“A sunny place for shady people.” Somerset Maugham’s famous remark about Monaco can easily be applied to Northern Cyprus. Yet it looks as though it’s all about to change.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not known as a famous holiday destination these days. It’s a well-kept secret, and there are not many tourists. Northern Cyprus has a reputation as a destination for criminals on the run, and it’s unrecognized by most countries worldwide. The country cannot export anything and there are no direct flights – you have to stop over in Turkey to get there. The most important thing is, flights are still cheap to Ercan International Airport, it’s a beautiful, unspoilt place and an extra stop on a plane might be worth it. If you want to avoid the stop over, just fly to the south of the island and drive to the north.
Soon, there will be a referendum on whether or not Cyprus will become one whole country. Regardless of the outcome, I think it’s fair to say that the north of the island will gain recognition worldwide. Until that day comes, it’s possible to buy a 3-bedroom villa with a pool for 50,000 pounds. Prices would triple after unification. You heard it here first.
The TRNC is rustic and beautiful, though there’s no ignoring that Cyprus is a divided place. For example, I went with a local friend to buy her engagement party dress on the Greek side (don’t forget to change your money before crossing the border, Northern Cyprus has the Turkish lira and the south has euros), and there was a very intense checkpoint that we had to cross. Not having the right kind of passport can cause trouble.
Lefkosia/Nicosia is world’s only divided capital. The Turkish part is full of mosques and Ottoman fountains. The Greek part includes the old city, and various museums. There’s also a strong English influence on both sides, various union jacks, English pubs and fish and chip shops have sprung up. After the potential unification, which is on Obama’s agenda, the city will probably become an even more interesting mixture. The other main city in the north is Kyrenia, a safe haven surrounded by fortified walls. In the midst of these walls sits a castle that, in its shipwreck museum, houses a vessel from the time of Alexander the Great.
The most beautiful parts of the TRNC are the beaches. The best one of these is Golden Beach, which is right on the tip of the island. It has miles and miles of endless sand dunes, some of which are part of a national park. On the drive there I saw wild white donkeys. Wild thyme, and chinia (used for cooking and stuffing birds) grow in the grasslands beside the beach. Its so wildlife friendly that endangered sea turtles nest on the beaches.
The friend I was staying with is a food connoisseur so I had the pleasure of surveying the best of what TRNC has to offer as far as restaurants are concerned. Even though the food is amazing, it can be a bit greasy, so don’t plan on losing any weight here. Local specialties include burkerk, fried zucchini flowers and kleftiko (lamb baked in an underground oven). There’s also a great sushi restaurant, which also doubles as Chinese. For the best kebab, check out Niyazi’s and Archway House. An amazing Portuguese restaurant, El Sabor, is right under cathedral where you can hear Arman Ratip, the most famous local pianist, play. Also, check out the Cotton Jazz Bar at the Malpas Hotel.
For sightseeing, put Selimiye Mosque, formerly known as the St. Sophia Cathedral, on your list. I have to wonder what its status will be after unification, or what it will be called. Also, go to Bellapais and check out the ruins of an amazing monastery. Bellapais is the village where Lawrence Durrell, the author of Bitter Lemons, lived (I think that the book is a must-read for all visitors). Here the landscape is startling, and the village sits on top of a five-finger mountain. Nearby is the St. Hilarion Castle – I’m pretty sure it inspired the castle in Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” – which is lit up at night. On clear days, you can see Turkey’s Toros Mountains from there.
Before the prices go up, before the bland tourist hordes arrive, come to Northern Cyrpus. Catch the atmosphere before it’s gone.