Day 1: Arrivals

Fly to Larnaca and transfer across the Green Line Northern Cyprus. Settle in to the Dome hotel in Kyrenia, and join your tour director for an included evening meal.

Day 2:  Kyrenia & Bellapais Abbey

Kyrenia Castle is a historic fortress that offers an insight into the area’s long and varied past. Protecting the important harbour with its mighty walls, the castle is well-preserved and has three main phases of construction; Byzantine, Lusignan and Venetian. Each phase saw it enlarged with ever bigger walls which came to incorporate a small Byzantine cross-in-square church within them. There are several rooms to explore, one of which now houses a Hellenistic cargo ship dating from 300 BC, which was discovered in the sea off Kyrenia.

After enjoying lunch at one of the many waterfront restaurants in the picturesque harbour, we drive a short distance to Bellapais Abbey, a beautiful 13th century monastery, celebrated as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean and known for its peaceful atmosphere and scenic views over the coastline.

Day 3: St. Hilarion Castle & Nicosia

Just outside Kyrenia we find the impressive ‘Five Finger’ mountain range and the precariously-perched St Hilarion Castle, once home to the Crusader kings of the island, offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The castle is named after a 4th century hermit to whom a monastery was subsequently dedicated. Due to its strategic position, this was soon converted into a castle, first by the Byzantines and then by the Lusignans, a once dazzling dynasty that controlled the island during the medieval period. What we see today dates from the 13th century, when it was a Lusignan military stronghold and a royal palace, until falling into ruin under the Venetians.

Originally called Ledra, Nicosia was an inland farming settlement that, although an Iron Age city-kingdom, never grew as large as the coastal cities, which flourished on trade. However, its fortunes changed in Byzantine times when Arab raids around the coast gave advantage to its more secure inland location, and it was made the capital of the island. The Lusignan kings had a royal palace here, destroyed when the Venetians constructed the massive city walls. These walls failed to keep out the invading Ottoman Turks, but are still impressive today and enclose the charming streets of the Old Quarter.

Day 4: Vouni Palace, Soli Basilica and Morphou Archaeology and Nature Museum

The day begins with a visit to Morphou Archaeology and Nature Museum, where we discover a collection of regional artefacts and natural exhibits that provide insight into the area’s ancient past and environment. Nearby we find the Soli Basilica, an important early Christian site renowned for its impressive mosaic floors and remains of a once-grand structure.

After a relaxing lunch break by the sea, we explore the little visited nearby site of Vouni Palace, a spectacularly sited Persian palace comprising over 130 rooms. Built by the Persians around 450 BC it was sited to overlook the city of Soli, which had sided with the Greeks. It is a unique site because no other Persian palace exists in the Mediterranean, thus giving us an exceptional sense of the court culture and elite residential architecture of the period.

Day 5: Transfer to Karpas hotel via Salamis Ancient City & Famagusta

The day begins with a scenic drive along the picturesque north coast and over the Beşparmaklar (Kyrenia) mountains, offering spectacular views as we make our way to the eastern side of the island and our hotel on the Karpas Peninsula. The hotel is adjacent to the extensive ruins of the ancient city of Salamis, where we explore a range of structures in a glorious setting by the sea, including the Roman theatre, gymnasium, baths, and colonnaded streets. Salamis was founded as far back as the Trojan Wars in the 12th century BC and became one of the largest and most powerful of the island’s city kingdoms. Abandoned in the 7th century AD and engulfed by sand, it is now a vast and picturesque archaeological site.

We also visit the Royal Tombs, dating from the 7th – 8th centuries BC and with very rich grave goods that reflect the wealth and customs of ancient elites. We conclude the day in the historic city of Famagusta, whose well-preserved Venetian city walls were the scene of the island’s last stand against the invading Ottoman army in 1570. The East meets West nature of Cyprus in more recent times is highlighted at Varosha, a hauntingly preserved area offering a poignant glimpse into a once-thriving resort frozen in time since the events of 1974.

Day 6: Ayias Trias, Apostolos Andreas Monastery, Aphendrika

Today we embark upon a scenic and culturally rich journey across the Karpas Peninsula, combining early Christian heritage with remote landscapes. The day begins with a visit to Ayias Trias Basilica, an interesting early Byzantine church known for its architectural significance and impressive in-situ floor mosaics.

Our journey then continues to the renowned Apostolos Andreas Monastery, an important pilgrimage site dedicated to Saint Andrew, set in a peaceful coastal location and valued by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

Following this, we depart for a lunch stop at a restaurant en route, providing a relaxing break before continuing deeper into the peninsula, proceeding to Aphendrika, an isolated archaeological area featuring the ruins of several early Christian basilicas and offering a glimpse into a once-thriving settlement. Surrounded by unspoiled nature, the site provides a tranquil and atmospheric experience.

Day 7: Kantara Castle, Enkomi and St Barnabas

Our first visit of the day is to Kantara Castle, a striking medieval fortress perched high in the Kyrenia mountain range where we can take in panoramic views across the island and coastline while exploring its historic ruins. Although the exact date of the castle’s construction is unknown, it was taken by Richard the Lionheart in 1191, who subsequently sold it to the Knights Templar.

In the afternoon, we explore the area near our hotel, visiting Enkomi, one of Cyprus’s most significant Bronze Age sites, known for its early urban layout and success as the island’s main copper producing centre, an industry for which ancient Cyprus became famous. We conclude the day at the nearby St Barnabas Monastery, a historic religious complex dedicated to Saint Barnabas, the patron saint of Cyprus, and with an excellent museum housing the archaeological finds from the region.

We include a farewell dinner this evening to celebrate our time together exploring the treasures of Northen Cyprus.

Day 8: Departures

We will transfer you to Larnaca airport for your fight home, or why not stay longer in Northern Cyprus?

Please note that the itinerary may be subject to change or re-ordering according to the weather or other circumstances beyond our control.