North Cyprus

An island in the far eastern Mediterranean Sea, below Turkey and to the west of Syria, Cyprus is is actually two countries - the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognised only by Turkey) and the southern Republic of Cyprus. There are two large mountain ranges on the island: the Kyrenian Range in North Cyprus and the Troödos Massif in the centre of the Republic. The northern mountains are mainly limestone, the southern are volcanic rock. These ranges are separated by the Mesaoria Plain.

When one mentions Northern Cyprus, sun and sea naturally come to mind. Thousands of tourists, local and foreign, find accommodation in high quality resorts in order to take full advantage of this what is freely available on this beautiful island.

Since nature has been carefully preserved in Northern Cyprus, you can enjoy the Mediterranean, one of the most beautiful seas of the world, from virtually any part of the island. During the hot days, if you are left unfulfilled by just swimming, the holiday resorts here can provide you with a variety of water-sport choices.
In the unmatched beauty of the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean choose a craft that suits you and leave yourself to the vastness of the sea.

With a bit of effort, however, it's possible to escape the hordes and immerse yourself in a culture that draws on Europe, the Middle East, and 9000 years of constant invasion. Crusader castles rub shoulders with ancient vineyards, frescoed monasteries overlook citrus orchards, and sandy, sun-soaked feet tread Roman mosaic floors.

Inland, behind the rocky Girne range and the imposing Five Finger Mountain, stretches the huge fertile Mesaoria plain, Ercan airport and the island's capital, Lefkosa. Along the east coast lies the ancient fortified city of Gazimagosa and the nearby ruins of Salamis. To the north east, the landscape becomes more broken and open fields give way to small pastures enclosed by stone walls and interspersed with olive trees and rocky outcrops.
Beaches are a principal attraction in North Cyprus, and vary widely in character from the busy hotel beaches, which offer many facilities, to the secluded stretches of sand in the Karpaz, where the visitor may have an entire beach to himself. Some of the beaches are unfortunately spoilt by accumulations of garbage: visitors are urged to take their rubbish away with them. A tip: tar may be removed from clothes or the skin by rubbing gently with olive oil. Take a small bottle with you to the beach. Do not forget to use sun-screen lotion - after 20 minutes under the summer sun, you will begin to burn.
The unique climate of Cyprus offers year-round opportunities for a perfect holiday. Rainfall is concentrated in December and January, and the average sea temperature is above 20 ºC for more than half the year. Cyprus is renowned for its wild flowers which carpet the island in spring (there are more than 38 species of orchid alone) and scent of orange, lemon and grapefruit blossom fills the air.

The coastline of North Cyprus offers some of the finest and safest bathing in the Mediterranean. Although most holiday establishments have modern pools, the crystal clear waters of the eastern Mediterranean are wonderful for swimming, snorkelling, sailing and skiing.

The island of Cyprus through the ages has had many different names; some of them are: Asi, Yatnana, Alasiya, Iantannai, Atnana, and Khettim.

The shoulder seasons - April/May and September/October - are the most pleasant times, climatically, to visit Cyprus. Summer - June to August - can be very hot, and winter is sometimes wet but still pleasant.