Cyprus is the third-largest Mediterranean island (9,251km²) and one of the most geopolitically complex small nations in Europe. Since 1974, the island has been divided: the Republic of Cyprus (internationally recognised, EU member) controls the southern two-thirds; the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognised only by Turkey) controls the north. Here is what this means practically for travellers and what makes Cyprus worth visiting.
The Division and Crossing
Since 2003, travellers can cross between north and south at several checkpoints along the UN buffer zone (the Green Line), including in central Nicosia. The crossing is straightforward for EU citizens and most international passport holders — you present your passport, cross on foot or by car, and are in a different political entity (with a different currency: euros in the south, Turkish liras in the north). The United Nations Buffer Zone (UNFICYP), established in 1974, runs 180km across the island and includes Varosha — the beach resort suburb of Famagusta that was sealed in 1974 when its Greek Cypriot population fled and has been largely closed ever since. Varosha was partially reopened in 2020 and is now accessible in a limited area, though many original buildings remain in various states of abandonment. The political position: the Republic of Cyprus (and the EU) considers Northern Cyprus to be occupied territory; Turkey and Northern Cyprus consider the 1974 events to be a protective response to a coup backed by the Greek military junta. The division remains unresolved after 50 years of UN-mediated negotiations.
Southern Cyprus: What to See
Nicosia (Lefkosia): the world’s last divided capital city — the Green Line runs through it. The old city (inside the Venetian walls, 16th century) on both sides is worth exploring. The Cyprus Museum (southern side) has one of the best collections of Cypriot antiquities in the world, from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period. Paphos: a coastal town with extraordinary archaeological density — a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing Roman mosaics (the House of Dionysos, 3rd–4th century CE, among the finest in the eastern Mediterranean), the Tomb of the Kings (subterranean Hellenistic/Roman rock-cut burial chambers), and proximity to Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou, the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite). Troodos Mountains: the interior, pine-forested highlands with Byzantine painted churches (10 of which are UNESCO-listed as a group) and Venetian bridges. The village architecture here — stone-built villages like Kakopetria, Kalopanayiotis — is excellent.
Northern Cyprus: What to See
Kyrenia (Girne): a harbour town with a Crusader castle (12th–16th century) and what is considered one of the most beautiful harbour fronts in the Mediterranean. The Shipwreck Museum inside the Kyrenia Castle contains a 4th century BCE merchant ship — the oldest ship on display anywhere in the world. Famagusta (Gazimağusa): the old city is enclosed by some of the best-preserved Venetian walls in the world. The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque (formerly Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 14th century Gothic, modelled on Reims Cathedral) is one of the more extraordinary buildings in Cyprus — a Gothic French cathedral turned mosque. The Karpaz (Karpas) Peninsula: the northeastern finger of Cyprus, rural, uncrowded, and one of the most beautiful parts of the island — sea turtles nest on Ronnas Beach and Golden Beach.
