The trip, in order
Follow the route day by day. Times and prices can change, so check official information before you travel.
Harbour fortress and mountain castle
Kyrenia
- 1
Kyrenia Castle
Kyrenia Castle dominates the harbour and shows how a strategic coastal position was reinforced repeatedly as rulers and military technology changed. Its broad walls and internal spaces reward a longer visit than the compact exterior suggests, while the harbour below provides immediate context for the fortress’s defensive role. The stop works especially well when placed beside nearby sites from the same region, because the contrast in landscape, architecture or historical period makes the wider character of Cyprus easier to understand.
- Duration
- 90 minutes suggested
- Price
- Check current official information
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
- 2
Saint Hilarion Castle
Saint Hilarion is as much a mountain ascent as a castle visit. Defensive walls, chambers and stairways are distributed across steep rock, making the landscape part of the fortification. Moving between levels reveals why the location offered strong surveillance and protection, while the views connect the northern coast with the central plain. The stop works especially well when placed beside nearby sites from the same region, because the contrast in landscape, architecture or historical period makes the wider character of Cyprus easier to understand.
- Duration
- 120 minutes suggested
- Price
- Check current official information
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.
Gothic abbey and foothills
Bellapais
- 1
Bellapais Abbey
Bellapais combines refined Gothic architecture with a hillside setting that explains why the monastery remains so memorable despite being ruinous. The cloister and refectory preserve enough structure to show the organisation of communal monastic life, while views towards the coast connect the complex with Kyrenia and the Pentadaktylos foothills. The stop works especially well when placed beside nearby sites from the same region, because the contrast in landscape, architecture or historical period makes the wider character of Cyprus easier to understand.
- Duration
- 75 minutes suggested
- Price
- Check current official information
- Start time
- Choose a start time that suits your day.