Famagusta - Ammochostos (Hidden in Sand)

Famagusta was once the island's most popular tourist destination. It's the capital of the district of the same name. The town of Famagusta, (Varosha in Greek), is now in the Turkish side of the Green Line and inaccessible since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

After the invasion the town was fenced off and now resembles a ghost town. Before the invasion the town was compared to Miami beach with its beautiful golden sandy beaches and stunning scenery. Sadly all that remains of this lovely city is a stretch of abandoned hotels.

The lovely Othello Tower still guards the harbor but the beautiful St Nicolas gothic cathedral has been changed to a mosque.

Greek Nobel poet laureate George Seferis loved the landscape of the island so much that he wrote a book of poems entitled Imerologio Katastromatos III. Seferis also used his diplomatic position to try to help solve the terrible suffering of the island.

Byzantine Churches, Rustic Villages & Beautiful Beahes

The area is very beautiful and full of Byzantine churches, rustic villages and hundreds of windmills which make this a truly enchanting area of the island. The beaches are still beautiful and known for being the best on the island. Today many tourists stay in the nearby popular resorts of Protaras and Agia Napa.

Salamis

The ancient city of Salamis, once the capital of Cyprus in 1100BC, extends along the sea shore. For many years the ancient Roman city was buried in sand and this helped preserve it from being looted and destroyed.

Kokkinochoria (Red Villages)

If you've ever tasted Cyprus potatoes then you'll know they're the most delicious in the world and taste especially good when made as chips, roast or in salads. The fertile red earth where they're grown is in the area of Ammochostos and the villages of this area are called Kokkinochoria - red villages.

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