Health Destinations

• Location & Geography

  The geography of North Cyprus is characterized by a unique blend of mountains, plains, and beaches. The Kyrenia  (Besparmak / Five Finger) mountain range, with its magnificent jagged limestone peaks, the highest of which is Mount İcova at 3,357 ft. runs along most of the northern coastline from a startling backdrop.
  
  To the east of the island the mountain range loses height as it extends along the narrow peninsula known as Karpas, or more affectionately, `The Panhandle'.
  
  It is here that the best beaches of Cyprus can be found, long wide empty bays of the purest sand that stretch for miles.

• Cities and the towns

  To the south of the Kyrenia range lies Nicosia (Lefkosa) (population 39,000), the capital of North Cyprus, through which runs the boundary, or as it is called `The Green Line' separating the North from South Cyprus.
  
  The other major centers are the tourist resorts of Famagusta (Magusa) (population 30,000), Kyrenia (Girne) (population 22,000), and the citrus center of Güzelyurt (Morphou) (population 15,000).

• Transportation To Northern Cyprus

  There are frequent scheduled and charter flights out of England and other European countries to North Cyprus. More than 90 flights per week arrive at North Cyprus airport Ercan during the summer.
  
  Here are daily scheduled flights from major European capitals and from the major cities of Turkey to Ercan Airport in Northern Cyprus. Regular scheduled and charter flights to North Cyprus are provided by Cyprus Turkish Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Atlas Jet and Onur Air

  There are also ferryboats running from the Turkish ports of Istanbul, Antalya, Alanya, Mersin and Tasucu; from Haifa, Israel; and Lattakia, Syria to the North Cyprus ports of Famagusta and Kyrenia.

  
  Transport by Sea
  

  Scheduled ferryboats travel from Girne (Kyrenia) and Gazi Magusa (Famagusta) to Turkey's south coast ports of Mersin, Alanya and Tasucu. Three routes exist on which seabuses (passenger ferries), together with car ferries, operate: Girne-Alanya, Girne-Tasucu and Gazimagusa- Mersin, with car ferryboats running much slower than faster passenger ferries.
  
  There are scheduled ferry-boat services from Turkish Mersin to Gazimagusa (Famagusta) in North Cyprus three times a week.
  
  There are daily ferries (Seabus) and car ferryboats services from Turkish Tasucu to Girne (Kyrenia) in North Cyprus. The voyage by fast ferry takes about two hours.
  
  Slower car ferries voyage takes four or five hours.
  
  Also from Turkish Alanya, Antalya and Anamur services are organised during summer months to Girne (Kyrenia).
  For further information and reservations, contact Fergun Shipping Company LTD.:

• Recommended Places To See

  The island of Cyprus is considered to be a cradle of western civilization. The ancient towns of Famagusta, Kyrenia, Karpaz, Lefke, Guzelyurt, Nicosia or Yeni Iskele have many historical places which are worth seeing.
  
  If you want to go deeper into the history of Cyprus, visit one of many Cypriot museums in Nicosia (The Stone Works Museum Laphitos, The Mevlevi Tekke Museum), Kyrenia (The Kyrenia Museum Of Folk Art, The Museum Of Public Arts, Shipwreck Museum), Famagusta (The Canbulat Tomb & Museum, The Dungeon And Museum Of Namik Kemal, The St. Barnabas Icon & Archeology Museum), Guzelyurt (The Guzelyurt Museum (The Archeology And Nature Museum) or Yeni Iskele (Icon Museum Of Iskele). If you prefer a fine art, we recommend you to visit the North Cyprus galleries.

• Overview

  The city of Famagusta is one of the finest examples of mediaeval architecture in the eastern Mediterranean and, in its present state of preservation, is equal to that of the old cities of Carcassone and Ragusa (Dubrovnik). One full day spent in Famagusta will reveal the history of Cyprus in a nutshell.
  
  Much of the history of the town is obscure as there are no written records and our only source of material is from travellers' accounts of merchants passing through. Some historians declare that it was founded by King Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt in 285 B.C.
  
  Famagusta of today is a vibrant youthful university city. This buzz is evident  in the city that offers comfortable and relaxing destination for switching off, enjoying the history and sights.

• Transportation to Famagusta
  Famagusta is 20 minutes away from Ercan Airport by road transportation.
• Recommended Places To See

  The Walls of the Old City, Famagusta
  
  The old city of Famagusta is encircled by the historical walls, which are massive and on average are 60 feet high and 30 feet thick and date back to mediaeval times. The walls stand intact to this day, well preserved. 
  The city walls built by the Lusignans were very high but thin. After the Venetians captured the island from the Lusignans, they brought over specialists from Venice to fortify the walls against artillery fire particularly to protect themselves from the Ottomans. 
  
  Two of the original gates of the Famagusta Castle, (the walls) still stand: Porta del Mare (The Sea Gate), and Ravalin / Akkule Bastion (The Land Gate). Two more gates have been opened during the British period, which are the Djanboulat Gate, and the New Gate.
  
  The wall on the sea front, the Mantinengo bastion and the Ravelin (Land Gate) were modified during the period. A ditch 46 metres wide was dug on the outer flanks of the wall and was filled with water. The wall built of ashlar is 3 kilometres in length and reaches 9 metres in width at some points. 
  The city walls have bastions, gates, ramps, embrasures, arms depots, depots and stables.
  
  Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque (St Nicholas Cathedral)
  The cathedral of St. Nicholas / Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque is the largest medieval building in Famagusta and was commenced in 1300 AD. It must be noted that the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages often took more than 100 years to complete, so was St. Nicholas was completed about 1400.
  
  The Gothic style of architecture closely resembles closely the great cathedral of Rheims in Paris, France.
  Similarly, St. Sophia Cathedral in Nicosia (now Selimiye Mosque) and Bellapais Abbey all seem to be the work of French architect, and this is understandable when one realises that the Kings of Cyprus from 1190 to 1489 were all of the French Lusignan dynasty who, at least in their churches, "Frenchified" Cyprus.
  
  Sinan Pasha Mosque  (Church of St Peter and Paul)    
  This was originally a church built in 1359 with funds donated by a successful merchant called Simon Nostrano during the reign of Pierre I. 
  In 1571 it was restored and converted into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks and was named after Sinan Pasha.
  
  During the British Period it was used as a grain and potato store and, later as a junkstore. As a result of this it has also been known and called as the 'Wheat Mosque' (Bugday Camii).
  
  In 1964 it was restored and used as a "Town Hall" (Halk Evi) by the Turkish-Cypriots. The building is now used as a public library by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
  
  Tomb of 28 Mehmed Chelebi  
  In the courtyard, adjoining this magnificent building can be seen the grave of Yeniceri Efendisi (Clerical dignitary in the Janissary corps) Mehmed Efendi whose grave stone gives the date of his death as 1724, in Famagusta. 

  Close this is also the tomb of 28 Mehmed Chelebi, a famous Turkish diplomat who was the Ambassador to France, of the Ottoman Empire in 1730, and who died in Famagusta in 1732. This famous literary diplomat of the 18th century,whose original name was Mehmet Faizi and was surnamed as 28 Chelebi in the Janissary corps he belonged, was accredited (in 1720) to the Turkish Embassy in Paris during the reign of Louis XV.
  
  Eleven months later he returned to Istanbul. Later on, he was sent to Egypt to a private post. But after the rebellion of Patrona Halil in 1730 in Istanbul he was taken away of his post and was forced to go and live in Nicosia. In 1732 he died in Famagusta.
  
  The Twin Churches (of Templars and Hospitallers)
  The larger of the two churches built in the 14th century belonged to the Knights Templars. 
  When the last grand master and their other leaders were burned as heretics in 1313, the order came to an end and the church was left over to the Knights Hospitallers who owned the adjoining building. 

  The buildings have been restored and is now being used by the Cyprus Art Society (Kibris Sanat Dernegi). 
• Entertainment & Events

  Gastronomy & restaurants
  North Cyprus is literally studded with restaurants ranging from the authentic Cypriot cuisine serving, which offer very good value for money, to the fashionable restaurants like French, Chinese or Indian. In humble Corbaci (Soup House) the visitors are served a truly ethnic cuisine. Prices in the restaurants vary accordingly.
  
  Lying on the crossroad of the three continents, the Turkish-Cypriot cuisine has been influenced by different cultures throughout history, owing most of its heritage to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. Many dishes vary from region to region making North Cyprus a marvellous place to eat. The finest restaurants are, however, found in and around Kyrenia.
  
  Each dish has a specific taste and is well presented reflecting the Cypriot character. Molohiya, Arab in origin is a well developed dish appealing to Cypriot taste, preparation and presentation. A few Cypriot dishes: yalanci dolma (vine leaves stuffed with rice, onions, and tomatoes); shish Kebab (marinated lamb, skewered and grilled over charcoal); mousakka (layers of mince, potatoes, and aubergines baked in the oven with cheese topping).
  
  Local dishes are delicious, particularly the meze. This is a specialty of Cyprus and consists of a large number of cold and hot hors d'oeuvres such as different salads, meats, vegetable, and fish dishes. It is taken either as an appetizer or a main course. Among the two most served meze dishes are grilled haloumi cheese and sigara borek (feta cheese rolled in filo pastry and deep-fried).

  Turkish coffee, which is a part of everyday life across Northern Cyprus, has been introduced to the West by the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth century. It is very popular all over the world today and is preferred as a delicacy in most fashionable circles. The secret of making Turkish coffee is that the coffee beans are ground into a fine powder and then it is cooked together with sugar producing a thick cream on top. Turkish coffee is served in small coffee cups in three ways, called sah-de, which is unsweetened, ortah, which is moderately sweet, and shekerli, which is very sweet. One is always asked before the coffee is brewed which of the three one would like.
• Climate

  Summer in Northern Cyprus is a season of hot weather, high temperatures and cloudless sky, but the sea breeze make a pleasant atmosphere in coastal areas. The temperature of the hottest months of July and August crawls to 34 °C and even to 40 °C. In the interior of the island the temperature during the coldest months is between 7 and 15 degrees. As the relief grows higher, the temperature gets lower.That is why the coastal areas boast higher temperatures while the Kyrenia Mountain range gets more rainfall and the temperatures are lower. Winters are mild with some rain and only occasional quick-melting falls of snow on the Kyrenia Mountain range. Whole Cyprus enjoys high sunshine duration in all coastal areas, even in January there are generally six hours of bright sunshine during the day. The weather in North Cyprus provides the visitors a truly pleasant holiday all year round.
  
  The graph to the right displays air and sea temperature on the island. However, the maximum temperature reaches up to 40 °C in the high summer.
  
  Rainfall and Snow
  
  The average rainfall of 402 mm, however, is below Mediterranean average, conforms more to the climate pattern of the eastern Mediterranean. Although snowfall is not typical of Cyprus, it can remain on the Troodos massif in the southern part. The coastal plains get a low rainfall, on average from 340 to 500 mm, falling predominately in the winter. Nicosia town is characterized by low average rainfall (324 mm) as it is situated in the outback of the island. In the hilly areas the average rainfall varies between 500 and 750 mm, falling particularly in winter, rarely in the summer. Due to the altitude, the highest number of rainfall is bound to the Kyrenia Mountain range, where it ranges between 750 and 1110 mm. It is the Kyrenia Mountains that create a climatic barrier and make Kyrenia town a sunny destination with very little rainfall all year round.