Has anyone here ever been to Northern Cyprus?

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Since Cobalt Air and Ryanair started offering flights to Cyprus, I’m thinking about heading to Cyprus next year for summer holidays with herself.

Nicossia is supposed to be a beautiful spot. I’d also like to venture into Turkish Northern Cyprus. The statelet is only recognised by Turkey and up until recently remained very difficult to access. EU passport holders can traverse the border with ease now apparently.

What’s it like? Is it dangerous? Is it risky travelling to an unrecognised state and thus a country with no embassy from Ireland or another EU country in case you ended up in trouble?

AndyBoBandy

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SwimFin

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

. I’d also like to venture into Turkish Northern Cyprus. The statelet is only recognised by Turkey and up until recently remained very difficult to access. EU passport holders can traverse the border with ease now apparently.

What’s it like? Is it dangerous? Is it risky travelling to an unrecognised state and thus a country with no embassy from Ireland or another EU country in case you ended up in trouble?

I have visited Northern Cyprus. I had access due to carrying a UN pass, so crossed over and back the land border regularly with ease. There are a lot of tailbacks due to security checks at land borders. Security is taken seriously.

Tourists I met in Northern Cyprus had either flown into/out Northern Cyprus or travelled via ferry from Turkey. They were not going to visit Southern Cyprus.

I hitched around, bit of a mission and a lot of cars have seen better days.

It's a mis-match, you can see the remnants of bygone days when it was the mecca for the rich and famous : lying on a beautiful beach with an abandoned luxury hotels are the only remains of 'what was' (Famagusta). Some lovely old harbour towns (Kyrenia) where you can take boating trips.

I liked the vibe, it is not tourist ridden like the south, some quaint places if you like to meander and explore. Cyprus, both halves of the island are distinctive and have their own character, each will cater for particular travel experiences.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

SwimFin wrote: »

I have visited Northern Cyprus. I had access due to carrying a UN pass, so crossed over and back the land border regularly with ease. There are a lot of tailbacks due to security checks at land borders. Security is taken seriously.

Tourists I met in Northern Cyprus had either flown into/out Northern Cyprus or travelled via ferry from Turkey. They were not going to visit Southern Cyprus.

I hitched around, bit of a mission and a lot of cars have seen better days.

It's a mis-match, you can see the remnants of bygone days when it was the mecca for the rich and famous : lying on a beautiful beach with an abandoned luxury hotels are the only remains of 'what was' (Famagusta). Some lovely old harbour towns (Kyrenia) where you can take boating trips.

I liked the vibe, it is not tourist ridden like the south, some quaint places if you like to meander and explore. Cyprus, both halves of the island are distinctive and have their own character, each will cater for particular travel experiences.

Thanks for the insight. When were you there?

pjproby

Nicosia is lovely. i have been there a few times but never crossed over the border but would love to.

rossie1977

I have been to Nicosia. It's a nice city and an interesting visit. It's easy to walk across the border at ledra street (just bring your passport).

kerry4sam

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kerry4sam

coylemj

By all means visit Northern Cyprus if you feel like it but if you're going on a travel package, make sure that it's to southern Cyprus as you will have no consumer protection under EU law if the destination is in the north as that territory is the subject of a trade embargo by the EU owing to the Turkish occupation.

And don't even think about buying property in Northern Cyprus. This is the current UK government advice to their citizens ....

The ownership of many properties is disputed in the north of Cyprus, with thousands of claims to ownership from people displaced during the events of 1974. Purchase of these properties could have serious financial and legal implications. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in a number of cases that owners of property in northern Cyprus before 1974 continue to be regarded as the legal owners of that property. Purchasers could face legal proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as attempts to enforce judgements from these courts elsewhere in the EU, including the UK. There has been at least one successful case to enforce rulings in the UK, putting at risk property owned in the UK.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-property-in-cyprus

Pixie8

I was there at the end of October last year and loved it. Got a pre booked taxi from Larnaca across to Northern Cyprus which was very straightforward. I think it can be messy renting a car in the south and driving it over so we picked our car up in Lapta where we were staying. Loads to see - Karpaz peninsula, Famagusta, Nicosia, Kyrenia etc. It was completely safe there, locals were lovely, accommodation, food, prices and weather all great. Would definitely recommend it.