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"News, lads! Our wars are done. The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks that their designment halts. A noble ship of Venice hath seen a grievous wrack and sufferance on most part of their fleet." - Othello Act 2 Scene I
Wishful thinking by Venice. When the Italian short story Un Capitano Moro was first published in 1565, Venetian Cyprus was still holding out against Ottoman advance. But it was conquered in 1571 with great slaughter, and when Shakespeare adapted the story into Othello in 1603 that memory was still fresh. The action is mostly set in a Cypriot sea port, which a marginal note suggests was Famagusta, and it was indeed the leading port of that era. So the fictional warriors mobilised against the Turks had little better to do than troll Desdemona.
The town in antiquity was Arsinoe, and grew from the 7th century when the port of Salamis was abandoned. The Greeks regarded it as "lost in the sands", Ammochostos (Αμμόχωστος) which morphed into Famagusta. From 1192 AD the Lusignan ruling dynasty made it their capital and built the city walls. It passed to Genoa in 1372 then the Venetians in 1489, whose merchants showed off their wealth and piety by building churches. After the Ottoman takeover Famagusta languished as a port, until British colonial rule in the late 19th century. It also developed tourism. But it lay on the fault line of Greek - Turkish ethnic tensions, and was an early target of the Turkish invasion of 1974. Fifty years later this remains a "fro…
Buses from Nicosia the capital run every 30 min taking an hour, and from Kyrenia hourly taking 90 min.
the inter-city bus station is on Ayhan Nizani Sk, 500 m west of the main roundabout. Few facilities here, and on Thursdays the hall becomes a veg and clothing market. Dolmuşes run the same routes, departing whenever full from the main roundabout, look for the Itimat sign.
Akgünler ferries sail from Mersin on the Turkish mainland. There are no sailings in 2023 because of earthquake damage in Mersin, use the ferry from Taşucu to Kyrenia.
From the south, drive across Dhekelia the British military zone to enter TRNC at Strovilia border post 5 km west of Famagusta. Your car insurance or rental agreement needs to be valid for both sides.
The old city is compact and best explored on foot. Taxis and dolmuşes can take you further out.
~14 min read
Varosha, as seen from outside the military fence Abandoned hotels in Varosha Varosha viewed from Paralimni in 2017.
Varosha (Greek: Βαρώσι, romanized: Varósi, locally [vaˈɾoʃa]; Turkish: Maraş [maˈɾaʃ] or Kapalı Maraş) is the southern quarter of Famagusta, a de jure territory of Cyprus, currently under the control of Northern Cyprus. Varosha had a population of 226 in the 2011 Northern Cyprus census. The area of Varosha is 6.19 km (2.39 sq mi).
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Fortress walls surround the core of the old city, dotted with cannonballs from the Turkish siege. Fifteen towers along the walls are still standing: most impressive are the series along the waterfront near the castle. thumb | 300px | The mosque / cathedral gate at night was originally the Church of St Peter & St Paul, built by the Lusignans in the 1360s. Its exterior is ugly because massive buttresses shore it up again earthquakes, but within is the usual delicacy of Gothic arches and buttresses. The Ottomans added a minaret. It was later a grain store, hence the local name of Bugday Cami. It's no longer a mosque but used as a cultural centre. is the ghost-town southern district - Varoş means suburb. It was farmland until developed as a beach resort in the 1970s, then came the Turkish invasion. The Greek population fled, and lying close to the ceasefire line it became a closed military zone, its streets lined by hollow or burnt-out buildings. Since 2017 the beachfront has re-opened piecemeal, to international protests as the previous property owners are unable to return. You can get in on foot, by bike or dolmuş or organised tour, but be out before the 20:00 curfew. Don't cross the cordons or fences into prohibited areas, you'll either be taken for a looter or have an unsafe building crash down about your ears. thumb | 300px | Othello Tower Royal tombs are 500 m east of the monastery. Not much to see.
Beaches: closest is in the ghost town of Varosha, which is why that area was developed. or Silver Beach is 5 km north. Football: - sorry. Soccer club Anorthosis Famagusta was based in Varosha, and Nea Salamis Famagusta was based at GSE Stadium in city centre. They left after the 1974 invasion and both now play in Larnaca.
Supermarkets are a few km out on the three main roads leaving town. Old Town only has overpriced souvenir shops.
Old town eating places are along Namık Kemal Sk near the mosque. They include , , , , , and: Modern town restaurants are along the Salamis road north. The Lefkosa road northwest just has fast food outlets.
thumb | 300px | Hotel ruins in Varosha: the graffiti sign forbids taking pictures Old town drinking places are along the same strip as the restaurants. They include Monk's Inn, and . Palm Beach or Quayside has and . Salamis Road in the modern town is near the university and gets busy with students.
As of Sept 2023, Famagusta has 4G from KKTC Turkcell and KKTC Telsim, but neither publishes a coverage map. 5G has not reached Northern Cyprus.
Dhekelia is the British military zone that you have to pass through to reach the Republic of Cyprus. For most passport holders this is no trouble, but TRNC rental cars can't cross. Dhekelia itself has a parachute centre and old monastery. You then turn west for Larnaca or east to the party town of Ayia Napa. The beach resorts of Protaras and Pernera are only a few km south of Famagusta but with no crossing point. Karpaz is the rugged northeast peninsula of Cyprus, overrun by wild donkeys. Nicosia is the fascinating Ottoman capital. There are vehicle and pedestrian crossing points to the south.
Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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