The Karpaz Peninsula
The long road east, wild beaches, village stops and how to make the drive part of the day.
Villa Zeytin’s free North Cyprus Explorer
A new side of North Cyprus, every month.
Go beyond the familiar harbour photographs. Follow old city streets, mountain roads, village coastlines and the long road into the Karpaz—with honest guidance from people who know what a North Cyprus holiday actually feels like.
- Start todayYour Essential First-Time Guide arrives after you confirm your email.
- Continue monthlyA new place, journey or side of North Cyprus.
- Plan honestlyUseful detail, realistic expectations and no resort clichés.
How the series begins
One guide now. A new edition every month.
Confirm your email and the Essential First-Time Guide will be sent straight away. Inside Nicosia follows as the first monthly Explorer, with another place, route or side of North Cyprus arriving each month thereafter.
The North Cyprus we know
Sun-warmed stone, village roads—and a few rough edges.
North Cyprus is not a manufactured resort. School runs pass half-finished buildings. Goats wander beside mountain roads. A quiet lane can open suddenly onto Roman ruins, a beach with no signboard or a family restaurant you would never have found from a glossy brochure.
That lived-in, independent character is not something our guides edit out. It is the reason many people fall for the place.
- Specific routes and stops worth making
- Realistic advice about roads, heat, parking and distance
- Places with atmosphere—not simply the longest sightseeing list
- Ideas that leave space to slow down and enjoy being here
A continuing publication
There is always another road to take.
The Explorer is designed for the months between first curiosity and a real holiday. Each edition gives you one place or journey to picture properly—and another reason to keep North Cyprus in mind.
Kyrenia
Harbour light, castle walls, old-town lanes and the right moments to avoid the busiest streets.
Bellapais & the mountains
Abbey stone, cypress shade and villages folded into the northern face of the range.
West of Kyrenia
Karşıyaka, Lapta and the north coast beyond the best-known holiday centres.
Famagusta & Salamis
Layered city walls, ancient streets and a coastline carrying several histories at once.
From Villa Zeytin
Written from experience.
We are Gareth and Gill, the owners of Villa Zeytin in Karşıyaka, west of Kyrenia. We created the Explorer to share the North Cyprus we know: the places worth an early start, the roads where it pays to slow down and the quieter stops that turn a sightseeing day into part of the holiday.
Over time, the guides will also show how different journeys fit around a stay in this part of the island. If North Cyprus begins to feel like somewhere you want to experience for yourself, you will already know the villa—and the people behind it.
Local knowledge first. A future stay can follow naturally.
Begin with North Cyprus
Open the first guide. See where it leads.
Join the email series, receive the Essential First-Time Guide and let a new part of the island arrive in your inbox each month.
Join the North Cyprus Explorer