No:95 MAY/JUNE'07 - S&M Publication ltd

inment, not mentioning disco, open-air parties and nightlife. During thosehot summer days a glass of beer in a bar or a café will do you good, andyou definitely cannot omit traditional Turkish coffee and Turkish Cypriotcuisine at local North Cyprus restaurants. In your leisure you can gosightseeing. You will be amazed at some of the majestic sites of NorthCyprus that have great piece of Cyprus history hidden within. Romancolumns, medieval castles, theatres, Gothic cathedrals converted intomosques and many other sites make Northern Cyprus indeed resemblean open-air historical museum. You can admire the sights at your will orthere will always be possibility to join guided tours or excursions. But tohave a really nice holiday in North Cyprus you should set sails for a boattrip and let the waves float you along.The coastline of North Cyprus offers some of the finest and safest bathingin the Mediterranean. Luxurious beaches of large hotels or remoteones lost behind wild dunes. are situated near the ancient port ofKyrenia (Girne) on the north coast, or Famagusta (Gazi Magusa) in theeast. On the east coast between Famagusta and Bogaz, a golden beachstretches for about 15 miles. By contrast on the north coast on the eitherside of Kyrenia, there are beaches with bars and sports facilities. Furthermore,isolated creeks decorate the landscape for nearly 20 miles. Onthe two sides of the Karpaz Peninsula, a large expanse of immaculatedunes bordered with tamarisk and wild olive groves await the courageousand well-equipped hiker. As there are no asphalt roads to thesedream places, a reliable, off-road vehicle is essential. At Güzelyurt Bayto the west, a long sandy beach stretches out beautifully but is accessibleonly for the adventurous.For about one hundread million years, ourwaters have been visited by the green (Chelonia mydas) and the loggerhead(Caretta carettas) turtles.The green turtle only nests in Cyprus,south-east Turkey and sometimes in Israel. These fascinating creaturescome ashore on the deserted beaches of North Cyprus between Mayand August to nest and Alagadi Beach is classified as a special protectedarea. After sunset, when it is dark, the adult females, sometimes witha carapace of more than 100 cm long, make their way up the beach tofind a suitable nesting place. There, they lay between 65 and 110 eggs,depending on the species. This can be repeated three to five times foreach, 10-15 days apartSightseeingThere are so many historical places of interest to visit in North Cyprus.This was bound to be so since the island is located in the centre of theancient world which is known as the cradle of western civilization.NicosiaNicosia is the capital of Cyprus and is full of fascinating historical places.The walls ring the old city of Nicosia, with a three and a half mile circuit;contain 11 bastions and 3 gates. Today the walls remain virtually intactand it is possible to walk part of the perimeter. Nicosia contains many interestingmuseums and mosques which you can visit. Some containingCypriot pottery, terracotta, clay, stone sculptures, bronze and jewellery.FamagustaThe old city of Famagusta is encircled by the historical walls which dateback to mediaeval times. The walls have stayed intact to this day andare well preserved. Two of the original gates of the Famagusta castlestill stand: The Sea Gate and The Land Gate. Kantara Castle is magnificentlyplaced astride the near east end of the Five-Finger Mountain.KyreniaKyrenia is a fascinating town on the Northern coast of Cyprus, foundedby the Myceans ca.1600 BC. Kyrenia is famous for its magnificentharbor and nearby castle. The Kyrenia castle is thought to have beenconstructed to protect the town against the Arab raids in the 7th century.The Shipwreck Museum, located within the castle, houses the oldestrecovered shipwreck in history. There is also The Bellapais Monasteryand St. Hilarion Castle, built to defend the island against the Arab raids.Kyrenia houses many interesting museums which you can visit includingThe Folk Arts Museum and The Icon Museum. Other places of historicalinterest in the Kyrenia area are: The Anthipanitis Church, The BuffaventoCastle and the Hz. Omer Tomb.KarpazThe Karpaz Peninsula is a land where time stands still. Miles and milesof sandy beaches with not a person in sight. Ancient towns, basilicas,ruins and tombs scatter the area waiting to be explored. the sea turtles,particularly Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas species that lay eggsalong the Golden Beach.To get a taste of Cyprus twenty years ago, the traveller must visit theKarpas.LefkeIn Lefke you can visit Soli and Vouni Palace. The Vouni Palace wasconstructed in the 5th century by the Persian sympathizer Doxandros,