Northern Cyprus 2-Day Itinerary: Best Coastal Drives & Cultural Gems

After covering the main attractions on the Cypriot side, the next few days were planned for Northern Cyprus with a solid 500 km planned road trip ahead of us.

Day 1: Journey to Kyrenia

Our first stop, Petra tou Romiou also known as Aphrodite’s Rock, few clicks from Paphos and a great spot for photo enthusiasts or oebble beach lovers.. The views are amazing and the turquoise water completes the scenery especially at sunset. There is parking available with an under road tunnel to reach the sea. Also a restaurant and some souvenirs can be found here.

We continued our journey with another solid 2.5 hours of driving, which included crossing the border at Kermia Crossing, before finally arriving at the heart of Girne city. For the border crossing be prepared to hit some traffic depending on the time of the day and also budget a 20 EUR for the car insurance which your car rental will not cover. Some of you may wonder why we skipped Nicosia … well that’s because we’ve been here before and we wanted to focus on other gems in Northen Cyprus.

City Center & Kyrenia Castle

Right downtown there is a paid parking lot, where we left the car to rest and start our journey once more. From our previous visit in 2015 the Turkish part suffered significant changes in a good manner reflected of course in the prices. You can find some really nice restaurants or cafes where you can pay easily by card. But first we wanted to visit the Castle which can be found in the port. The entrance was 2 EUR /person (free for kids), in fact all entrances on the northern part were exactly the same with no exception. Here you can learn some really nice stuff about the history of the place and the [details] After spending an hour here, it was time for lunch. Since we were early in the season not all places were open so we opted for Murfy’s Restaurant & Bar which was a good deal both in taste and price.

Bellapais Abbey

Energized after lunch we resumed our route and headed to Bellapais Abbey. If you visit Cyprus you definitely shouldn’t miss this. From here you can enjoy some breathtaking views over the city or enjoy a meal in one of the many places nearby. Right near the monastery there is Kybele Restaurant which is placed right on the edge with nice views, so we decided to book a table for dinner. We had plenty of time to checkin refresh a little and get back.

The Rest & Dinner

Once we reached our place for the night, the host was waiting for us. With the parking downstairs, clean room and breakfast for the next day everything was perfect. So we took a shower and rested a bit but the night was still young, so before dinner we squished in the Peace and Freedom Museum. Here you can see along a promenade different types of military equipment and vehicles, from T34 russian tanks to helicopters or an actual military cargo ship which were used during the war between the 2 sides.

The sun was down, all objectives for the day were cleared out so we were ready to have dinner. This time Kybele Restaurant was not crowded at all, with just a few people enjoying Bellapais Abbey under the nocturne lights. The place was pretty classy with some interesting dishes, but more suitable for couples to enjoy a romantic evening. We went with the classic pasta for our little one and the rest was history since I don’t remember anymore.

DAY 2

Hiking the Mystique of St. Hilarion Castle

After nearly a week of travel and over 1,000 km on the road, we were on our final day of full exploration. Woke up early, energized by a tasty breakfast and the usual coffee we headed to our first itinerary St. Hilarion Castle which lies on the Kyrenia mountain range. For you to explore the full route you’ll need to spend at least 1 hour and be in shape, since you’ll need to climb a lot of stairs but it will totally be worth it. The panoramic views over the city of Kyrenia are breathtaking especially if you rest at the top where the main tower lies. You have complete freedom to move around to take some really nice pictures, but be very careful since there is a real chance to fall or hurt yourself.

Unveiling the Beauty of Affresco di Salamis

The Girne tour was completed so we were ready to continue our trail to our next stop, Affresco di Salamis, an ancient Greek city-state archaeological site, 6 km north of Famagusta. On our 1.5 hour drive we also visited Saint Barnabas Monastery, a well preserved place of worship builded in the fifth century, fully restored today. It has a nice inner court and a museum with artifacts dating BC.

Back on the horse, and after a short drive we reached the site, which is situated right on the seashore. Nearby you can find a picnic area and a nice beach bar, which was closed at the time. Most of the sites are restored but the most impressive ones I’d say are the Columns of the gymnasium and the The theater. Under the full heat of sunlight, be prepared for a long walk and some water, especially in the summer. Like always, i’ve made a few incursions on the high grounds to shoot some photos. Overall it is a nice place full of history especially having Famagusta at its doorsteps.

Famagusta (GR) or Gazimağusa (TR)

Talking about Famagusta, it was next on our list with a mixed feeling about it after our last visit, but things would change soon for us. The city had a totally different vibe, new buildings, well known branding stores or fancy cars were the new reality. Finally we reached the old city and managed to park the car right in front of Othello Castle.

Even if it was lunch time, we decided to take a walk first and see the surroundings since we were curious how things have changed from last time. The place was crawling with tourists with a lot of souvenir shops and nice restaurants. The main attraction is Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, originally known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. Externally, it is unmistakably reminiscent of a European cathedral, with the exception of the left-side tower, which features a common architectural style typically found in mosques. The interior exclusively adheres to Islamic traditions, devoid of any paintings or sculptures. The renowned carpet, spanning the entire space, necessitates visitors to remove their shoes upon entering.

In the famous Namik Kemal square that lies in front of the mosque you can find a map of the city center if you’d like to wander around and explore the surroundings. We went for a spin but lunchtime was overdue so we decided to rest enjoying some local cuisine. As we were heading here, Aspava Restaurant & Bar along Liman Yolu Street caught our attention.

Turkish Delight and Our Way Back

Even if the place was full of people, we were lucky to find a table for us. While awaiting a menu, we were astonished to discover that none were available due to the kitchen being overwhelmed. Instead, everyone was provided with the traditional kebab menu. The meal was served in three rounds: first, the appetizers were dominated by flavorful sauces, followed by the meat platter, and concluding with the desserts. The experience was really great and the food was more than we could handle so we took some of it on the go. The whole thing cost us 65 EUR tips included, a total bargain based on the service and food we had, definitely a comeback.

It was 16:30 and 2 hours of driving to get back home to Paphos, but first we tried a detour to the ghost city. Unfortunately the gates were closing once we arrived at 5 PM, and remained with the memories last time we came. The sun was almost down so we hit the road, finishing our tour on the other side. At the border crossing, we were the only car present, making it a brief stop before we resumed our drive. As we approached Limassol, intrigued by the buzz surrounding the city’s recent revamp and having passed by it a few times during our stay in Cyprus, we made the decision to explore it as a final objective.

The Route and Main Attractions

Top Attractions	Time to Spend	Price
Bellapais Abbey	1-2 hours	50 TL / 20 TL
Saint Hilarion Castle	2-3 hours	9 TL
Kyrenia Castle & Museums	1-2 hours	12 TL
Salamis Ruins	2-3 hours	10 TL
Saint Barnabas Monastery	1-1.5 hours	9 TL
Othello Castle	1-1.5 hours	9 TL
Kantara Castle	1-2 hours	7 TL
Cathedral of Saint Sophia	0.5 – 1 hour	FREE