What to visit
Kyrenia a colorful city of History
Holiday with Kids
If you are coming as a family, you shall not be worried that kids will get bored. For water fun, you could visit water slides in Acapulco hotel, Lapethos Aqua Park, or Oscar Resort Hotel. Another joyful amusement is Funky Monkey Kids Club, it’s a massive playground, which offers various activities for your kids (https://funkymonkeykidsclub.com/). Just along the road, you will see a cinema theatre “Starlux cinema”, recently opened, it follows the highest standards, various halls starting from regular ones finishing with the VIP class, and, of course, children playground with professional teachers and animators.
Lovely Kyrenia
Kyrenia is a love from the first sight now you know why many holiday makers and expats choose this city. Spectacular landscapes, comfortable infrastructure, close to shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment facilities and magnificent historical places. Moreover, Kyrenia also holds varied local and international festivals, theatre performances and even international musicians give concerts in Kyrenia, regularly in the month of June but also around the year.
Kyrenia Castle
Kyrenia castle which is located in Kyrenia Harbour and meant to protect the city from invasions, it was built by Romans in the 1st century A.D, later modified by Venetians in the 15th century. The castle is well-preserved and opened for the public. The Castle is a complicated mixture of styles and absolutely worth visiting. The entrance fee is 12TL. When you enter the castle, by the bridge over the moat leading to its north-west gate, inside you will find the shipwreck museum that exhibits the remains of a Greek Merchant ship which is considered to be one of the oldest vessels. There is also a twelfth-century chapel, a tomb of Ottoman Admiral Sadik Pasha, the dungeons where the prisoners were kept, a museum of the soldiers, and of course a gift shop and a cafe. In total, under ‘the roof’ of Kyrenia Castle there are 4 museums. If you want to spend a full day engaged with history, the Kyrenia castle is at your service.
Kyrenia Harbour
Some experts argue that the town of Kyrenia was found after the Trojan War. The Kyrenia harbour as it is today was formed by Venetians when they took control over the island in 1489. Kyrenia Harbour has a spectacular view, as it is located between the sea and the mountains, you can feel the chilling breeze coming from the Mediterranean while enjoying your walk along the harbour. What else creates the authentic picture of the harbour? The Great Kyrenia Castle, historical surroundings, adorable restaurants and bars, boutique hotels and, of course, what a harbour without boats! Here you can easily find modern expensive yachts, which are neighbours with little fishing boats. Such a mix! Kyrenia Harbour, arguably, can be the most atmospheric place in Kyrenia.
Bellapais Monastery
Bellapais abbey was found by Canons Regular the Holy Sepulchre who fled from Jerusalem, in the 13th century. However, the monastery didn’t have its end appearance yet. Bellapais, as it is now and as many other historical sites in Cyprus, is a great project completed by all the conquerors who visited the islands, each of them has added some of their own culture and vision to the image of the island. Here, for example, the cloisters and the refectory were added later in the 14th century. Even the name of the monastery had been constantly changed throughout its existence- “White Abbey'', “Abbey of Peace'', “Beautiful Land”. As for now, Bellapais is a popular historical site among tourists and locals. You can find many paintings inspired by the monastery if you walk by the harbour’s gift boutiques in Kyrenia. The monastery is open to the public and, definitely, worth visiting. On the site, you will find restaurants such as ‘Huzur Ağaç Steak &; Kebab House’, ‘Kybele Restaurant Girne Kıbrıs’, ‘Bellapais Gardens Restaurant’. You can enjoy the historical atmosphere with the comfort of the present. Moreover, Bellapais Abbey has great acoustics in its used-to-be dining room, that’s why the hall is often used to carry concerts and music festivals. Musicians come all around the world to perform in Bellapais. It’s a spectacular event no one wants to miss.
Buffavento Castle
Buffavento Castle is one of the three castles, the other two are St Hilarion and Kantara, which served as a protection axis. Buffavento is located 960 meters above sea level; it takes 600 steps to reach it. The castle is not as well preserved as the other two, but the views from the top are breathtaking, as a bonus, you will feel sort of achievement after you climb that far. Similar as in the case of Kantara castle, there is no precise information when Buffavento was built, however, it was built during Byzantine rule in the island. Furthermore, during the Lusignan period, the castle was used as a political prison and bore the name ‘Chateau du Lion’. Under the Venetians, the castle no longer carried the same strategic importance and was demounted.
