Activities near Kyrenia Great for: Walking holidays (guides are available) Rural / countryside / nature retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation A winter sun break Good nightlife Water sports

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Scuba diving:
The waters around Cyprus are clear and warm and often a T-shirt and tank is all you need to go diving. There is an excellent scuba outfit attached to the Jasmine Court Hotel in Kyrenia. A dive with all equipment is about £20 and the instructor will take you where you want to go to.

Castles: Northern Cyprus is steeped in history. For the historian the region’s a wonder, the ruins of ancient Salamis and Bellapais Abbey stand in lonely isolation, in fact it’s hardly possible to walk a few steps without stumbling over some ancient artefact, whether a Greek temple, Roman amphitheatre, Byzantine church, soaring Gothic cathedral, Venetian rampart or Ottoman mosque.

Kyrenia Castle contains the shipwreck museum and some rather lurid waxworks depicting dark goings-on in the dungeons. St Hilarion is also attractive, and is easy to reach by car. Buffavento is very pretty, but is much more difficult to reach, as you have to climb up the mountain to get to it. Kantara is a long way and probably not worth the effort unless you are passing on the way to Famagusta.

Monasteries:
There are two ruined monasteries along the road the other side of Five Finger Mountain (Besparmak). Just 10 minutes above Kyrenia is Bellapais Abbey. Set in this fabulous location, a visit to this 14th century Lusignan Bellapais Abbey is a must. These could be visited in a single day, but it is probably better to see them on separate days. They are both set in a lovely mountain forest.

Nature:
About 46 sandy beaches in Northern Cyprus comprise the main nestling ground for endangered Chelonia Mydas and Caretta Caretta sea turtles in the Eastern Mediterranean. In 1992, about 1,500 rare female turtles laid eggs on the shores of Northern Cyprus.

Walking:
There are lots of walks. One of the best the walk to St Hilarion, however, this is only likely to appeal to the most dedicated walker. It is well worth the effort though and the views are fantastic. When walking in the hills, it is advisable to wear suitable shoes as a precaution against snakes. Brown ones are poisonous but relatively rare; black ones are more common but are completely harmless.