Trekking Northern Cyprus

We stay at our hotel just outside Kyrenia at Bellapais Village,  an ideal base for our week’s stay. Kyrenia is a lovely eclectic mix of Venetian facades, mosques and minarets and a Crusader castle, which dominates one end of the old harbour; a setting further enhanced by the dramatic backdrop of the Besparmak Mountains.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel

After a morning briefing we set off to the start of our first walk, the village of Bellapais made famous by Lawrence Durrell in his book ‘Bitter Lemons’. Much of the village still retains the easy charm of those Durrell days, but the main attraction is the Crusader abbey after which the village is named. Originally founded by Augustinian canons fleeing Palestine in 1200, the abbey went into decline after it was plundered by the Genoese in the 14th century. The monks of the abbey earned a reputation for scandal that was certainly not in keeping with their pious vows, keeping concubines on site and refusing to accept any but their own children as novices! Indeed the village that grew up around the abbey is reputed to be people by the descendants of those very monks. After visiting the abbey and the famous ‘Tree of Idleness’ we continue our walk back to the hotel.  We can then take the bus into Kyrenia for an optional  visit to Kyrenia Castle and Shipwreck museum.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Transferring by bus this morning, we head for the highest of the Kyrenia strongholds, the ruined fortress of Buffavento. The name means “buffeted by the wind” and a walk up to the top of the highest tower will likely give you some indication as to why. From here on a good day you can see half the island, with views of the Troodos Mountains, Famagusta and Nicosia stretching out beneath you.  Keeping with the "highest theme" we then head back into the Besparmak range to the highest point in Northern Cyprus before descending to the Church of Panayia Plataniotissa and Kyrenia Rock. From here we continue to the Herbarium of Alevkaya before returning, by bus, to the hotel.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We head east today as we drive along the coast to Kantara Castle, the easternmost and the lowest of the three bastions, located in the foothills of the Kyrenia ranges. En route we will stop near the village of Cinarli and visit the Incirli cave. Kantara saw its fair share of conflict during the crusades and the conflicts with Frederick II and the Genoese. Indeed Richard the Lionheart won a famous victory here when he defeated the self -proclaimed king of the island, Isaac Komnenos, after the latter’s illjudged slight against Richard’s fiancée. After visiting the castle we will pick up our trail through the variety of landscapes of the Kirpasa Peninsula, upon which the castle stands. Finishing up at Kaplica beach with time for a swim before we transfer back to Kyrenia by chartered bus.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This day is left free for personal exploration. Once one of the richest cities and most important trading ports in the world, Famagusta has been an eyewitness to the history of the last 2,500 years. The once, so called, “City of 365 churches”, ravaged by severe wars and earthquakes, still contains beautiful examples of medieval and gothic architecture. Its majesty had apparently had an influence on the artistic muse of a certain William Shakespeare, who is purported to have used it as the setting for Othello. Indeed the Venetian Citadel, overlooking the harbour, is popularly known as “Othello’s Tower”. There is an option to visit Famagusta in the morning and then in the afternoon to visit the ancient site of Salamis, a few miles to the north, and the most important ancient city on the island; the site is strewn with Mycenaean, Roman and Byzantine artifacts. Alternatively you may prefer to relax and spend your free time on one of the local beaches.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we take our bus out to the West Coast, via Guzelyurt Town to the village of Kalkanli.  From here we take a circular walk in the surrounding countryside and archaeological sites.  In this area you will find sites such as Tumba tou Skuru, believed to be the final resting place of King Skuru (archaeologists are unsure if he was Roman, Venetian or Greek) who legend has it was a sinister cannibal, burying babies and eating them  - children's bones found in the tomb next to his only seem to support this story. We will return to the hotel by bus.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we return to the west end of the Besparmak range with a bus ride to Karsiyaka Junction to start our walk. Besparmak is known locally as “The Five Fingered Mountain” and legend has it that the mountain was formed when the Byzantine hero, Dhiyenis Akritas, leapt across the sea from Anatolia, leaving his handprint forever etched into the landscape as he landed. We walk from here to Gecitkoy Village before returning for a final evening at our hotel.

Overnight Standard Hotel in Bellapais Monastery Village Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Included meals: Breakfast