KYRENIA

The ancient harbour town of Kyrenia (Girne) with its large castle dating back to Byzantine days is considered to be picturesque and quite unforgettable for first time visitors. With a back drop of the Kyrenia Mountain range and views over an azure sea towards Turkey, Kyrenia is always remembered for its horseshoe shaped harbour around which old carob warehouses have been tastefully converted into restaurants. It is a joy to promenade in the evenings, sit at one of the tables on the quay side with a cool drink on a hot, summer’s day, or enjoy a local meal at one of the many harbour side eating places. The old harbour flourished in Ottoman days as the only port on the northern coast of Cyprus, today it is home to small sailing yachts and boats for leisure day trips; the commercial vessels use a new, purpose built harbour to the east of the town. On the eastern side of the harbour the huge castle, surrounded by impressive walls and a moat, houses the Kyrenia Shipwreck Museum which preserves one of the oldest shipwrecks ever recovered from the sea. There is no doubt that development of Kyrenia was due to the building of the castle, possibly on the site of a Roman fort, in Byzantine days.

The Lusignians, Venetians continued to develop the castle as a fortress, the Ottomans concentrated on Kyrenia as a trading port and, in British days, Kyrenia was a haven for the old colonial types and their families. The original town is quite compact with cobbled streets, narrow passageways and old stone houses built behind the harbour front. Modern Kyrenia has expanded on the outskirts of the town due to demand by ex pats (mainly English people) that have settled in the last few years and want to be within easy reach of the historic town. Beaches to the east and west are popular with tourists; restaurants of all description have opened up to suit all tastes.
BELLAPAIS

Just a ten minute drive away from Kyrenia is the delightful village of Bellapais made famous by Laurence Durrell in his book “Bitter Lemons”. Durrell describes a slow pace of village life and lazy days under “The Tree of Idleness”; his house remains and is now open to the public, “The Tree of Idleness” is still there. Bellapais Abbey, built in the 12th century by Augustinian monks, can tell many stories over the years, the ruins are a major feature of this pretty village nestling in the mountains above Kyrenia harbour. The Abbey is the venue for regular concerts and musical events. “The Bellapais Music Festival” is organised each spring and, every evening for a period of about two weeks, there will be recitals and programmes to suit all tastes.


ST HILARION CASTLE
On the road to Nicosia heading south from Kyrenia you go through the Kyrenia Mountain Range. At the highest point turn right marked St Hilarion Castle and follow the mountain road which continues to climb giving fantastic views of Kyrenia below. The castle was named after a monk called Hilarion who fled persecution from the Holy Land. The Byzantines built a church and monastery over the tomb and, because of the strategic position, was extensively expanded and developed for military purposes and as a residence over the years. The castle is well worth a visit and has recently been renovated to give the visitor a true picture of the history surrounding this amazing fortress hugging the mountainside. You can wander through the main gate into the various parts of the castle, climb steep steps, explore the over grown courtyards and look out from Prince John’s Tower. The views are stunning! A visit to St Hilarion is a must for any visitor; go early in the morning if you choose to go during the summer months as it can be quite a challenge on a hot day.