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Introduction
North Cyprus (In turkish, Kuzey Kıbrıs) is a territory that includes the northern region of the cyprus island, located in the Eastern mediterranean. As a result of the conflict between Cypriots of Greek and Turkish origin in the 1960s, the island is divided and in 1983 the northern region declared its independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti, KKTC). However, it is considered internationally as part of the Republic of cyprus.
Understand
The Greek presence on the island of Cyprus dates back to 1100 BC. and it has remained uninterrupted to this day, despite the succession of empires that ruled the island. In 1571, the Ottoman empire he conquered the island, which he would dominate for three centuries. Slowly, an important group of inhabitants of Turkish origin settled in Cyprus, although the Greeks remained the majority ethnic group.
Starting in the 19th century, the independence of Greece of the Ottoman Empire and the growing British influence on the island (which in 1914 conquered the island) strengthened the idea of unification with Greece (enosis) in a large part of the population, which led to violent confrontations with the colonizers. The Turkish minority, however, spoke out against the idea of unification. When the UK decided to give Cyprus independence in 1960, it was agreed to create a neutral state protected by Greece and Turkey and that he would not try to join Greece. Despite the declaration, the violence moved between the Greek Cypriot majority (78%) and the Turkish Cypriot minority (18%). In 1974, the Archbishop Makarios, President of Cyprus who supported the idea of the binational state, was overthrown by groups that favored enosis and were supported by the Greek military junta.
Turkey, which had taken over as protector of the Turkish Cypriot minority, invaded the island to prevent enosis. The swift military campaign allowed Turkey to conquer the northern third of the island and divide the capital, Nicosia. Hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriot families, who made up 82% of the population in the invaded area, abandoned their homes and migrated south, being replaced by Turkish Cypriots expelled from the south. Turkey encouraged the migration of its own inhabitants in order to assert the establishment of a federated Turkish state on the island. Peace negotiations were unsuccessful and in 1983, the Turkish administration declared its independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This act was only recognized by Turkey and rejected by the rest of the international community, which continues to officially consider it as part of the Republic of Cyprus.
In recent years, various conferences have been held in order to sign a peace agreement that allows the reunification of the island. However, the most comprehensive proposal was rejected by Greek Cypriot citizens in a referendum in 2004. In 2010, the Republic of Cyprus joined the European Union. Although membership formally includes all islands, Community law does not apply in the Northern Cyprus area. Today, although the division remains, the tension has reduced and there have been various gestures of coexistence between the two Cypriot communities.
Regions
| Nicosia District | |
 | Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is divided between the two administrations. The northern area is a good place to start the tour of the RTNC. The city has historical buildings such as the Selimiye Mosque and remains of the old Venetian wall. In the surroundings, visit the fertile valley of Morphou Y Lefka or rural areas around Kythrea. |
| Kyrenia District | |
 | This region stands out for the active port of Kyrenia / Girne, whose bay is dominated by a castle and which has beautiful beaches. In its surroundings, the prominent Castle of Saint Hilarion, that of Buffavento and the monastery of Bellapais. You can also hike through the nearby hills and forests. |
| Karpasia Peninsula | |
 | Famagusta It was one of the main medieval ports in the Mediterranean and today its ancient castles, churches and mosques give an account of that time. The peninsula that gives Cyprus its characteristic shape has enchanting natural spaces, full of forests and popular beaches. Among them are ancient temples such as the Monastery of the Apostle Andrés, near Rizokarpaso. |
To get
Due to your particular political status, it is important to take into account the entry requirements. To enter Northern Cyprus it is necessary to present a valid passport (citizens of Turkey and the European Union they can present the identity document of their country) and complete a form that works as a visa at the point of entry to the territory. Only citizens of Armenia Y Nigeria They must apply for a visa in advance before an authority of the RTNC abroad. In May 2015, an agreement between the governments of both sides of the island eliminated the visa requirement when crossing by land; Although this officially applies only to Cypriots, in many cases foreigners have not needed to obtain the document.
Although there is no problem in crossing between one side of the island, beyond these minimum immigration procedures, it is important to bear in mind that the Republic of Cyprus does not recognize the income made through the RTNC, as it is not the official authority that allows entry to the island or the Schengen area. If you want to visit the entire island, the advisable thing to do to avoid migratory problems is to enter through the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and then cross to North Cyprus.
By plane
The only authorized airport is the Ercan International Airport, 13 km east of Nicosia (which is why it is often referred to as "Nicosia / Lefkoşa airport"). As it is not recognized by IATA as a valid airport, there are no international flights to this airport directly without going through Turkey, which acts as a protective state.
There are multiple services to Ercan from various cities in Turkey. Turkish airlines Y Pegasus Airlines offer regular flights from Istanbul Y Ankara. Pegasus also has services from Adana, Antalya, Gaziantep, Hatay and Izmir. Adana and Antalya also have flights from some smaller airlines such as AtlasGlobal, Borajet, Corendon Airlines, Freebird Airlines and Onur Air.
Among the international flights to Ercan, services from London (AtlasGlobal and Pegasus Airlines), Brussels, Copenhagen Y Amsterdam (Corendon Airlines), and Tehran (AtlasGlobal). Freebird and Onur Air have several high season flights from Western Europe.
Boat
Throughout its entire history, Cyprus has relied on shipping to connect with the rest of the Mediterranean and was a key element in its commercial development during the medieval era. Although air transport is the most widely used today, sea travel is an interesting alternative, especially if you are traveling by car.
Due to the political situation, ships arriving in Cyprus come only from Turkey. There are ferries that connect Famagusta with Mersin and from Kyrenia / Girne to Taşucu Y Alanya. The shortest route, Kyrenia-Taşucu, has daily services; while the passenger and vehicle ferry takes about 7 hours, the passenger-only express service takes 2½ hours. For reference, the prices per passenger range between € 40 Y € 70 one way, and between € 80 Y € 100 round trip.
Land route
There are seven land crossings enabled between both sectors of the island. Two of them are pedestrianized and are located within the city of Nicosia, while the other six are vehicular. These steps, from west to east, are:
- Limnitis, near the South Cypriot town of Kato Pyrgos. It is the most distant route to the west.
- Astromeritis-Zodeia / Bostancı, near the North Cypriot city of Morfou.
- Within the city of Nicosia:
- Agios Dometios, the main vehicular access route, connecting both sides of Nicosia.
- Hotel Ledra Palace, a pedestrian crossing in the center of Nicosia, the oldest on the border. The hotel is a major tourist attraction in itself.
- Ledra Street, the most popular passage for tourists. This pedestrian crossing is in the center of Nicosia and connects the commercial areas of both sectors of the city.
- Pérgamos / Beyarmudu, which is accessed from the British military base of Dhekelia.
- Agios Nikolaos, the easternmost and closest to the port of Famagusta. It must also be accessed through the Dhekelia base.
It is possible to pass with a car from the south of the island to the north, including rented cars. However, you must have certain considerations before planning your trip. Many companies do not allow the rental of vehicles if you are going to cross the "Green Line"; consult before hiring the service to avoid problems. When crossing the "Green Line" with a car coming from the south, you must have insurance for the vehicle, which you can purchase at the same border posts. Bear in mind that, although the stalls are open non-stop, the insurance sales hours depend on each step: in general the hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except in the Agios Dometios step which is runs until about midnight.
Travel
Due to the small size of the territory, it is very easy to move within Northern Cyprus; In less than two hours it is possible to cross a large part of the territory. Despite this, public transport does not stand out for its good service. Although there are some bus services between the main cities, thanks to the İtimat company, they run until around 6:00 p.m. City buses tend to have a better service.
There are several taxi companies, but most operate from designated stands or by phone. Always have a number at hand to contact a company in the probable case of not finding one available while walking the streets. However, taxis are often expensive: a trip between Nicosia and Kyrenia can cost between 
70 Y 90. A very good alternative are the dolmuş or kombos, collective taxi services that operate with high frequency between cities or specific points and at much more convenient prices (close to 5).
Finally, a good option is to rent a car, either at Ercan airport or once crossing the Green Line in North Nicosia (if you did not enter the territory with a rented vehicle). Remember that the signage, although it has signs that are internationally recognized, has the indications in Turkish language. Most cities have two names: a Greek one by which the cities are known internationally (for example, Nicosia, Famagusta or Kyrenia) and a Turkish one (Lefkoşa, Girne, Mağusa), this being the only one used in signage.
To buy
The official currency is Turkish Lira, although it is possible to use euros or pounds in larger cities. Credit cards are quite common in supermarkets and department stores, as well as restaurants and hotels.
Nicosia is probably the most commercial city, especially in the sectors around Ledra Street. There you will find the Arasta neighborhood and the Büyük Han ("Great Hostel"), the largest refuge in the city for caravans that visited the island during the Ottoman rule. This area is characterized by the large number of shops reminiscent of the Turkish and oriental bazaars. There, you will be able to get various souvenirs from the region. Among these objects, the lefkaritikas stand out, a characteristic lacework of the town of Lefkara, in the south of the island, and which today is carried out in Northern Cyprus by displaced Turkish Cypriots. Other traditional products are sele-sesta, fabrics made of wicker.
Although it is not an everyday thing, many people travel to Cyprus to buy territories to establish summer residences and take advantage of its natural benefits. Due to their lower price, some homes are very attractive to potential buyers. However, it is important to keep in mind that many homes for sale were abandoned by Greek Cypriots after the invasion of the island. Although they have been without inhabitants for more than 40 years, in many cases their owners continue to claim recovery and have filed lawsuits against subsequent buyers in European courts. In case of buying land or a house, note that you do not have potential legal problems.
Eat and drink
As you might expect, the local cuisine is a version of Turkish cuisine, with a lot of Greek influence and incorporating typical foods from the island of Cyprus. Thus, in addition to the traditional kebabs and mezes, fruits and seafood from the region are added.
Some typical dishes of Cyprus and that you can find in any restaurant in the territory are:
- The hellim (halloumi in Greek) is a typical Cyprus cheese, made with a mixture of goat and sheep milk. This type of cheese is used in several different dishes such as hellimli (sponge cake), hellim böreği (a cake) or pirohu (a kind of ravioli filled with hellim).
- There are local varieties of classic kebab: şeftali kebabı is made with a special preparation of lamb, while fırın kebabı (or kleftiko) is also made of lamb, but accompanied by Cypriot potatoes.
- Magarine bulli is a type of pasta with chicken and hellim.
- Some mezes Popular are grilled hellim, çakısdez (ground green olives with garlic), hummus and samarella (dried meat).
Among the most prominent desserts are the sugary cakes called gatmeri. Nor böreği is a dessert made with nor (another Cypriot cheese), cinnamon and sugar, while ekmek kadayıfı is a soft dough filled with nor and syrup, which goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream. Macun, made with fruits, is also very popular.
Among the main drinks, zivania is the most common liquor. Unlike what happens in the south of the island, in Northern Cyprus there are no European Union restrictions on alcohol production, so some versions of zivania can reach 95º. Northern Cyprus does not have many wines of its own, outside of the Aphrodite and Kantara brands, but there is a wide variety of imported products. There are also several brands of rakı, the traditional Turkish drink, as well as beers.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on North Cyprus.w: Northern Cyprus
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about North Cyprus. Commons
