Walking and Eating in North Cyprus

If you’re going for a walking holiday in North Cyprus, Kyrenia is the best base. While many of the walks are easily accessible by dolmus (mini-bus), it is certainly preferable to have your own wheels and explore North Cyprus by car.

11 walks and 4 excursions
144 pages; plan of Lefkosa (Nicosia); area map; large-scale (1:35,000) topo maps
1st ed, 2010; ISBN 978-1-85691-371-3; UK retail price £8.99 / USA retail price $17.99

Table of contents:

PLAN OF NICOSIA inside front cover
INTRODUCTION 4
the walks 5
the excursions 5
the cafés and restaurants 6
the recipes 8
north cypriot cuisine 9
the restaurant menu (yemek listesi) 9
planning your visit 16
how to get there 16
when to go 18
where to stay 20
what to take 21
planning your walks 22
on arrival 24
tourist information and maps 24
transport 24
shopping for self-catering 25
fruit and veg market 27

MAP OF NORTH CYPRUS 28-9
EXCURSION 1 · famagusta and salamis 30
restaurants: various in famagusta and near salamis 37
EXCURSION 2 · western civilisations 38
restaurants: aspava and king fish in yedidalga 43
Walk 1 · koruçam circuit 44
restaurants: yorgo in koruçam, golya in sadrazamköy 26
recipes: kleftiko, manti, etli turlu, siyah zeytin ezmesi, ayrelli omlet 50-3
Walk 2 · geçitköy reservoir circuit 54
restaurants: hasan’s in geçitköy, aphrodite at Lapta 57-8
recipe: kibrisli kolokas 59
Walk 3 · alsancak and ilgaz 60
restaurants: cenap, tervetuloa and others in alsancak,
hoots in ilgaz, green heights botanic gardens 65-7
recipes: helim & aubergine salad, keþkül, kuru fasulye,
molohiya, balk güveç, kazandibi, ekmek kadayf 68-73
Walk 4 · karaman circuit 74
restaurants: levant in karaman, halfway house, near karaman 77
recipes: zeytinli ekmek, zeytinya¤li taze bakla, so¤anli tavuk
yahnisi, börülce 78-9
EXCURSION 3 · st hilarion castle 80
restaurant: kozan on the ridge road 85
Walk 5 · bellapais and ozanköy circuit 86
restaurants: bellapais gardens and kybele at bellapais,
five fingers at ozanköy 90-1
recipes: kiliç, cack, stifado, alex’s aubergine mousaka 92-5
Walk 6 · beþparmak circuit and buffavento 96
restaurant: buffavento on beþparmak pass 100
recipes: etli nohut, karnyark, krms mercimek çorbas, sütlaç 101-3
Walk 7 · sourp magar circuit 104
restaurants: hati’s and zrdeli in esentepe 108-9
recipes: frn makarna, hati’s aubergine mousaka, bulgar
vermicelli pilav, humus 110-3
Walk 8 · antiphonitis 114
restaurants: various at alagadi 116
recipes: etli biber dolma, spanak böre¤i, brandy sour 117-9
Walk 9 · kantara circuit 120
restaurant: kantara restaurant in kantara 124
recipes: ciser, hamsi kzartmas 125
EXCURSION 4 · the karpaz peninsula 126
Walk 10 · puzzling statues of the karpaz 130
restaurants: deks and vine terrace near yenierenköy 133
recipes: köfte, kalamar, çoban salatas 134-5
Walk 11 · nicosia blue line trail 136
restaurants: müze dostleri and boghjalian mansion in nicosia 139
GLOSSARY (turkish language, menu items, shopping terms) 140
CONVERSION TABLES 142
INDEX 143
IN THE RESTAURANT (pocket vocabulary, including
requesting vegetarian or g-f, d-f dishes) inside back cover

PLACES
Agia Triás 127-28
Agias Mamas 40
Agios Thyrsos 127, 128, 131, 132-3
Alagadi 105, 115-6
Alevkaya Forest Station 105, 106
Alsancak 21, 60-62, 64-6
Antiphonitis Monastery 114-116
Apóstolos Andréas Monastery 126, 127, 129
Bellapais Abbey 86-88, 89, 90, 91, cover
Beþparmak (‘Five Fingers’)
Mountains 22, 96-7, 98, 99, 100, 104, 105
Pass 97, 98, 100, 105, 127
Buffavento Castle 96, 97, 99
Büyükkonak 127
Dipkarpaz 127, 128
Esentepe 105, 108-9, 115
Famagusta (Gazimagusa) 20, 30-2, 33-4, 37
Five Fingers see Beþparmak
Gazimasusa see Famagusta
Girne see Kyrenia
Geçitkale 31, 36
Geçitköy 39, 54, 55, 56, 56-7
Golden Beach 129
Green Heights Botanic Gardens 62, 67
Güzelyurt 39, 40
lgaz 60, 61, 62, 63, 65
Kantara Castle 120-122
Karþyaka 22, 81, 83, 85
Karaman 74-5, 76-7
Karpaz Peninsula 126-9, 130-3
Koruçam 44, 45, 46-48,
Cape Koruçam 49
Kyrenia (Girne) 4, 20, 21
Lapta 21, 58
Lefke 38, 41
Lefkoþa (Nicosia) 18, 19, 20, 31, 36, 40, 136-9
Malatya 61, 62, 63
Nicosia see Lefkoþa
Ozanköy 86-7, 88-9
Panayía Potamítissa 88, 89
Sadrazamköy 45, 49, 84
Salamis 30, 35, 37
Soli 38, 41-2
Sourp Magar 104, 105, 106-7
St Barnabas 31, 36
St Hilarion Castle 80-1, 82-3
Vouni 38, 39, 42
Yedidalga 42, 43
Yenierenköy 127, 131, 133
Zafer Burnu 127-9

RECIPES
asparagus (wild) omelette 53
aubergines
and helim (cheese) salad 68
stuffed 102
beans
black-eyed 79
broad 78
green 71
haricot, casserole 69
brandy sour 119
cack (dip) 92
chicken
livers, fried 125
with kolokas 59
with onions 79
chickpea stew 101
fish in a roof tile 71
hamsi (small fish) 125
humus 113
lamb kleftiko 51
manti (pasta) 51
meat
balls 134
stew 52
stifado 93
macaroni with mince 110
molohiya (a Cypriot green) 70
mousaka, Alex’s 94; Hati’s 112
olives, black
bread 78
paste 52
peppers, stuffed 117
puddings
almond milk 68
caramelised milk 72
ekmek kadayf 73
rice 103
salad, shepherd’s 135
soup, red lentil 103
spinach pie 118
squid, fried 134
swordfish 92
wheat, cracked, and vermicelli 112

1st edition (2010); updated 20/09/2018

Updates given below supplement the information provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book you can “upgrade” to the latest edition at half price.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably by e-mail, to info@sunflowerbooks.co.uk.

General: [We] found your book an excellent companion. However I would like to offer a few suggestions: Most importantly, in future editions, ours is 2010, may I suggest that the notice about looking for updates on line before departure should be VERY prominently displayed, not tucked away inside the back cover. Despite a pretty thorough reading of the book before we left, planning and dreaming, we did not notice it. Perhaps a sticker on the front cover would alert users in time. Having had a very difficult experience trying walk 2, in the light of the expanded reservoir, we did go online. Alas a printer was not available so we could not print off the suggested alternative. (User, 4/16)

North Cyprus Update Spring 2016, from the authors

Walk 1: The cafe/bar in Korucam next to the church is usually open but mainly for drinks, chocolate bars and crisps. Enquire there for access to the church and museum should they be closed.

Walk 2: See new walk below:
Gecitkoy Reservoir walk is no longer viable as the new dam is now completed and the area of the walk filled with water. We have researched a new circular Korucam walk to replace the Gecitkoy Reservoir walk.
New Walk: Korucam – Kayalar – Korucam Circular.
Distance: 7.7km/4.8mi; 2h06min
Grade: moderate, along tracks but with a some steep sections downhill and uphill, with a height gain of 300m/992ft
Transport: as for Walk 1
Refreshments: Same as Walk 1 and Richard & Amy’s Wine Bar, see comment above, in summer. The cafe/bar next to the church for drinks.Volkan’s in Gecitkoy and Aphrodite.
Alternative: (4.45km/2.8mi) Follow the main walk, gently rising, as far as the (13min) point but stay ahead towards the tall communication masts. Pass between old army camp gateposts,and turn left uphill, with the abandoned army camp on the right. Reach a T junction, the 1h36min point, enjoy the fantastic views from the abandoned look-out posts, left and right, then return the same way back to Korucam.
A walk to savour, along the ridges and amongst the hollows of the diminishing spine of the Kyrenia Range of Mountains with magnificent views.
Start the walk by Korucam church, back to Yorgo’s Restaurant. As the main road soon swings left to Kayalar/Sadrazamkoy, continue ahead uphill on a narrow road to a T junction. Turn left uphill and, in just over 4min turn right into Yagmur Sokak (Rain Road) a stabilised track. Shortly, before a white house on the left, fork right onto a track (round green/white waymarks). At the 13min point fork into the track left. Blue sign to Bekis Tepe ahead, the alternative walk and also main walk return route. The waymark concrete block, on the left at the start of the track, is often hidden by foliage. Stay on this main track, ignoring tracks off left. Tall masts over right. Ignore quarry, left and track right (25min). Just after a track forking right, pass a couple of concrete waymark blocks on the left and soon reach a high point. Start into the descent towards Kayalar, scrubland to the right and the sea left. Around 42min, ignore track off left and a few minutes later the track steepens. Take care, loose stones underfoot. In 53min, on the approach to Kayalar, reach a triangular track entrance and turn right. (Kayalar is just under ½km further downhill but lacks cafes/shops.) Follow round the valley, on the left, and rise to a diagonal crossing track on 1h08min. Continue right uphill then stay right at a T junction 4min later. Now rising along a ridge with panoramic views over Morphou Bay to the Troodos Mountains over left,Turkey over to the right and the Kyrenia Range stretching towards the Karpas behind. Gecitkoy village and reservoir are at the end of the valley below left. Ahead is a deserted look-out post, reached on 1h30min. A great place for excellent views. Continue along the track and six minutes later, just past a smaller look-out post (1h36min), turn left downhill. (Stay ahead to the tall communication masts and further look-out post at this point for more fantastic views then return to the same point to continue.) Descend past an abandoned army camp on the left to a T junction and turn right, through what was the camp entrance gate, to continue. The walk descends gradually, above the valley to Gecitkoy on the left, back to Korucam. Rejoin the outward route (1h55min) at the 13min point and continue back to Korucam.
Hasan’s restaurant in Gecitkoy is closed. Another cafe/restaurant in Gecitkoy is ‘Volkan’in Yeri Restaurant & Bar’ (Volkan’s Place). Find it behind the Ozyarali Market. (Small shop on the left as enter Gecitkoy from the seaward end of the village.) Volkan is only too happy to cater for groups or individuals who telephone first but has drinks available. Like most small restaurants in more isolated locations, especially out of season when clients are fewer, it’s impossible to always have fresh produce on demand. Tel: 0542 854 2608. Volkan speaks English. If the restaurant appears closed and you only want a drink, ask at the super market which is also owned by him.

Walk 3: Hoots in Ilgaz has opened again but is not open in winter. There is now another café in Ilgaz as well, located on the right as you turn right into the village. Maybe closed over winter. A cosy traditional style restaurant, Tasmahzen, is located in Alsancak centre opposite Cenap. It is only open in the evening and closes at times during the winter months.

Walk 4: There is a new café open, opposite Levant Restaurant, run by the owners of Levant which serves soup, snacks and drinks. + The shop / post office in Karaman is now closed, perhaps due to the presence of a new supermarket a car journey away along a new road (address: Girne Çevre Yolu Daetepe Sokak Sonersan Plaza, Girne 9935). However we successfully self-catered without having our own transport by bring food with us and buying water at the cafe and bar in the village centre. There is a new restaurant slightly east of the of the centre of the village – ‘Treasure’ (https://www.treasure-karmi.com). The menu appears fairly typical of the region (kebabs) etc. but the restaurant aims for a higher standard of service and presentation than a typical kebab restaurant. In the village centre, in addition to Levant and Corner Cafe ‘Bar Spot’ on high Street – across from both Levant and Corner Cafe – offer snacks such as sandwiches alongside a selection of drinks. (User, 9/18)

Walk 5: Five Fingers Restaurant is now closed. The Old Mill, in Bellapais, is a recently renovated old mill now used as a museum/café/restaurant. Find by starting Walk 5 but following the road through the village round left, instead of uphill to Bitter Lemons house, and picking up the signs… For a restful haven, head uphill to Bitter Lemons house then turn left and continue to the next corner to access the Gardens of Irini down some steps. Deirdre Guthrie serves drinks and snacks in her shady garden and evening meals when ordered in advance. She’s a very interesting lady having been a successful Flamenco dancer in Spain and living at Gardens of Irini as a child when Lawrence Durrell and family lived at Bitter Lemons… For nearby snacks return towards Girne on the Bellapais road. Opposite Starlings supermarket and a large white mosque, is Uncle Sam’s which, besides the usual fast food, sells the most delicious cheesecakes. Another option is Aroma Café, which serves more traditional Turkish food, found a little further past Uncle Sam’s. Turn right down towards the main road but turn left on the road, signposted Aroma café, just before reaching Lemar supermarket. The café is an unexpected haven set in a large garden area with indoor and outdoor seating. Located towards the end of the road on the right with a car park. + The Five Fingers Restaurant was open when we walked past (there seem to be quite a few other establishments in Ozankoy). There was a notice outside the Gardens of Irini saying that they are now permanently closed. (User, 5/17) +  There is building work on-going around this route (a small number of new villas with mountain and sea views) with new paths and tracks developing which readers should be aware off when following directions. This is particularly true in the section when leaving the outskirts of Bellapais along the ‘ridge’ towards Ozanköy. There is also some building work near the Crusader path from Ozanköy to Bellapais but this is less disruptive. Overall however the route remains intact and a very enjoyable walk. Five Fingers restaurant at Ozanköy has re-opened but is currently ‘to let’ so the situation may be fluid. If closed then there are fast food (kebab) options and a mini-market in the main square of Ozanköy. (User, 9/18)

Walk 7: Meals at Hati’s are available but remember to ‘phone in advance. We have often ‘phoned when walking nearby and ordered soup or asked her what she can conjure up. She doesn’t freeze food as she prefers everything freshly prepared. Zirdeli Café/Bar is closed much of the time out of season. Remzi’s restaurant in the middle of Esentepe has also been recommended by a reader.

Walk 11: The Blue Line walk in Nicosia has been restored and a new map is now available in Tourist Information at Kyrenia gate. + Readers should be aware that in places the blue line on the road is not visible or had been tarmaced over. However, the map available from the tourist office shows the full route in detail. (User, 9/18)

GPS files for use with Walk & Eat North Cyprus, walks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 & 10: Download GPS files for Walk & Eat North Cyprus