Can you go to Varosha?

The 'gate' into the abandoned city is pretty much open for all to enter, although you cannot go in with a drone and it closes at 8 pm. Which means everyone has to be out by then.

Once you've walked in, you start to realise the eerie silence on the streets, not your usual silence, there are still sounds of the cicadas, their momentary lapses allow you to hear the tourists muttering but there’s still a distinctive silence, one that can only be found in places as unique as this.

The beautiful houses, most of which will still be great to live in now, albeit with a good cleaning and gardening, still stand strong, a testament to how good they were back then. It's really the shops and hotels that give away how old the area really is and how long it has been so desolate.

Shop signs with names of owners and famous companies are rotting away with some now barely visible. Almost like a metaphor for the hope those owners and their families once had of a peaceful resolution and return to what once was, all but dissipating with time.

The sad reality and the harsh truth of the effects of war that we still see in parts of the world today. Places like Varosha should stand as a reminder of lessons that should have been learned but lessons that seemingly never are.

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Is Varosha worth a visit?

Yes, Varosha is definitely worth a visit. A full walk round the city should take no longer than an hour or so, there are beautiful beaches open within the city that you can end your day in. With a view along the coast of old abandoned luxurious hotels that help keep you grounded on the reality of Varosha.

Be mindful that this is a country still technically at war, so care is needed, adhere to the rules and you will be fine. Overall the crime rate is very low in the whole of Cyprus and although there is a military presence, especially in the north, safety is rarely an issue.

For more information on Famagusta check out my recent post which explores the city and things to do just outside Famagusta - Famagusta: The Hidden Gem.

Why is Varosha a ghost town?

Many people ask this question. There were many events before 1974 that led to war and Turkiye invading the northern part of Cyprus. There are events that will be argued by both the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots regarding what happened and why, at that time. Whatever led to the overflow into conflict, Varosha embodies the strain, vexations, and darker aspects of human behaviour.

I read a great book that, although fictional, will perhaps help you understand the conflict around that time in Cyprus and what eventually happened to Varosha. From the people I have spoken to on the island who remember Varosha before 1974, it seems pretty accurate for a fictional book. The book is The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop.

Final Thoughts on Varosha

Once a place of wealth and prosperity on an island paradise, things quickly turned upside down with the effects of war. Varosha now seems more like an empty movie set rather than a city that once was. Although back then it really was filled with movie stars.

Still, visiting a place like Varosha should be on your to-do list in North Cyprus, but bear in mind that people lost everything here. For some it's an amazing museum, for others, it's a tragedy and for what must now be a tiny minority, it's an unbearable memory. A memory and a hope almost gone, what lingers is a reminder of how quickly things can change but at the same time how some things can remain the same.

Events like what happened in Cyprus led me to write a post about countries that went through transformations to become amazing tourist destinations. Cyprus is one of the five countries on that list. Check out '5 Dangerous Countries in the World That Are Now Safe' to see what the other four are.

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