North Cyprus is the Med’s best kept secret: Loved for its slow pace of life, value for money and delightful village-feel, it combines beautiful bays and enchanting sights with a sunny climate all year round, making it an ideal get-away for every season.  

Located at the crossroads of three continents and just 40 miles from Turkey, North Cyprus is bursting with intriguing antiquity and a rich cultural history.  The North Cyprus coastline is astonishingly beautiful with its ancient harbours where you can dine al-fresco and beaches that stretch for miles, whilst the depths of the crystal-clear azure seas offers many of the region’s best dive sites.   A labyrinth of craft shops, ancient sites and family-owned restaurants await exploration in North Cyprus’ vibrant towns, whilst idyllic scenery and ancient rustic villages gently dot the countryside.

Geography

The geography of North Cyprus is characterized by a unique blend of beaches, plains and mountains. The long northern coastline is backed by The Kyrenia or Beşparmak (Five Finger) mountain range, forming a startling backdrop with its wooded slopes and magnificent jagged limestone peaks, the highest of which is Mount Selvili at 3357 ft.  The lower hills and lowlands are alive with lush greenery, rare species of birds and butterflies, and a natural diversity of flowers that is unmatched in the Mediterranean, with an estimated 19 endemic plant species.  Sandy beaches and rocky coves await discovery along the shore.

To the east of the island, the Five Finger mountain range loses height as it extends along the narrow peninsula known as Karpaz or “Panhandle”, a spectacular finger-shaped region of rolling hills and unspoilt sandy bays which points to Syria.  To the south of the Five Finger range lie the plains of Mesaoria and the capital city Lefkoşa. Other major centres are Güzelyurt in the west, the resort town of Girne on the northern coast, and the second resort town of Gazimağusa in the east.

Demographics

The urban population is employed mainly in the service industry and light industries such as beverages, clothing and construction. The rural population lives in villages. There are some 195 villages in North Cyprus. People in rural areas are mainly engaged in agriculture and produce a variety of crops such as wheat, barley, olives, carobs, melon, grapes, figs, and potatoes which are grown commercially on a moderate scale. Citrus is the main export, but exports from North Cyprus in general have been greatly restricted due to the imposed trade embargo.

Although the tourism, banking and education sectors have grown in recent years, North Cyprus’ slower commercial and industrial growth has become a distinct advantage, as it is today still relatively undiscovered and untouched by mass-tourism, with minimal pollution and plenty of peace and quiet for visitors. Education has recently developed to become one of the major sources of revenue, with its five private universities offering a good standard of international education to overseas students, including many from Turkey, Africa and the Middle East.

Wild Life

North Cyprus is still relatively undiscovered so wildlife flourishes, with some 250 species of birds touching down on the island every year on the passage from East to West. There is also an abundance of lizards, wild donkeys and butterflies, including 19 endemic species, that is, those which are unique to the region, such as the strangely-shaped festoon and Cleopatra butterflies adorned with the colours of sunshine. They are all part of a rich natural heritage on an island of contrasts that spans from the top of Mount Selvili’s 3000 feet to the gentle slopes of the coastal waters, where the famous loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.

The warm climate in North Cyprus also means visitors can enjoy beautiful flowers all year-round, making it a veritable botanic haven. In the autumn and winter golden-yellow oleanders swathe the hills, whilst multi-coloured anemones and crocuses appear before Christmas. But it is in late winter and spring that the island blooms into a rhapsody of colour with the orchid family and cherry-red poppies taking centre stage.

Language

The official language is Turkish, but English is also widely spoken as a second language.

Religion

The majority of the Turkish Cypriots are Muslim and although very few regularly attend mosque services or wear religious attire, most celebrate religious festivals.

Cuisine

The culture of a place is always reflected in its kitchen, and Northern Cyprus is no exception. Cypriot cooking, like its people, is unique. Eating out is popular amongst locals and the choice of cuisine reflects this, combining many wonderful tastes from the Mediterranean, Turkey and the Middle East. In larger towns, a range of international restaurants also offer dishes from around the world.

A typical Turkish Cypriot restaurant meal consists of meze, kebabs (lamb or chicken) or fish, followed by fruit and coffee. Meze is a selection of hot and cold appetizers - the Turkish Cypriot equivalent of Tapas – such as kofte (meatballs), hummus dips, mint yogurt, hellim (goat’s milk cheese). A Turkish Cypriot speciality is the şeftali kebab (peach kebab), made with minced meat, chopped onion and spices, wrapped in lamb fat and grilled. Other mouth-watering dishes include marinated fish and squid - and for dessert, lokma (small doughnuts in syrup), Ekmek Kadayif with Cream (Turkish Cypriot bread pudding) or baklava, as well as freshly-picked fruit such as sweet melon, oranges and figs. Wash your meal down with a glass of rakı (alcoholic aniseed drink), or there are also many good wines, beers and spirits, including the famous brandy sour drink – a cocktail made with brandy, lemon juice and angostura bitters. If you have room, you may want to finish off with a fix of thick Turkish coffee or tea.

Cypriot home cooking is delicious, but is only found in a handful of restaurants in North Cyprus, so do look out for them. Traditional cuisine makes fine use of the abundant fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices in North Cyprus that can be bought and enjoyed in the many farmer's markets and food festivals, as well as the shops and supermarkets – which means Turkish Cypriot cuisine is also packed with vegetarian dishes such as yalancı dolma (stuffed vine leaves with rice, onions and tomatoes), stuffed peppers and tomatoes, melt in the mouth aubergine meals, sigara börek (fried white-cheese rolled in pastry), bulgur koftesi (cracked wheat balls) and home made baked beans. Fresh herbs such as wild thyme, calamint, fennel, oregano and sage flourish in the mountains, ready for picking in June. 

Family Life

For Turkish Cypriots, family life is of ultimate importance and therefore a great amount of their free time is spent at family gatherings, barbeques and weddings. All towns and even some villages hold festivals many of which are in the early summer (see events).

Handicrafts

Lefkara embroidery is an old Cypriot tradition dating back to the Venetian period, where beautiful and intricate items such as bed covers, table cloths, doilies and head-scarves were weaved using drawn and counted thread embroidery on lace. It is said that on a visit to Cyprus, Leonardo da Vinci was so impressed by the Lefkara adaptation of Venetian embroidery that he took some of the embroidery bearing the “potamos” design back to Italy to drape on the altar in the Milan Cathedral. Today, this design is known as the “Leonardo da Vinci design”.

Carpet weaving is another age-old Cypriot tradition and is mostly found in the Gazimağusa region. Kilims (small floor rugs) with colourful designs and patterns make ideal souvenirs or gifts, whilst wicker basket weaving is another Cypriot art form that is popular with locals and tourists.