drive to/park/find way around. If you go i suggest do so as part of a guided tour.
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have just come back and had the most fab holiday.
not sure about your hotel though we did see it, and think it is very nice as met a couple who were staying there and loved it.
lots of top tips - you may have already seen that so many people say to go to the cafe on teh corner in Bellapais, you will see an old chap standing outside encouraging you to go in - you must do this as you get fantastic brandy sours, and wiht everything you order, you get wagon wheels and peanuts, lovey place to sit and people watch.
The Abbey is well worth seeing, amazing fab views - also there is a restaurant there called Bella Moon which is supposed to be very good, we went to a place called Gardens of Irinie, which is just amazing, found details on net, or lonely planet I believe. Walk right up street past bitter lemons, quite a climb, anyone will tell you where that is, and there is a sign, it may also say Guthries, it is run by a lovely eng lady and you sit in this small beautiful space, surrounded by plants and ornaments, etc etc fantastic views, and just so lovey and peaceful. She makes amazing lemondade, and we went for dinner as was suggested on net, 3 courses for about £25 inc wine, and it is more like a nouse party, as there will prob be other guests there, if you dont feel you wnat to spend your whole evg with others, as must admit one of the %26#39;guests%26#39; bored for england! go for lunch, and ask for the helim cheese and toms, and see what you think.
Tehre may be some cocnerts at teh abbey which we wanted to go to.
Also go to Karpas Peninsula, empty and fascintating to to Salamis too.
FAntastic beach, Kaplica, near Kantara Castle, dont go to Lara beach, awful and you have to pay.
get good guide book, ours was by a turkish lady and other and very good, will try and recall it, totally up to date. Go to all castles, all worth it for the views, St Hilarion you have to climb to, just worth every step.
take £ and change there, we changed at supermarket, or found loads of places in Kyrnia. Also see K Castle and have coffee on the harbour.
Other fantastic place, Kyrenia Tavern, look on net for details, that is where I found and it is worth every penny, centre K. Sorry but am in rush so trying to do this quickly.
Go to Guzelwurt, opposite end ot Karpas, wonderful scenery on way, loads to see and very fertle and green, totally different. Try to spend night in Karpas as long way, we didnt, but would have got more out of trip if we had.
Didnt get to Nicosia,. no time, Farmagusta very interesting.
Hope this helps, am v envious of your staying in Bellapains, so beautiful.
Have fun and any questions you can send to kwhitworth@hotmail.com
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Thanks so much, Karensew and Gibson! Really helpful to have so much first-hand experience to learn from! Am getting quite excited - just hoping for some sunshine to go with all the scenery!
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Hi, well the temps over here are still very high right now (too high for me this summer has been endless with just one short week when it rained a bit!)
Along the Kyrenia coast - my personal favourite is Kyrenia old town itself with the cobbled streets and the beautiful harbour. Very pretty at night.
Bellapaise Abbey is a beautiful spot and the views are stunning (blighted slightly now by grey hulks of unfinished property developments). I always eat in the restaurant in the grounds of the Abbey itself when I visit. Food has been wonderful and if you eat there in the evening, you can dine under the trees with a view of the illuminated Abbey to one side and the twinkling lights of the harbours down below on the other side. Quite magical.
Hilarion Castle is well worth a visit. But a steep drive and quite a bit of climbing once there. Small cafe outside and another inside once you get there.
Beaches on that side don%26#39;t impress me much. However just east of Kyrenia there is the Escape Beach Club where you can pay about five quid to go in and they have good eateries, changing rooms, loos and very comfy sunbeds and cushions on a raised grass area as well as a narrow strip of beach with the usual watersports on offer.
On the other coast:
(Look out for the huge Mosque and the %26#39;Lions Garden%26#39; - you cannot miss them) and old walled town of Famagusta is a must. Even if only for a coffee but there is lots to see including the Ali Mustapha Pasha Mosque and what is said to be the oldest tree in Cyprus just outside it.
Salamis Ruins. Extensive and quite impressive best investigated out of high season heat so ideal in Nov.
Pretty Bogaz Harbour (seems totally populated by ex pat Brits these days with a Karaoke bar opposite).
I used to recommend popping in to see the Bafra Artemis Complex (they%26#39;ve re-created Ancient Greece!) but as they now have barriers across the entrance road and charge 75TL entrance fee I don%26#39;t bother.
The Arched Houses at Dipkarpaz (where you can stay overnight if you don%26#39;t want to do it all in one day). Marvellous food there too in the taverna next to the car parking.
I wouldn%26#39;t recommend driving any further than the Arched Houses and Andreas Apostolous Monastery to get right to the tip as it involves a lot of unmade road and there is nothing to see there except two Turkish flags on a rock when you eventually get to the end. There are supposed to be wild donkeys but I%26#39;ve only ever seen 2 of them and that was only the once!
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Hello Mab. Have only this week returned from our first holiday in N.Cyprus (had 2 weeks). Weather sizzled during the daytime but very little humidity so late in the season. Evenings DEFINITELY will need a warm cardigan or jacket. Bellapais village centre %26amp; streets off has all the atmosphere, especially with the Abbey as its focal point. We had our final meal at the %26#39;Bell Tower%26#39; right opposite the Abbey - unique spot, v.well cooked/presented food %26amp; with everything illuminated it was magical. It%26#39;s impossible to pack in all the sights/suggestions in just a week %26amp; after a longish flight. If you enjoy your %26#39;taster holiday%26#39; then book another! Totally agree with comments by Tangutica in previous post. Would just add that weather has deffo begun to cool down (not a lot!), sea swimming anywhere in Kyrenia waters was much cooler than I expected (and very salty!). Also, rate of exchange affected by sterling%26#39;s nose-dive of late but things may have picked up when you get out there. Take Sterling and change into TL at any bureau de change in Kyrenia - never at a hotel! Nearly everywhere %26amp; everyone is happy to accept foreign currency, especially Sterling or Euros, if you%26#39;re short on the local currency. Enjoy your hols.
