Karpaz is a narrow peninsula and like a spear it juts out into the Mediterranean. If Nicosia is Cyprus’s pulsating heart, then it is in Karpaz you find its soul. Here, the nature is untouched with golden beaches that meander endlessly along the coast.
If you are looking for a private beach to spend the day then Karpaz is the right choice. Except for the green sea turtles that come here to lay their eggs, you can expect to enjoy the turquoise water all to yourself. Visit postcard beautiful Golden Beach where a panorama of sand and sea spreads out along the coast.
Karpaz can easily be reached by car from both Kyrenia and Famagusta. Do not forget to bring a bag of carrots. In the Karpaz National Park wild donkeys wander freely, and they will gladly approach and greet the car, especially if visitors have something tasty to offer!
The Karpaz peninsula has no major towns but a handful of picturesque villages to enjoy on the way out to the tip. Boğaz fishing village is small and cozy with a marina and some really good fish restaurants, a nice first stop. If you go further you come to the small, but fast growing Bafra, where peace meets luxury in the shape of five-star casino hotels. It has great beaches for those who wish to take a dip. Inland you will find the village Mehmetçik, the capital of grape and wine production in North Cyprus. Here a large grape and wine festival is held every year.
Dipkarpaz is the largest town and one of the few places on the island where Greek and Turkish Cypriots still live together. Here the Orthodox Church and the Mosque stand proudly next to each other.
A large number of historical ruins with millennial stories are strewn along the road, as well as local olive groves where you can bring a taste of Cyprus home to the kitchen.
Almost at the very tip is the Apostolos Andreas monastery, a holy site in Christianity. The abbey is said to be built in the very place where St Andrew, one of Jesus’s disciples, went aground with his ship and found a source with healing water.
North Cyprus’s contribution to flashy marinas in the Mediterranean can also be found in Karpaz. Karpaz Gate Marina shines like a jewel on the coast and attracts cruising yachts from international waters. On a sun bed at the beach, under the light movements of the palm leaves, and with the heat caressing the body, all musts are dispelled in a moment.
