All About North Cyprus

With an area of 9,251 km², Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily and Sardinia. It is located about 75 km south of Turkey, 95 km west of Syria, 325 km north of Egypt and 270 km east of the nearest Greek island (Rhodes).

Two mountain ranges cross the island: the rocky Chain of Kyrenia in the north-east part of the island and the volcanic Trodos Mountains in the southern inner land, with the Olympus (1,952 m) as its highest peak.

North Cyprus is a hidden treasure in the Mediterranean Sea, which has much to offer to travelers from all around the world. Floating on the clear waters of the Eastern Mediterranean, the island stretches towards the shores of Syria, Turkey and Lebanon.

Cyprus is an amazing and exciting blend: while its cultural influences are dominated by Western Europe, its geographic position between Asia and Africa gives it more than just a hint of the Eastern world. Long coveted by mainland Greece and Turkey, this small island has its own beguiling character. An island whose archaeology stems from the Neolithic Age, the Ancient Greece and the Roman era; where churches and monasteries from Byzantine times stand next to Ottoman mosques; where one can see castles and palaces from the Frankish Lusignan reign and splendid Venetian city walls.

North Cyprus has remained immune to the fast and ever-changing fashions that have seen its southern neighbour become a somewhat homogenous ‘tourist destination’ where the native cuisine has been replaced by generic world-famous fast food franchises; indigenous arts and craft markets replaced by malls awash with branded items available the world over. Where local café, restaurant and bar nightlife has been swamped by ‘theme’ pubs and night clubs. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but some say it has lost the very ‘soul’ that first drew visitors to these delightful shores.

North Cyprus is characterized by a typical Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry while winters are mild with little rain. The average temperature in summer is between 30 and 35 degrees.

The climate of Cyprus is one of the healthiest and most balanced in the world. The island benefits from 340 days of sunshine a year.