Day 3 Famagusta

On another beautiful morning , we made an early start and took the opportunity to visit one of Cyprus’s most haunting and fascinating places — the ghost city of Varosha. Once a glamorous seaside resort in the 1970s, frequented by the rich and famous, it now stands eerily silent, frozen in time since the Turkish invasion of 1974.

To explore this mysterious area, we hired a golf buggy and were fortunate to have a young man named Hussein as our driver and guide. Friendly, warm, and incredibly knowledgeable, Hussein shared stories and historical insights that brought the abandoned streets and crumbling buildings to life. His passion for the area’s history was evident as he pointed out once-luxurious hotels, now standing in decayed grandeur, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

He even stopped at the local beach, where we found ourselves completely alone. The sand was golden and the sea calm and clear, yet the silence made it feel almost surreal. Just decades ago, this beach would have been packed with sunbathers and swimmers. Now, only the sound of the waves remains.

As we drove through the silent streets, the old decaying buildings loomed like echoes of a lost era. Balconies hung by threads, faded shop signs clung to cracked walls, and rusted cars sat where they had been abandoned half a century ago. It was a sight to behold — utterly fascinating, but deeply tragic too.

Visiting Varosha felt like stepping into a living time capsule. It’s a place that tells a powerful story of hope, loss, and the fragility of peace.

We returned to the walled city of Famagusta and decided to explore and see the City views from on top of the historic walls.

In the evening we walked over to the local square where the late afternoon sunshine showed off the old buildings superbly. 

We then strolled over to the Aspava Restaurant & Bar restaurant where we enjoyed a excellent meal with great service. 

Famagusta Day 2

The day started with Rob walking down to the local Turkish barbers for a haircut and hot towel shave. There was not to much conversation between customer and barber due to the language barrier, but the outcome for Rob was very good.

We then took a stroll around the ruins of Church of Saint George of Latins and the walls of Othello Tower. There really  are a remarkable number of historical buildings and ruins in Famagusta. 

We then took a drive along the coast road that runs along Famagusta bay. The amount of new construction on this road is quite amazing. We stopped off for a coffee at the town of Bogaz at roadside bar and to admire the views out to sea.

We then headed back to the old city and went over to Palm beach, which has changed so much since we were last there in 2011.

In the evening we strolled up to the Fa kebab which is close to the White tower gate of the old city wall. The Fa kebab was well used by the locals, which is always a good sign.

We finished off the evening at the Ravelin Gate restaurant for a night cap. Across the road was a brick a brack shop, where outside a few older locals were enjoying their drinks.

A Vist to Famagusta Day 1

We decided to have short break in the Town of Famagusta on the Northern side of the Island of Cyprus. We set off from Pissouri on the 1 hour 50 minute drive.

At the crossing point, the atmosphere subtly changed — Greek and Turkish flags fluttered side by side, and the mood became more official as passports were checked and car papers stamped.

 Once cleared, we crossed into the Turkish-controlled north, where signs switched languages and the architecture took on a distinctly different feel.

We the arrived at our accommodation,  The Lavender homes, a delightful complex of just 3 apartments overlooking the ancient walls of the City.

After unpacking we wandered the narrow streets and settled on The Pine bar for a well deserved cold Efes beer and we shared a cheese, bread, nuts, salami and fig platter.

We wandered among the well kept ruins and ended up at the   Petek Pastahanesi, patisserie.  The selection of cakes and chocolates was quite amazing. We just had to have cake and  coffee, well, it would be rude not too.

In the evening we strolled down into the old town and stopped off at Monks cocktail bar, we met the owner James, who gave us short history of the bar and the unusual cocktails they sell.

We then walked over to the Castillo restaurant for a lovely meze dinner. There was a local singer on acoustic guitar and a table of ladies next to us celebrating a birthday, so it ended up as a lively evening.