What you need to know about traveling to Cyprus

This July marks 50 years since Turkish forces landed and occupied the northern third of Cyprus in the name of the Turkish Cypriot minority, who make up about a fifth of the island’s population. UN-led peace talks have continued since then, but have not led to the reunification of the island, and Cyprus remains divided into two regions: the Republic of Southern Cyprus, which is predominantly Greek Cypriot, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a region declared by Turkey. The TRNC is not recognized by the UN, but many countries maintain diplomatic relations with the region.

What’s the background?

The island was ruled by the Ottoman Empire for over 300 years, but has always had a large Greek population, a mix of indigenous people and earlier immigrants from the Peloponnese. In 1878, Cyprus was annexed by Britain from Istanbul, which was then under Ottoman control. Strategically located at the crossroads of three continents, the island had previously been ruled by settlers, including Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans and Venetians. In 1960, after decades of colonisation by Greek and Cypriots, Enosis After (unification with Greece), Cyprus became an independent republic with power-sharing between the Greek and Turkish communities. Chaos followed, followed by a Greek-led coup in 1974 aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece, and then a Turkish invasion.

Is tourism investment increasing in the North?

Newspapers, etc. Telegraph The influx of Russian investment is reportedly fuelling a construction boom in Northern Cyprus, with the Northern Cyprus Tourist Centre noting that “the construction of new hotels has boomed to accommodate tourists.” [growing] Demand is growing; a five-star hotel recently opened in the Famagusta/Long Beach area, and construction is underway in other areas such as Kyrenia and Bafla. In addition, there is growing attention to smaller accommodation options that are integrated with nature, with an emphasis on eco-agriculture and luxury camping in nature. The region is also expecting an increase in visitor numbers since the new terminal at Ercan Airport opens in 2023, and is hoping to attract more British tourists to the region, aiming for a total of 2 million visitors in 2024.

What about touring the North?

Cross-border trips and island tours can be arranged by companies such as Explore Worldwide and Responsible Travel. Explore organises an eight-day North Cyprus walking tour that takes in the Beshparmak Mountains, medium difficulty forest trails, goat tracks and the ruins of a 12th-century Crusader castle. According to Responsible Travel, the most popular holidays in Cyprus are the walking tours of the north. “These tours take travellers to less-visited areas and support family-run hotels, local restaurants and cultural heritage,” says co-managing director Tim Williamson. “We’re here to see the benefits of responsible tourism, which has the power to protect the region’s amazing natural spaces as the industry develops, while at the same time providing a source of income for local people.”

Practical considerations: Make sure your travel insurance covers both destinations. The GHIC (formerly EHIC) Global Health Insurance Card is only valid in Cyprus. In the north, the Turkish Lira is used as currency, but many establishments also accept Euros and Sterling. In the south, the Euro is used.

How easy is it now to travel between the South and the North?

The island is divided from east to west by a 110-mile-long demilitarized buffer zone, monitored by UN peacekeeping forces. Also known as the Green Line, Dead Zone, or Buffer Zone, it can be several miles wide in places, or just a few steps. There are officially sanctioned checkpoints, the most commonly used being in the capital, Nicosia. Travel from south to north (and vice versa) is easy, with standard border checks and passport stamps. Foreigners travelling from north to south may be fined or denied entry for illegally entering the Republic of Cyprus via the “Turkish-occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus” as defined by the Republic of Cyprus. Ercan Airport in the north does not have international status, and flights must depart, terminate or pass through Turkey.

The “self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” has no international recognition outside Turkey, and the UK government is only providing limited consular support, leaving travellers “more vulnerable and at greater risk”, the FCDO said.

What about renting a car to travel between the two?

If you travel from the south in a rental car, you need special insurance to drive north of the border. This is available at the checkpoint. However, the rental car company may not allow cross-border travel, so you should return the rental car to the company’s Nicosia office and take a taxi or walk to the border crossing. There are local rental car companies at the border that also offer cross-border transfers. Most of the rental car companies in the north do not allow travel south and do not offer valid insurance or assistance there.

Can I visit the buffer zone?

Nicosia is Europe’s only divided capital city. Some tours go in and near the buffer zone and explain the history and politics of the conflict. Home For Cooperation is one such tour provider. Located in a former family home in the Nicosia buffer zone, the building acts as a hub between communities and a bridge between divided communities, and offers guided walks around the area. Tours by Locals offers guided tours throughout Cyprus led by locals and experts. Tours include historical tours across the Nicosia border and visits to Varosha, a “ghost town” located inside the buffer zone. Varosha is accessed via Famagusta, a Venetian-Lusignan walled city in the north of the island, home to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Monastery of St. Barnabas, patron saint of Cyprus.

How many visitors are there to the area?

The North Cyprus Tourist Centre reported that a total of 1.854 million tourists will visit the north of the island in 2023, a 6% increase over tourist numbers in 2019, before the pandemic. The Cyprus Tourist Board expects around 3.8 million tourists in 2023. The largest market, the UK, will account for around 34% of the total tourist numbers. The board reports 1.3 million tourists from the UK in 2023, a 7.4% increase from 1.2 million in 2022.