Family Holidays: North Cyprus family holidays

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

Go to North Cyprus now and you will discover a part of the Mediterranean that has, fortunately, missed out on the mass tourism boom of the last 30 years. It even remains McDonalds free so far.

This means that the much pictured harbour of Kyrenia really is a sleepy as it looks, and the beaches at Famagusta are genuinely uncrowded. Due to numerous invasions North Cyprus boasts an impressive array of monasteries and castles, including St Hilarion, (see our review article), and one of the best known, Bellapais Abbey.

We think North Cyprus is a fantastic place for family holidays because you can combine beaches and pools with amazing and uncrowded castles and ancient ruins. Note, though, that it gets very hot in the summer and you cannot yet fly direct and non-stop.

Top left: Karpas Peninsula, beach
Top right: Kyrenia Harbour

Bottom left: Beautiful Church
Bottom right: Darling little goats on cliff

When

North Cyprus has average temperatures rising from about 20°C in April to the upper 20’s in July and August, when kids might want to find some shade, and then back to about 20°C in October.

How

Part of North Cyprus’ re-entry into the international community will result in direct flights. But meanwhile flights from the UK have to touch down in Turkey before reaching the island. Turkish Airlines operates a year-round service from Heathrow, and there are flights in the main holiday period from Manchester, Stansted, Gatwick, Glasgow, and Belfast.

Alternatively you can fly to Larnaca in the South and cross the border by car.

Stay

Younger families will probably want to hit the beaches around Famagusta (Gazimagusa), as they are some of the best on the island, while the town has a lot of culture and history to keep everyone happy. The harbour town of Kyrenia (Girne) is great if you prefer boats, and has plenty of history on offer, including its Venetian castle.

Accommodation varies from older style three star hotels in the centre of Kyrenia, through to more modern resort style properties with lots of facilities, or traditional five star hotels such as The Colony or Grand Rock, also in Kyrenia. Oscar's Resort and Club Acapulco are near Kyrenia and are popular with families.

Do

One of the great things about North Cyprus is that there’s so much to see and do apart from the beaches, though some of these are also great. A few highlights:

Kyrenia (Girne) – The showpiece of Cyprus long before the island was divided. Apart from the castle it’s worth strolling through and dining in the harbour, plus wandering the winding back streets behind the harbour.

Kyrenia Castle – the castle has been occupied by Byzantines, Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans and Brits among others and it’s built on an old Roman fort. It’s definitely worth visiting, not least because it also has, within its walls, a shipwreck museum with the hull of the oldest ship ever to be recovered from the seabed. It sank in around 300BC and you can view its cargo of well preserved almonds.

Famagusta (Gazimagusa) – Settled for over 2,000 years Famagusta is known as an 'outdoor museum'. Visitors will find huge 25 ft. thick Venetian walls surrounding the town’s abundant ancient sites. There are good beaches here and to the North. Indeed prior to 1974 most people visiting Cyprus would have stayed in an area called Golden Sands beach that is currently inaccessible to non-military personnel.

Salamis Ruins – these are amazing for their scale and the insight they provide into life here a couple of thousand years ago. But above all, if these Ruins were located almost anywhere in Europe they would be overwhelmed by tourists… instead you're highly unlikely to encounter a swarm of fellow sightseers. And that makes Salamis an even more magical place. Your kids will love them too as long as you encourage them to be creative with their imagination.

Bellapais Abbey – the 'Abbey of Peace', lovely ruins dating back to the 13th century and a sleepy village in the hills above Kyrenia.

St. Hilarion Castle – This amazing castle overlooks Kyrenia and parts of it date back to the 7th century. It’s built into the hillside 2400 feet above sea level.

There are numerous other activities that may suit your family. You can try horse-riding near Bellapais, go tandem paragliding from the mountains behind Kyrenia, witness sea turtles nesting and hatching between June and September, take boat trips and much more.

And finally, an important word of caution. The safety measures at the castles (including Kyrenia) and ruins (including Vouni and Soli) are completely inadequate. Although this should not prevent you from visiting them it means that you must keep a close watch on your kids, especially young ones. There are dangerous drops that you will need to keep them away from, in the inexplicable absence of safety barriers.

Eat

The good news is that the food in North Cyprus is predominately Turkish, and that means great local fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. Everyone will be able, and will probably want to, eat everything. Food is excellent value, as is everything you buy locally because North Cyprus is still outside the Euro zone.

If you're based in or near Kyrenia, there are some good restaurants on the harbour - though you'll pay a premium for location. Other Take the Family favourites include the Brasserie, run by award winning Italian Welsh chef Guido and Effendi's. Both are expensive by North Cyprus standards but terrific value by British standards.

Cost

Two week package holidays for a family of four range from around £1,750 upwards depending on the time and the standard of accommodation. Most tour operators offer early booking discounts.