North Cyprus Tour Packages

Make the most of your time in North Cyprus – explore the island with Carrington. We offer excursions all around North Cyprus – from Kyrenia Harbour to the Salamis ruins – places filled with history and beautiful landscapes. Our VIP tours are for up to 6 passengers per vehicle (Mercedes Vito). The cost of a full day tour is 360 GBP, including lunch. A Professional guide will accompany you during the whole trip to show you the rich history of the island.

1- Kyrenia Tour

Kyrenia has been populated since ca. 5800–3000 BC, it is traditionally accepted that the city was founded by Achaeans from the Peloponnese after the Trojan War. As the town grew prosperous, the Romans established the foundations of its castle in the 1st century AD. Kyrenia grew in importance after the 9th century due to the safety offered by the castle, and played a pivotal role under the Lusignan rule as the city never capitulated.

Kyrenia is a cultural and economical centre, described as the touristic capital of Northern Cyprus. It is home to numerous hotels, nightlife and a port. It hosts an annual culture and arts festival with hundreds of participating artists and performers and is home to three universities.

The Bellapais Abbey and Lawrence Durell

Located at the foot of the Beşparmak Mountains to the east of Girne where it fascinates visiting tourists from all over the world with its unique gothic styled architecture and astonishing scenery

St. Hillarion Castle

Best-preserved of North Cyprus’s Crusader castles.
Hilarion Castle is said to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s castle, perched high in the mountains overlooking Kyrenia, appearing to rise out of the rocks themselves.

Kyrenia Castle and Shipwreck Museum

Kyrenia Castle dominates the entrance to Kyrenia’s picturesque harbour which acts as a standing guard over the port. First built in Roman times, Kyrenia Castle was later fortified by the Byzantines and enlarged by the Lusignans.
Shipwreck Museum has many interesting displays showing the history of Cyprus.

2- Nicosia Tour

Nicosia, the capital of the island of Cyprus. The city was conquered by several rulers, hence the need of protection with walls, within which the old city is situated. Even though Lefkosia itself is not a top touristic destination as it is in the center of the island (with no beach), it attracts a lot of cultural visitors, especially for its interesting history, the “green line” (or buffer zone) that divides the old city that reminds a modern Berlin Wall, the contradiction of the modern and developed center (around Makarios Ave), and the traditional town. Its cosmopolitan nightlife is worth trying out if one wants to party amongst the locals and away from the tourists.

Kyrenia Gate

Historically known is Italianas Porta del Proveditore) is a gate in the Nicosia walls
The gate was built in 1567 by Venetians, as a part of the new city walls. It was restored by the Ottomansin 1821, and a lookout was added to the gate for a probable Greek revolt.
Now, the gate is used as a tourism information office by the Nicosia Turkish Municipality.

Buyuk Han (Great Inn)

One of the most important architectural works of the Ottoman period, the Buyuk Han (The Great Inn) is located in the traditional market centre within the City Walls.
In 1572, the Buyuk Han was built as a caravanserai, which is the name of an inn with a large enough courtyard to provide accommodations for caravans in Middle Eastern countries.
Later, under British rule, the Buyuk Han transformed into the first city prison in Nicosia. In 1893, this building became a hostel.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Buyuk Han was restored and now serves as the Cyprus Handicrafts and Cultural Center. The upper and lower rooms are souvenir shops, art galleries, cafes, etc.

Buyuk Hamam (Great Bath)

The Buyuk Hamam, or Great Turkish Bath, is built on the ruins of a 14th century Lusignan church, St George of the Latins.
The baths consist of a changing room, and warm and cool sections. The reception area is covered by a wooden roof on two pointed arches.
A particular feature of the building is that it is two or three metres below road level.
Being one of the most frequented Turkish Baths open to the public, its services were very important, particularly as there were no baths in most houses. With its lukewarm, cold and hot areas, it was a standard Turkish bath.

Selimiye Mosque

This ancient church is the chief mosque in the northern state of Cyprus, and the great festivals of Bayram and other Moslem gatherings are conducted here. It was formerly the cathedral of St. Sophia which was built in the period 1209 A.D. to 1228.
As well as being the most beautiful mosque in Nicosia, the Selimiye Mosque is also the biggest and most attended of all.

Sarayönü

Sarayönü was the political centre of Cyprus for centuries, for the northern face of the square (now filled with ex-colonial police barracks) was once filled by the Saray, the Gothic Palace of the governor throughout the Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman periods.
Venetian Column, In the centre of the square stands the Venetian Column, which was crowned by the lion of St. Mark until toppled by the victorious Turks in 1570.

Bedestan

The Bedestan is one of the most important historical buildings in Nicosia, reflecting the multicultural life and many historical periods of the city.
Tucked between the Selimiye mosqueand the Bandabuliya, the Bedestan was originally a 12th century Byzantine It was later enlarged, with some Gothic additions by the Lusignans. After further changes by the Venetians, the building was handed over to the Greek Orthodox church, being used as a cathedral.

Arabahmet Mosque

The Arabahmet mosque is at the northern end of Salahi Sevket Street (Victoria St) in the Arabahmet areaof north Nicosia. It was probably built in the late 16th century, and is named after one of the commanders of the 1571 Ottoman expedition, Arab Ahmet Pasha, who was the Governor General of Rhodes.
The mosque was built on the site of an old Latin church, and among the floor tiles, there are around 25 tombstones with inscriptions and drawings. The mosque was restored in 1845, and again during the 1990s.

3-Famagusta Tour

“ The Famous Ghost City”

The city of Famagusta is one of the finest examples of mediaeval architecture in the eastern Mediterranean and, in its present state of preservation, is equal to that of the old cities of Carcassone and Ragusa (Dubrovnik). One full day spent in Famagusta will reveal the history of Cyprus in a nutshell.

Namik Kemal Dungeon & Literary Museum

This two-storied hewn stone dungeon was built, during the Ottoman era, on the ruins of the old Royal Palace.
Namik Kemal (1840-1888), a distinguished nationalist poet and novelist, spent his thirty-eight months in this dungeon when he was sent into exile by the Ottoman Sultan on April 9th 1873 soon after the first performance of his play ‘Vatan or Silistre’ at Gedik Pasha Theatre in Istanbul on April 1, 1873.

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque and Monumental Tree (St. Nicholas Cathedral)

the 14th-century Gothic Cathedral of St. Nicholas, which has since been turned into a mosque named Lala Mustafa Camii, is the most important monument in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus.
The building was converted into a mosque and opened to worship by the Ottomans in 1571 with the addition of a minaret. The monumental East African Fig Tree (Ficus Sycomorus), which is located at the entrance of the Cathedral, is the island’s oldest tree.

Othello’s Tower (The Citadel)

Othello’s Tower, one of the most important historical sites in the Mediterranean and the location for one of Shakespeare’s iconic works, has become a magnet for visitors and history buffs following the completion of restoration work.
According to history, Othello’s Tower is so called because a lieutenant governor of Cyprus (08–1506) named Christoforo Moro was allegedly the model for the title character in Shakespeare’s famous play, Othello, which was also set in Famagusta.

St. Barnabas’ Monastery and Icon Museum

St Barnabas monastery and Icon museum is situated close to the Royal Tombs between Tuzla and Salamis. The site consists of a church, now serving as an icon museum, the monastery, now housing an archaeological collection, and a chapel housing the remains of the saint.
The building that we see today dates from the 1750s. Once the centre of the Cyprus Orthodox church, the monastery is still in good condition. Outside the church there is a courtyard, surrounded on three sides by buildings that once housed the monks and pilgrims coming to pray at the monastery.

4-Morphu Tour

The name Guzelyurt means “Beautiful Place”, it is situated close to the foothills of the Troodos Mountains and is the most fertile agricultural area on the island, with huge polythene hot-houses growing many of the vegetables and soft fruits of Cyprus.

St. Mamas Monastery

Mamas was a Christian saint who lived in the 12th century. There are said to be 14 churches dedicated to him in Cyprus. The St. Mamas Monastery dates back to the 18th century. Its entrance and columns were built by the Lusignans on the remains of a Byzantine church.
Mamas’s grave is thought to be here from the start. The marble bottom part of its iconostasis is covered with Venetian shields. Its painted, wooden top part is an example of the art of carving in the 16th century.

Vouni Palace

Vouni palace is 9 km west of Gemikonagi and 250 m above sea level on a cliff top.
Excavated an expedition sponsored by the crown prince of Sweden is at once the most important and one of the most unusual sites in the island of Cyprus.

Soli Ruins and Soli Church

Soli is an ancient settlement, one of the ten ancient kingdoms of Cyprus, and is located in the north-western part of the island, just outside the village of Gemikonagi, on the coast near Lefke.
As with many ancient ruins, the stones of Soli were re-cycled, those of the theatre being used by the British, for the construction of Port Said in Egypt in the second half of the 19th century.
Excavations at Soli in the 1920s have unearthed a theatre, temples, palace ruins, agora, church and necropolis. After the excavation of the theatre building, the Isis, Aphrodite and Serapis temples were unearthed.

Swan Mosaic

What remains today is mainly from the Roman period, most notably the wonderful mosaic floor of the basilica with its wealth of birds, animals and geometric designs and outstanding of all is a picture of a splendid swan.

6-Karpasia Tour

Also known as Karpass Peninsula, the long, finger-like peninsula of northeastern Cyprus. In this peninsula there were two ports during antiquity called “Karpase” which alternatively served the Mediterranean city of Karpasou according to the weather. One was north, opposite Sarpidona of Cilicia and the other was at the southern developing coast.

The Kantara Castle

The lowest of the three castles and it is constructed all the way round the last formidable crest of the mountain range.
The Kantara Castle is the easternmost of the castles situated on the Girne mountains, at a height of 700 meters from sea level; the Castle has a strategic advantage, as it overlooks the northern shoreline, the Mesarya plains and the Karpaz peninsula.

Golden Beach – Karpaz

The Golden Beach, also known traditionally in Greek-Cypriot as ‘Pashi-Amos’ (Fat Sand beach), or Nangomi Beach, is situated around 15 km from the town of Rizokarpaso and is considered one of the finest and most remote beaches of Cyprus. With a total length exceeding 3700 m, it is one of the least tourist-frequented beaches in the island.

Zafer Burnu and Kastros Neolithic City – Karpaz

Zafer Burnu, also known as cape Apostolos Andreas, is approximately 5km along a reasonably smooth dirt track from the Apostolos Andreas Monastery.
This area was the site of the Neolithic city of Kastros. There was once a temple dedicated to Aphrodite here, but that disappeared many centuries ago. Kastros was excavated between 1970 and ’73 by a French team. They discovered that the settlement consisted of small, round, houses, with a diameter of less than 3m.

The Apostolos Andreas Monastery

The Apostolos Andreas Monastery is situated almost at the end of the Karpaz peninsula.
It is named after St Andrew, who was a follower of John the Baptist, and was the first to be called by Jesus Christ to spread Christianity. It is a place of reverence by both Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

Aya Trias Basilica

Aya Trias Basilica is located a few hundred meters off the coast road, to the north of the village of Sipahi.
Built at the start of the 6th century, the basilica was destroyed during the Arab raids of the 7th century. It was then abandoned, and a small church and other buildings were built to the south.
The southeast of the basilica, you can see the remains of a large cross-shaped baptismal chamber, the largest known on the island.
The narthex and nave are extensively covered with mosaics, mostly geometric patterns. In the northern nave, however, there are some exceptions. In particular, a pomegranate tree, alongside a pair of sandals.