Northern Cyprus Hidden History

Northern Cyprus Hidden History

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Northern Cyprus Hidden History

8 Days Starting and ending in Larnaca, Cyprus

Visiting: United Kingdom, Larnaca, Kyrenia District, St. Hilarion Castle Peak, Bellapais Abbey

Tour operator:

Just You

Tour code:

SECYPN

Specialist Group:

Singles Solo

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low, Relax & Discover

Age range:

18-99

Special diets catered:

Vegetarians, Vegans, Please make us aware of any specific dietary requests

Tour operated in:
English
Trip Styles:

One Centre Based

Activities:

Sightseeing

This tour is no longer available

Tour Overview

Northern Cyprus offers year-round sunshine, picturesque landscapes, ancient ruins and medieval walled towns. Uncover thousands of years of history on this relaxing holiday.

Highlights

  • Kyrenia Castle & harbour tour

  • St Hilarion Castle & Bellapais Monastery

  • Dedicated Just You holiday director with you on the trip

  • Your own room guaranteed & no single supplement

  • A day of tasting with the locals at Akdeniz village

Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1 : Uk - Larnaca
Location: United Kingdom, Larnaca
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Dinner, D

Today, you fly to Larnaca today. On arrival we will transfer you to your hotel in the ancient town of Kyrenia.

Day 2 : Kyrenia
Location: Kyrenia District
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner, BD

After breakfast, join your Holiday Director for an included guided tour of Kyrenia Town. We'll discover the horseshoe-shaped Venetian harbour and Kyrenia Castle, which boasts a fascinating Shipwreck Museum. You may choose to visit this during free time. It houses one of the oldest trade ships in the world, which was discovered in the 1960s after laying on the seabed for more than 2,000 years. The afternoon has been left free, so you might choose to make the most of your hotel's facilities, which include two swimming pools. This evening, join your fellow travellers for a welcome drink before dinner.

Day 3 : Kyrenia - At Leisure
Location: Kyrenia District
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner, BD

Today, our optional excursion takes us to the ancient city of Salamis, home to a treasure trove of ruins. Highlights of our tour include the Roman bath house, which still displays traces of its original mosaics, a gymnasium boasting an elegant colonnade and impressive statues, and a restored Roman amphitheatre. We'll continue to the medieval walled town of Famagusta. Stroll around the walls and take in sights including the 14th century St Nicholas Cathedral, the Venetian Palace, St Barnabas Monastery, the abandoned quarter of Varosha and the Royal Tombs, which date back to around the 7th century BC.

Day 4 : St Hilarion Castle & Bellapais Monastery
Location: St. Hilarion Castle Peak, Bellapais Abbey
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner, BD

Our included excursion today takes us through picturesque countryside to the Kyrenia Mountains, also known as the Five Finger Mountains. Firstly, we will visit St Hilarion Castle with magnificent views and afterwards we will visit the village of Bellapais to see the ruins of its 13th century monastery, a fine example of Renaissance Gothic architecture.

Day 5 : Kyrenia - At Leisure
Location: Kyrenia District
Accommodation: Hotel, Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner, Breakfast, Dinner, BD

Our optional excursion today takes us on full day exploration to the very east of the island of Cyprus. We will stop in Yeni Erenkoy where you can visit the Ayios Thyrsos Church which has a very scenic location near the sea. After this we will head on to Dipkarpaz which is a small stop for buying water or carrots for the famous donkeys on the Karpaz peninsula. These wild donkeys have been living on the peninsula for years. They are very tame and friendly, and are also a protected species by law. We will then drive all the way to the end of the peninsula to see the St Apostolos Andres Monastery. There are plenty of wild donkeys here too. We will then start the drive back to the hotel, but will stop at Golden beach which is one of the best in the whole of Cyprus where you can swim. Lunch is included on this excursion.

Day 6 : Kyrenia
Location: Kyrenia District
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, BLD

After breakfast, we will drive west of Kyrenia, through remote villages to Akdeniz. Here we will visit a bakery to see how the locals make bread, followed by a visit to a farm where we will see how halloumi cheese is made. We'll then head to a local beach side restaurant and enjoy lunch, with free time to swim if you wish. We will return to our hotel in the afternoon.

Day 7 : Kyrenia - At Leisure
Location: Kyrenia District
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Pia Bella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner, BD

You can spend a further day at leisure or maybe you'll join our optional excursion to Nicosia with included lunch. The capital of Cyprus is split in two by the 'Green Line', dividing the Turkish and the Greek Cypriot communities. A stroll through the Old Town will introduce a picturesque combination of 16th century walls, pavement cafés, charming squares and historic monuments including St Sophia Cathedral and the Kyrenia Gate. After your guided tour, there's time to explore with your fellow travellers or indulge in a spot of shopping.

Day 8 : Larnaca - Uk
Location: Larnaca, United Kingdom
Meals Included: Breakfast, B

Today, we'll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    4-star hotel

  • Return flights from London

  • A guaranteed twin or double room of your own

  • Overseas transfers, other transportation & porterage

  • Just You Holiday Director as your host & Specialist Local Guide

  • 7 nights half-board in a 4-star hotel

  • 15 included meals: 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners including a welcome drink & farewell dinner

What's Not Included

Excursions Included


  • Kyrenia Castle & harbour tour

  • Discover the Karpas Peninsula

  • Bellapais Monastery

  • Lunch at a traditional olive mill

Accommodation

    • Vuni Palace Hotel
    • The locally rated 5-star Vuni Palace Hotel is located right on the coast in the beautiful town of Kyrenia. Hotel facilities include a restaurant, terrace, Irish pub, casino, private man-made beach, outdoor and indoor swimming pool (outdoor pool typically open Apr-Oct), and sauna. Bedrooms feature private facilities, balcony, mini-bar, TV, safe and hairdryer.

Optional Excursions


  • Famagusta & Salamis

  • The divided capital city of Nicosia

  • Wine Culture experience

Check out our Q&As

  • Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?

    Yes

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    Yes

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    No

  • Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?

    Yes

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    No and your own room is guaranteed!

  • Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?

    As detailed in the itinerary

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    Yes

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Yes, overseas transfers, other transportation & porterage

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    All the people in your group will be solo travellers and will share your sense of adventure and passion for travel. There’s usually a good mix of ages too, so you’ll meet a variety of solo travellers who have more, or in some cases less, life experience. We find the overall mix of people really adds to the whole experience and there are certainly plenty of l

  • Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?

    A few years ago we set up Just You Cares, a programme that gives back to some of the places we love. We have always believed in taking care of the communities we visit, and have taken the time to really get to know the local people and understand the challenges they face. Some of our holidays give our Customers the chance to see how the money from their trips has been spent.

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    At Just You, we are committed to operating our business operations responsibly, with integrity and always act ethically in all our business dealings and relationships. We are committed to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure slavery and human trafficking does not take place in our own business or in any of our supply chains

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If we can accommodate a change in date - we will always do our best to help you. Just pick up the phone and ask one of our friendly advisors - just make sure you have your booking number to hand.

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes, and all of our accommodation providers will be working to the very highest standards of hygiene – you already always enjoy a private room of your own on all of our trips, all of our partners will be guided by local government operational standards of hygiene and the new protocols we have issued to them.

  • Will I eat alone?

    We find there’s always a social element to dining, so you’ll never eat alone, unless you want to! Every holiday includes a welcome get-together, all breakfasts and many other meals. When a meal is not included we find travellers meet and dine together.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    No, given the nature of our holidays, it is not possible to join the tour once it has departed.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Just You has been operating solo holidays for more than 15 years.

  • Am I guaranteed a room of my own?

    Of course, you’ll always have a twin or double room all to yourself. It’s great to have that space to relax and reflect at the end of the day. In some hotels you can also pay a little extra to upgrade for more space or a lovely sea view.

  • What is the typical age range on a Just You holiday?

    Typically, our customers are solo travellers in their 40s, 50s and 60s, but it’s quite possible you could meet 20-year-olds or 70-year-olds (or anyone in between)... After all, age is just a number!

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    We have received the World Travel and Tourism Councils (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp, which recognises businesses and destinations worldwide that have adopted a new set of global protocols to support the return of 'Safe Travel' around the world. The 'Safe Travels' stamp provides you, with assurance and peace of mind that we have implemented enhanced health and hygiene prprotocols on all holidays.

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Once you book, you will receive a confirmation invoice within 7 days, prior to departure, we will send you further information to help prepare for your trip.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Just You is exclusively for solo travellers, every tour includes a twin or double room of your own, with no single supplement.

Reviews of this Operator

Jenny Elliott  

Fabulous Holiday with Just You

28-Oct-2021

Fabulous holiday with Just You - well organised, excellent accommodation and our tour leader absolutely made the trip! Would highly recommend.

Featured on Trustpilot
Russell Kerfoot  

Travels 2013 -2019

21/06/2021

Have taken about 15 tours with JY, mainly long haul, and found the experience exhilarating. Apart from the company's professionalism and extensive and varied tour options, I have made so many friends for life. Looking forward to resuming my travels in 2022.

Featured on Trustpilot
Jan Clark  

My Go-to tour company!

16-Nov-2021

I’ve travelled many times with Just You and have always experienced 5-star service from them; so much so that they are always my go-to travel company. Realising a life-time’s dream of visiting Petra and touring Jordan with JY was amazing. Every day was a highlight and the tour manager, Jenny, was lovely and so professional. I can even see me doing this tour again next year.

Featured on Trustpilot
Chloe Brown   United Kingdom

Chile - The Atacama to Patagonia with Easter Island Extension

16-Mar-2024

I thoroughly enjoyed every day of this tour. We saw everything from desert, to lakes, to islands, to volcanoes, to mountains, snow and waterfalls. Chile is such a beautiful and unique country. The tour itself is quite challenging with lots of early mornings and 11 flights in 3 weeks (with Easter island extension), but it’s so worth it. Very well put together, we had a dedicated tour director who met us at the UK airport's and accompanied us the whole way. This was great as he made sure that we all knew exactly what we were doing and was on hand to sort out any issues. This was an adventure I’ll never forget!

aled blackshaw (Google Reviewer)  

Been on 5 holidays with...

13-Oct-2023

Been on 5 holidays with this company they have generally been good but the prices have risen considerably and i feel do not provide true value for money. In my opinion all the excursions and meals should be included in the total cost as they not worth the extra cost. Also they are very dismissive of any complaints once you have paid for the holiday they are not interested. I think i will try another company next time

Sue Sweeney (Google Reviewer)  

Great holidays for singles. I've been...

28-Jun-2023

Great holidays for singles. I've been on 4 holidays with them. Only issue is the hotel rooms. They generally use 3* hotels and I've booked at the same time and price as my friends but the difference in rooms is unbelievable. I've been lucky, but I've heard horror stories from friends of rooms like a dungeon with one small high window whilst I've had a fabulous sea view.

COLIN BROAD (Google Reviewer)  

I went on a spirit...

08-Apr-2024

I went on a spirit of an India trip with Amritsar add on. It looks good in the brochure, but things aren’t always as they seem. If like me you like a toilet break every two hours (discussed with the company in depth in advance) or have a hidden disability. then this holiday is not for you - use a different holiday company! Their planned toilet stops are every 3.5 hours, so ladies bring your pads and gents be prepared for “natural stops” while all the passengers watch you out the window or bring a bottle and a blanket as a screen. The Taj Mahal in Agra was good, along with the two trips to the Ganges river and the Golden Temple at Amritsar too. Rarely are you in the same spot for more than one night and a 6 hour daily coach or train journey became the norm. It was a shame that there was not an opportunity to enjoy the hotels that we’d obviously paid a lot of money for. If you’re looking for tigers in the game park, don’t get your hopes up. 99% unlikely. It is also a disappointment that there is little opportunity to explore the areas in the major cities that we’d traveled too If you are lucky enough to find some companionship from the opposite sex and wish to be bring them “home” this is frowned upon by the company - even if you have paid extra due double occupancy as required by the hotel I received a letter on holiday basically saying that the two hourly toilet stops required (and discussed in advance) due to diabetes was a disruption to the schedule. That photos sent to me by a girlfriend were “illicit”. Photo uploaded - make your own mind up” Also that managing to get lucky a couple of times and bringing them back to the hotel was an issue - very strange due a so called singles holiday

Maureen May (Google Reviewer)  

Just returned from St Lucia....

29-Feb-2024

Just returned from St Lucia. Hotel dreadfully shabby. Breakfasts very limited with very little fresh fruit. Our hotel was a 20 minute walk in 29C or a free bus on the hour to the beach and sister hotel. Location good for nearby local shopping and restaurants. The sunset cruise was brilliant as was the whale watching, but surf and safari trip was a disaster. We travelled in two open topped trucks with a two and a half hour drive to the surfing destination. During the trip smoke started from the gear box and we had to abandon the vehicle until the situation was rectified, which, to their credit, was sorted very quickly. Unfortunately the sea was too rough for the boat so we had to return back in the trucks. Extremely uncomfortable on side bench seats, hanging on in the rain. So, all in all we don’t over 6 hours on the trucks - not good. The tour guide left before the 5 day extension period without a handover to the local tour operators. No Information was given except by the hotel. I had already booked to go the Athens with Just You in May, now I wish I hadn’t.

Lynda Martin (Google Reviewer)  

Don't go to the Mercure...

10-Feb-2024

Don't go to the Mercure Hotel in Brighton for a Christmas holiday. Dingy rooms, small tables so you are encouraged to sit on your own when you have expected to be able to chat. But this is nothing compared to the Christmas lunch. Reconstituted white meat that could have been anything, no roasties, no stuffing, no cranberry sauce, you couldn't cut the sprouts because the knife wasn't sharp enough. I had pre ordered prawn cocktail as my starter but on the day when we all turned up together, there was no prawn cocktail for me they had run out, so all I had was soup. No dancing, no music. The carpets were stained and it was a very sorry affair. I paid £1348 for 4 nights of this very shabby standard. Sorry Just You, butbit is the last holiday I will have with you. This year, whether I go to Aldi or Waitrose, I will buy the whole shebang and cook it myself, and then I will be sure to enjoy it.

eamonn young (Google Reviewer)  

Great holiday but then no...

21-Sep-2023

Great holiday but then no response to email concerning an important point concerning incorrect information in documentation. Turkish Airlines do have online check in..saves being put on standby. Documentation says you can't check in online..you can. Just wanted to save other travellers having the same problem about being put on stand by. Just You don't seem to care.

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Just You requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 84 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of just you charges.

    Up to 75 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

  • Book with Confidence

    When you book your holiday with Just You, you can have complete peace of mind. Your money is 100% protected through our Independent Trust Fund, any money you pay to us is held by them & governed by 3rd?party trustees. It is also a condition of our ATOL license and is regularly monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority. We don’t receive any money until after you’ve come back from your holiday – so your money is 100% protected no matter what. If you have any questions you can speak to one of our friendly and knowledgeable holiday advisors.