North Cyprus has many places waiting to be explored. The city of Güzelyurt, which is located in the north of the island, is one of the places where the number of historical ruins can be found almost every corner.
Here is the guide for Güzelyurt.
- Join the Orange Festival
Güzelyurt, famous for its orange trees, is the home for the annual Orange Festival which has been organized by the municipality since 1977.
The festival features local and Turkish singers and bands, modern and Latin dance shows, plays, fashion shows, traditional music and dance shows, sports competitions in several fields including football and darts and acrobatic shows Along with the festival, the town annually hosts an Open Golf Tournament.
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- Visit the Church of St. Mamas
This church, built in the name of Aziz Mamas, one of the famous saints of Cyprus, is being renovated with its renovation works and preserves its structure bearing the traces of history.
- Explore the Archeology and Natural History Museum
It has been operating since 1979 and it is possible to examine samples of Cyprus’ plant and animal family. You can see the fish and bird species living in the Mediterranean archaeological excavations in the museum is located in the lower section.
The upper floors of the museum houses the archaeology section with displays from the Neolithic and bronze ages.
In the second and third rooms there is a display of finds from the Tumba Tou Skuru settlement.
- See Blue Pavilion
The Blue Kiosk on Kyrenia and Guzelyurt road is the pavilion house of Pablo Paolides, an arms dealer. Built in 1957, this pavilion was built using the finest examples of Italian, Greek and Turkish architecture.
- See the Ruins of Soli
The Ruins of Soli, which witnessed the ancient times of Cyprus, are only few miles from Güzelyurt center. These historical ruins can be dated back to the 11th century BC. Mosaics, dating back to the 4th century, were found on the floor. These are decorated geometric patterns, as well as animals such as birds and bulls.
- Go to the ancient city of Tumba Tu Skuru
Tumba Tu Skuru is located in Güzelyurt and it is believed that Tumba Tou Skuru was built in the Bronze age, somewhere between 700BC and 1550BC by traders from the Aegean sea who built several cities on the island.
Historical remains and artifacts in the city are exhibited in the Archeology Museum.
- The Monumental Olive Trees
In Kalkanli on the North West coast of Cyprus is an area of ancient olive trees, believed to have been planted there in the Lusignan period in the 1200s. There are nearly 2000 trees there, their size and stature distinguishes them from other olive trees on the island, which is why they have the name “The
Monumental Olive Trees”. It is estimated that there are 400 of the trees that are over 500 years old. The oldest trees are over 800 years old. The area is one of the most important projects in the Natura 2000 initiative and is under the protection of the European Union.
- See the Vouni Palace
Vouni Palace, which dates back to the 5th century BC, is a palace built to protect the Greek city of Soli. Although the palace has not reached the present, it is possible to find many silver and gold relics in the area. The view of this palace, which can be seen as an open-air museum, is also exquisite.
- Visit the Soli Theater
Built by the Romans, the Soli Theater was formed by carving a rock. The theater, which was made in a semi-circular form, was rebuilt with the reconstruction of the old Greek theater.
10 Try Kite Surfing
The special conditions of the Güzelyurt area are the direct impact of the thermal winds. and it creates perfect wind condition in Morphou Bay to allow the surfers to enjoy the perfect wind for surfing.
The surfing holiday season lasts from March until November and the peak season for surfing is April- May, September- October.
- Eat Strawberries from Field
Yeşilırmak is a coastal village in the north-western part of Cyprus. This small town is famous for its delicious strawberry production. Tourists are allowed to pick up strawberries as much as desired from the field by requesting a very small contribution fee. On the strawberry fields people are equipped with both large and small buckets, ready to be filled to the brim to take home.