Bellapais

When famous British author Lawrence Durrell bought a house in the village of Bellapais, he felt "guilty of an act of fearful temerity in trying to settle in so fantastic a place". He wrote:

"Bellapaix, even in ruins, was a testimony to those who had tried, however imperfectly, to grasp and retain their grip on the inner substance of the imagination, which resides in thought, in contemplation in the Peace which had formed part of its original name, and which in my spelling I have always tried to retain. The Abbey de la Paix, corrupted by the Venetians into Bella Paise. . . . It was to take me nearly a year to gain currency for the spelling Bellapaix, which is as near as one can get today to its original. "But no such thought was in my mind that first spring morning as I walked in those deserted cloisters, touching the rosy stones of the old Abbey with an idle hand, noticing the blaze of flowers . . . and here and there, bursting from a clump of fallen masonry, cracking the rock triumphantly, the plumes of yellow fennel. In that silence the light airs of the plain climbed up to us, full of the small sound of birds as they stooped and dived in the blue gulf below. Somewhere near at hand came the rustle and dribble of spring-water feeding the flowers."

Lawrence Durrell in Bitter Lemons - "The Tree of Idleness"

Situated south-east of Kyrenia on the side of a mountain, this twelfth-century monastery is a fine example of Gothic architecture of the Lusignan period and combines a church, refectory, dormitory and storage rooms grouped around an inner courtyard.

Perched precariously on a natural terrace, unchanged and unhurried since its colonial days, Bellapais abbey stands guard over the whole of the northern coastline, and is perceived to be one of the most important Gothic buildings in the Near East. Here, you can explore the impressive remains of the abbey, or simply relax with a cold drink and some quality food at one of the fabulous restaurants situated in and around the area. This 14th century Lusignan abbey with its fabulous location and pervasive atmosphere of calm is the perfect place to visit for anyone wishing to capture the true essence of Cyprus.

Karaman/Karmi

Karaman or Karmi (as some people call it) village situated to the west of Kyrenia, high in the mountains, was abandoned by its Greek-Cypriot inhabitants during the 1974 intervention. Within a short period of time the village became a ghost town and very run down, losing all its' peace and charm.

The Council of Ministers decided to put in action an innovative rejuvenation project in 1979 which would bring back to life this small village of amazing natural beauty that has appealed to foreigners for a long time.

In 1983 the Ministry of Interior started to lease out the properties on 49 year renewable leases, mainly to people from the UK. Slowly over the next 7 years the infrastructure was improved by adding in new roads, water supplies and electricity. Great importance was shown to keep the character of the village whilst making sure that the new inhabitants had all their modern needs taken into consideration. Solar heaters are not permitted to be placed on the roofs, wooden rafters and rush mats were used for ceilings and height of water tanks is limited to 60cm above roof level in order not to spoil the village atmosphere.

Karpaz

The Karpaz in North Cyprus is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and tranquil parts of the Mediterranean and offers a stunning array of landscapes and scenery. If its peace and quiet you are looking for when you go for your summer holidays, this is the place for you. There are miles upon miles of clean sandy beaches with not a sole to be seen.

Wildlife and plant lovers will also be in seventh heaven, especially in April/May, when the spring weather brings numerous species of animals and lots of flowers, many unique to Cyprus, to our unspoiled shores.

There are approximately 250 wild donkeys which roam the plains. Generally black, but are sometimes ginger, you should approach with care.

Kyrenia Harbour

The historic Kyrenia harbour is situated on the north coast of Cyprus and has a 6,000 year long history, dating back to the time of the Byzantines.

At the entrance to the harbour is the imposing Byzantines Kyrenia castle which has been influenced by the Lusignans and then the Venetians amongst others. Originally built as a roman fort, the impressive castle is stacked full of history and is now home to an informative & interesting museum which houses the oldest shipwreck in the world dating back to the 16th century.

Nestled under the backdrop of the Five Finger mountain range and overlooking the calm sparkling waters, the harbour has an intoxicatingly serene atmosphere.

As the sun sets over Kyrenia the town centre and the harbour in particular, become alive with young and old as everyone makes the most of the unique atmosphere Northern Cyprus has to offer. The streets are alive with stalls selling nik-naks and souvenirs, bars playing music until the early hours, and laughter coming from every table in every restaurant as the evening progresses.

The original castle, to which the monastery gave place, formed part of the Byzantine defence of the island, which included castles of Kyrenia, Buffavento and Kantara also. The date of its construction is not recorded, but probably it was in the late 11th century. Alternatively, the building of the castle may have formed part of the measures taken by the Emperor Alexis I for the greater security of the Island, following a serious revolt in 1092.

The castle is named after St. Hilarion, a hermit monk who fled from persecution in the Holy Land and lived and died in a cave on the mountain. Later in the 10th century the Byzantines built a church and monastery here. St. Hilarion Castle was originally built as a watch tower to give warning of approaching Arab pirates who launched a continuous series of raids on Cyprus and the coasts of Anatolia from the 7th to the 10th centuries.

When the Venetians captured Cyprus in 1489, they relied on Kyrenia, Nicosia and Famagusta for the defence of the island and St. Hilarion was neglected and fell into oblivion.

Today it is a major tourist attraction and every year thousands of people climb the hundreds of steps up to the highest point to experience the unique feeling of being on top of the world! Once there you can sit and try to contemplate the sheer size of what had been achieved in constructing this awesome castle on top of, and into, the Kyrenia mountain range. You'll be there a very long time!