Something about road trips makes travelling more personal. It is not so much about the destinations themselves, but about the time in between, about the meandering paths, about the songs that you sing to yourself, about the unplanned detourments that you remember much better than anything the guidebook tells you to see.
I wanted my trip stress-free so I booked Heathrow airport cheap parking as it helped me focus on my upcoming road trip instead of stressing over airport parking. The journey I made in North Cyprus was one of such trips and I can without doubt say that the best way to explore this part of the island is four-wheeled.
Introduction: The Coasts of Kyrenia
I started my journey in the town of Kyrenia (Girne), which resembles a town that was painted in the Mediterranean colors. The harbor, with its cafes and fishing boats, is the ideal spot to have a good breakfast of a powerful Cypriot coffee and get on the road. Leaving Kyrenia, the coastline is a ribbon, with the turquoise waters, on one side, and the dramatic Kyrenia Mountains, on the other.
Among my initial destinations was the Abbey of Bellapais, a few minutes drive out of Kyrenia. The ruins are located in the mountains and the sea can be seen, and the sight is worth the diversion itself.
I recall how I sat on a rocky ledge and envisioned the life of the monks that used to dwell there and that such a combination of history and scenery was precisely the reason why I had come to North Cyprus.
The Karpas Peninsula Coastal Drive
The road to Karpas Peninsula is the place you want to visit in North Cyprus in case you have time to make one road trip. It is an urge that makes one go back in time. The further you travel the less cars there are, the quieter the villages, the more wild the sceneries. I made a stopover at the village of Dipkarpaz where Turkish and Greek Cypriots continue to co-exist.
Over the Five Finger Mountains.
I made my way into the country following the winding roads in the Five Finger Mountains (Besparmak Daglari). This segment of the drive is among the lovers of the dramatic scenery.
The mountainous landscape is rough and spellbinding and intermingled with small towns where time appears to be running slowly. Once I passed by a roadside stand that was selling local honey.
The seller demanded that I have a taste and it was without a doubt the freshest honey I ever tasted. That is what makes a road trip in this place so good, you always can not be sure when some minor experience will become a favorite souvenir.
Note: Always check Cheap Stansted Airport Parking and book according to your needs.
Touring of Famagusta and Salamis.
A road journey in North Cyprus cannot be complete without going towards Famagusta. It is like entering a time capsule when driving into the walled city.
Venetian walls, Gothic cathedrals became mosques, slender streets narrate the stratified history of the island. Salamis, an old Roman city, with amphitheaters and columns appearing out of the ground, is only a short drive out of the city. As I was strolling with the ruins in the late afternoon sunlight, I thought I had discovered a lost empire.
Cape Apostolos Andreas: The End of the Journey
To me, the road journey actually ended at the Cape Apostolos Andreas Monastery, which is located at the extreme end of the Karpas Peninsula.
The road leading to the place was long and curvy, and by the time I got there, I was welcomed by the view of the monastery built on the sea of huge blue waters. It was a meeting-place of pilgrims and travelers, and the atmosphere of peace was too great.
Travel Tips North Cyprus Road Trip
- Rent a car: There is not much public transport and driving provides the opportunity to discover the secret places.
- Eat snacks and drink water: Certain roads, particularly leading to the Karpas, are isolated.
- Move slowly: Go get pictures, shake hands with people, and do not hurry.
Final Thoughts
Travelling on a road-trip around North Cyprus is not a highway or a fast-traffic thing, it is all about long roads, old ruins, beaches and on-the-spur-of-the-moment sightseeing.The sea between the busy harbor of Kyrenia and the unspoiled beaches of the Karpas Peninsula is a mile to be told. In my case, I found it better not only due to sights but also due to how the island developed in its own time.
The island of North Cyprus is the place where history and nature coexist together and the only way to have that harmony is driving with down windows and the Mediterranean wind as a constant companion.