Perched beside the UN-monitored buffer zone that divides Cyprus, Famagusta has a crumbling, complex history. Churches, fortifications, Crusader landmarks, a Venetian palace, and soaring Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque hint at successive waves of cultures that have made a home beside this island’s gorgeous beaches. There are plenty of things to do here, including Varosha, a once-bustling resort-turned-ghost town that emptied amid the 1974 invasion and has recently re-opened to visitors.
Moderate temperatures and ample sunshine mean spring and fall are the best times to visit Cyprus—May, June, September, and October are all glorious. Even though beach weather is less common in the quiet season between November and April, there’s plenty of blue sky ideal for hiking and exploring. August and July are popular with the seaside crowd, though it can get very hot in lowland Cyprus if you stray too far from the shore.
Many visitors arrive in Famagusta on day trips from the southern, UN-recognized part of the island. Frequent tours depart Nicosia and other traveler hubs. It is also possible to drive from the south to the north, crossing the buffer zone at checkpoints in Nicosia or Deryneia (Dherynia). If you’re driving a rental car, check with the agency to ensure your insurance is valid on the island's north side.
It’s possible to fly into northern Cyprus from Turkey—regular flights link Ercan International Airport with Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. If you arrive this way, however, you might have issues if you attempt to cross the buffer zone into the southerly Republic of Cyprus. Since the UN doesn’t recognize northern Cyprus as a legitimate entry point, the Republic of Cyprus can fine or deny entry to travelers who began their trips there.
