Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and as such, benefits from all of the advantages of the region. From its glorious Mediterranean climate, where the sun shines for over 340 days of the year, to its beautiful coasts and beaches, Cyprus offers buyers an extremely high quality of life- which is typically Mediterranean- at a very low cost of living.

Northern Cyprus itself, has a small population of approximately 300,000 people, of which 10,000 are permanent Europeans residents. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also takes up just over a third of the island, measuring 3240 km² in surface area.

A brief history

Historically, Cyprus has always been an island of great geographical importance, and for this reason, it has been conquered and occupied by many different cultures and religions over the centuries. The island was under Egyptian rule from 568-525 BC, Persian and Hellenistic rule up until 395 AD and then subsequent crusaders and conquerers of Byzantine, British (under Richard the Lionheart), Venetian and Frankish extraction all took hold of the island. In 1878, the Ottoman Empire passed the administration of Cyprus over to Britain, and it then became a Crown Colony in 1925. It’s rich, diverse and multi-cultural past has left many unique and interesting imprints on the island.

Kyrenia is home to the St. Hilarion, Kyrenia and Buffavento castles, all of which are mentioned in the accounts of Richard the Lionheart’s conquest in the 12th Century. Other beautiful landmarks include Bellapais, a 14th Century Luisguinan abbey, which can also be seen from afar, high up in the Five Finger  mountains. The Selimiye Mosque in Nicosia, which was formerly known as St. Sophia’s Cathedral, was built in 1209 A.D. Today, the muslim festivals, or ‘bayram’ days, are conducted there and the impressive architecture attracts visitors from all over the island. In Famagusta, the city of Salamis, which was the capital of Cyprus as long ago as 1100 BC, offers remarkable sights. Many ruins are still astonishingly well-preserved and it is still possible to see the colosseum-style seating of the Roman theatre of the time. These are just some of the fascinating monuments that, to this day, remain standing in Northern Cyprus.

The Cyprus situation

The political situation in Cyprus is complex. In 1974, the UN oversaw the division of the island, which separated the warring Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriots moved to the North and the Greek Cypriots to the South. The physical barrier, or division, between the two sides became known as The Green Line and splits the country into two halves. The northern side formed their own independent republic, the TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus). When the Greeks and the Turks became separated and moved to the south and the north respectively, many people left behind their land and homes, and were compensated with equivalent land in new places.
In 2004, Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, brought together both the Turkish and Greek leaders in order to find a way to mend the problems and divisions of Cyprus. These talks led to a referendum on reunification of the island. The referendum, or ‘Annan Plan’ as it was known, prevented Greek Cypriots from reclaiming their properties from Turkish Cypriots in the north.
The referendum took place on 24th April 2004. 65% percent of Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of reunification, but 75% of Greek Cypriots voted against it. The UN and many other countries around the world that had supported reunification as a means to peaceful resolution and improved economical growth on the island, were extremely disappointed with the Greek results, as the Greek vote prevented the reunification of the island. The EU, as a means of rewarding the positive attitude of the Turks, pledged their full support to Northern Cyprus with a view to improving the economy.
At present, both the EU and the UN are working together in the hope of renewing reunification talks by Spring 2009.

Climate

In comparison to the rest of Europe, Cyprus is blessed with a remarkably hot climate. The hottest months are June, July and August, when the weather is wonderfully reliable. The skies are cloudless, the sun never stops shining and the sea is hot by midday. April, May, September and October are glorious months too. The days are still very warm and there’s no need to wear anything more than a T-shirt, but when the evenings set in, the air becomes cooler and wonderfully refreshing. In the depths of winter, which are very short, the months of December and January, can be very cold but by the end of February, the weather is milder- though often wetter too.

The cost of living

Much cheaper than most other places in the Mediterranean, Northern Cyprus is also far cheaper than it’s southern counterpart. On average, a dinner with several courses and wine, will not cost more than £15 a head. Local produce, which includes wonderfully large peaches, melons and citrus fruits in the summer, can be bought very cheaply and with big supermarket chains, such as Lemar, Tempo and Astro, catering for foreign and local tastes, there is always a wide variety of cheap options available.

Beaches

Cyprus is blessed with many wonderful beaches along it’s Northern coast. In the summer, the beaches that are attached to hotels tend to be busiest- although they are well-staffed and kept clean- but seeking out remoter areas is well worth it. From the sandy bays near Karpaz, to the turtle bay at Alagadi beach  , it is rare for these golden sands to be visited by any more than a few people at any one time, so it’s possible to enjoy a feeling of privacy and seclusion.

Transport

Hiring a car in Northern Cyprus is very reasonable and it is possible to get a week’s rental for no more than £100. It is also relatively easy to acclimatise to driving in Cyprus as driving is done on the left, as in England, and all major routes are signposted in both Turkish and English.

Currency

The currency of Northern Cyprus is the Turkish Lira (TL), but Euro’s and British pounds are still accepted in most places. Euro’s and GBP are also readily changeable at banks and exchange offices, or it is possible to withdraw money from local banks with the use of credit or debit cards. International banks that have outlets in Northern Cyprus include HSBC.

Travelling to Northern Cyprus

The main international airport in Northern Cyprus is Ercan, which is a half hour drive away from Kyrenia. From England, it is possible to get flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead, to Ercan. At present, flights to Ercan must first touch down in Turkey (this normally takes no longer than 45 minutes) before landing in Ercan, an hour later. However, it is looking very likely that this will soon change, and direct flights are expected to be commonplace .

Other important information

The country code for Northern Cyprus is 00 90 392.
Electricity in Northern Cyprus is 240 volts and power points are the same as in England.

More information

If you would like more information on Northern Cyprus in the UK, it is worth visiting the North Cyprus Tourism Centre. It can be found at 29 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3EG. Their telephone number is 0207 631 1930.