QIf Nicosia is the pulsating heart of Cyprus, it is in the Karpaz that you find its soul
Sparsely populated and a multitude of deserted golden beaches that wind almost 80 kilometers from one end to the other. Perhaps this peninsula is the Mediterranean’s last piece of untouched calm, where the green colors of nature and the turquoise blue colors of the sea meet history.
Karpaz
Crop farmers, still relying on archaic horse-drawn implements, cheerily go about their work, while the Cyprus donkey roams freely in Karpaz national park. They are happy to come and say hello, especially if you have something good to offer such as apples. Although they appear native to the region, their wild status dates back no further than the Turkish invasion of 1974, when thousands of domesticated donkeys used in peasant agriculture on the island were abandoned. The new administration in the north rounded them up and let them loose on the Karpa Peninsula, whose crops were considered ideal for their sustenance. The loggerhead and green sea turtles are also proud toregard this unspoilt stretch of land as home, sensing idyllic nesting grounds when they see them.
There are no major cities on the Karpa Peninsula, but there are a handful of picturesque towns and fishing villages such as:
Mehmetcik: Grapes are grown here and much of Northern Cyprus’ wine production takes place here. Once a year, a large wine and grape festival is held here. Dipkarpaz: There are very few places in Cyprus, where Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots still live together, but Dipkarpaz is the most disturbing place where it happens. When you visit the town, you can see how the Orthodox church and the mosque stand back to back.
A couple of kilometers beyond Galounopetra Point, at the eastern end of Golden Sands Beach, is one of Cyprus’s greatest pilgrimage destinations, the Apostolos Andreas Monastery, a holy place in Christianity. According to legend, the monastery was built after Jesus’ disciple St. Andrea’s ship ran aground and he found a spring of healing water there.
Karpaz
In addition to enjoying all the nearby beaches, you can:
- Walk along pilgrimage routes
- Snorkel or dive
- Cycle Mountain bike trails
- Visit historical sites
- Feed the wild donkeys
- Watch the sea turtles
- and much much more
