Occupied since the ancient Greece, Kyrenia was later ruled by Roman and Byzantine emperors. The next thousand years of its history would read pretty much like a Dan Brown thriller: Richard the Lionheart came (but apparently didn't receive the welcome I experienced) and sold the town to the Knights Templar, who then lost it to the Venetians and ultimately ended up in the hands of the Ottoman, when the Christians were expelled from the town. In the early 19th century the British and the Turks signed a secret agreement ceding the town to the former as a military base. Roads were built, so were efforts in building a strong community within the beautiful harbour town. However, in 1960 when Cyprus gained independence, things went downhill for a while; and since 1975 when the Turks invaded Cyprus, Kyrenia has become the Turkish territory that we now know.
I reached Kyrenia in the late afternoon and the sight was ravishing: locals taking an idyllic walk and couples romancing by the lighthouse while the tourists took in the setting sun at the seaside restaurants over an endless selection of Turkish coffees, drinks, and sweets. There is a wonderful scent of calmness and tranquility in the air.
The narrow one-way streets up in the town were filled with shops, shoppers, local traffic. One is never too far from a café or bar, and certainly never far from a game of chess or cards which are serious games of wit and contemplation for the locals. Though the buildings are now mostly built for practicality, traces of the old and ancient were still to be found, especially in the old quarters and places of worship.
It's merely 30 minutes' drive from Nicosia, the centre of Cyprus, and going through checkpoint is easy. Be sure to bring some Turkish Lira with you!
http://www.allaboutkyrenia.com/holidays/touristic-places.asp
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