Nestled in the corner of Northern Cyprus, a country recognised by Turkey and literally no one else, lies the city that the Greeks call Ammochostos and the Turks Gazimağusa. The rest of the world knows it as Famagusta. This historical pearl testifies to a rich past, influenced by all the empires and countries that left their indelible marks upon these shores. But Famagusta is also one of the biggest cities in Northern Cyprus, home to a large university and a youthful and outgoing population. We made our base in Famagusta for a week and a half and discovered that there’s a lot to do and see.
Wander the old town of Famagusta
In medieval times, Famagusta was one of the richest cities in the world. The Tokyo of its day.
After their expulsion from the Holy Land, many Christian refugees settled in Cyprus, attracting merchants and banks and turning Famagusta into the main shipping port of the region. Colin Thubron’s Journey into Cyprus speaks of Famagusta’s bustling markets, where “every language from Norse to Tamil might be heard.” All that wheeling and dealing made Famagusta rich. Filthy, filthy rich.
With wealth came decadence. More jewels and gold were said to be in Famagusta than in all of Europe’s royal courts combined. Some citizens with deep pockets sprinkled crushed jewels as spices over their food, others burned aloe wood instead of regular logs.
The pious, however, did not approve of such loose morals. To appease the clergy and to buy off their sins – in true Christian tradition – the rich merchants started building churches. Many of them. One for every day of the year, or so the story goes.
The remains of that building craze can still be seen all over Famagusta – although many churches are crumbling, the result of earthquakes and neglect by Ottoman rulers. Today, Famagusta feels like a time warp – a labyrinth of winding alleys, Venetian walls and medieval churches begging to be explored.
Famagusta’s old town is compact enough to explore in a day or two. You won’t need a tight schedule, just set out in the morning and follow your nose. Here are a few of the highlights that merit a specific mention, there’s more to come later in this article.
>> St Peter and St Paul church
This church indicates the wealth of the city. Merchant Simon Nostrano built it with one-third of the profits of a single – admittedly quite long – trip to Syria. With wealth did not necessarily come good taste. “Nothing could be uglier or more opposed to the beauty of true gothic architecture than the exterior of this immense church”, remarked the curator of Ancient Monuments in Cyprus. Let’s hope the interior is nicer. The Ottomans turned it into a mosque and the Brits used it to store wheat and potatoes, leading to the nickname ‘the wheat mosque’.
>> St Francis church
Photogenically beautiful ruins of what was once the most important church of the Franciscan order in Cyprus.
>> Nestorian church (Saint George Xorinos church)
This church, featuring a striking bell, boasts an interesting legend. Hearsay suggests that taking soil from the church’s yards and placing it at an enemy’s house would result in either their death or their departure from Cyprus within a year. Fun fact: the Ottomans used the church as a stable for their camels.
Admire the Mustafa Lala Mosque
Quite literally the eye-catcher of Famagusta, the Mustafa Lala Mosque rises above the city. Originally a cathedral, modelled on the one in the French city Reims, the Ottomans converted it into a mosque upon their conquest of the island in 1571. Just like they have done with the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, they removed the church’s bells, altar, statues and iconography. It still looks like a church from the outside – all stately straight lines and leaded windows – although with a slim minaret added on top. Step inside and you’ll discover a large, open space with carpets and bookshelves with Islamic literature. Be sure to dress modestly and to respect the praying times of the mosque.
Walk the Venetian walls and learn about Famagusta’s bloody history (sensitive readers: skip to the next part)
Lots of peoples have left their fingerprints on Famagusta. The palace on the western corner of the contemporary Namik Kemal Square, for example, was originally built by the Lusignans. It was during the reign of the Genoese and the Venetians, however, that Famagusta became the crown jewel of Cyprus. They moved the capital of Cyprus from Nicosia to Famagusta. The Venetians renovated the building into a majestic royal palace, the Palazzo del Proveditore, which still stands today as a crumbling relic. Its grand door opened onto what was once believed to be the largest central square in all of Europe. But this story of pomp and circumstance takes a gruesome turn with the arrival of the Ottoman forces. What follows is a completely bonkers tale, which proves that reality often transcends any movie scenario.
Venetians vs. Ottomans
The year is 1570, tension hangs in the air. In the Palazzo, the Venetian military commander Marcantonio Bragadin contemplates the impending invasion by the Ottomans. They have reportedly sent an 80,000-men-strong army to Famagusta, along with 1500 cannons and 150 ships. Cannonballs pound the city walls. It’s an unequal struggle – after a year-long siege, Bragadin surrenders. The Ottomans show no mercy. First, they execute all the Christians in the city. Then, they slice off Bragadin’s ears and nose, throw him into a dungeon, and let him rot there for two weeks.
When maggots begin to crawl from his festering wounds, they retrieve Bragadin from the dungeon. They hoist him on the mast of a ship, make him carry bags filled with sand and stones on his back around the city walls. Afterwards, they tie him naked to a pole in the town square and flay him alive. The Ottomans fill his skin with cotton and straw, pin his military insignias on it, and send it to Constantinople, where it is displayed as a trophy. Only ten years later, Bragadin’s loyal servant, Girolamo Polidoro, manages to steal the skin and send it to Venice. It is now preserved as a relic in a black urn in the Church of Santi Giovanni and Paolo.
The Venetian Walls today
Today, you can still walk on or alongside the Venetian walls that, together with a 46-metre-wide moat surrounding them, were once meant to safeguard the city. Spanning 4.5 kilometres, these walls take on an irregular star shape. At times, you can stroll directly on the walls themselves, though some sections have become overgrown. In other areas, you’ll find paths or streets both inside and outside the walls. At a certain point, you’ll come across the Porta del Mare, or Sea Gate, a compelling evidence of the city’s strategic significance in medieval times. Back then, this was the main entrance to the city. The Lions of St. Mark, symbols of Venetian authority, stand guard at the entrance. Based on the earlier story, they didn’t do such a good job.
Find out where Shakespeare got his inspiration for Othello
Not far from the Sea Gate lies the Othello Tower. According to many, this castle in pure Italian Renaissance style served as inspiration for Shakespeare’s Othello. This play, set in an unnamed Venetian fortress in Cyprus, revolves around a Venetian military commander who murders his love Desdemona after suspecting her of adultery. Concrete evidence for this theory does not exist, but it’s fun to imagine all that pompous Italian drama playing out in this stone-cold castle. When we visited, the Turkish museum guard was leaving on a smoking break and he waved us in for free. Gotta love this laid-back culture.
Explore the ruins of Ancient Salamis
Famagusta’s story originated ten kilometres to the north. Stretched out along the coast lies Ancient Salamis, a city-state founded in the 11th century BC. Ruled by Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Byzantines, Salamis was hailed as one of Cyprus’s most important trade centres in its heyday – complete with its own currency and a thriving cultural life. Suffering from frequent earthquakes, the silting of its harbour and raids by Arab pirates, Salamis fell into decline. By the 7th century, the last holdouts had moved to the city that would later become Famagusta, using the stones from Salamis to build it.
Today, the archaeological site of Salamis ranks among the most important in Cyprus, evident in the vast expanse of the site. You can stroll through courtyards lined with colonnades, past an array of temples and marbled columns, and climb a grand amphitheatre. The public baths boasted two swimming pools and latrines for 55 people. In the steam room, you can admire mosaic fragments. The size of the site allows for endless exploration; the overgrowing nature, along with the presence of birdlife such as cattle egrets, adds to the pleasant atmosphere. On a beautiful day, you can take a dip in the sea. We spent the whole day exploring.
Within walking distance of Salamis lies the church and monastery of Saint Barnabas, the patron saint of Cyprus who helped spread Christianity in Cyprus but was tragically murdered by Jews. There’s a church, a café and a small but interesting museum with plenty of religious icons and archaeological trinkets.
Practical: how to get to Salamis by public transport?
We took a bus from the bus station in Famagusta. There doesn’t seem to be an official bus schedule, but north-bound buses, heading for (Yeni) Iskele, will also take you to Salamis. Just inform the bus driver that you’d like to be dropped off there. (February 2022)
Get haunted in the ghost town of Varosha
Once the Saint Tropez of Cyprus, where the rich and famous liked to holiday, Varosha is now a shadow of its former glory. After the invasion in 1974, the locals ran away from the Turkish tanks. They never returned, leaving tables made for breakfast, and pots on the fire. Slowly, the hotels, restaurants and souvenir shacks started crumbling. Varosha became a ghost town, the most striking evidence of the turbulent history of Cyprus. A few years ago, the government of Northern Cyprus perversely opened Varosha to disaster tourists.
Read our impressions of Varosha and get all the practical information on how to visit.
Hit the beaches
A fence cuts Palm Beach in half. This is the only proper city beach in Famagusta. On the other side of the fence lies Varosha and its crumbling hotel blocks. If you enter Varosha, you have access to the other side of Palm Beach, where a small shack serves delicious instant coffee. Deeper in Varosha, one more beach is open to visitors, Maraş Plajı (pictured above). Since the local government reopened access to the ghost town, some facilities have been developed here. A beach hut serves drinks and snacks, sun loungers and parasols await beach bunnies, and the crystal clear sea shimmers. It’s almost idyllic, as long as you don’t look back and stare history into the eyes. It serves as a poignant reminder of the division and the complex political landscape that has defined this island for decades, an interesting place which will certainly raise mixed emotions.
Slurp cocktails in a church
De Molay Bar might exist purely to prove that the decadence of yesteryear hasn’t completely left town. Named after the last grand master of the Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay, this old Crusaders church now acts like a cocktail bar. The place seems popular with the local students.
De Molay Bar serves all the classic cocktails, as well as a few beers and beer cocktails, but you can also slurp local-themed drinks like Famagusta City (tequila, rum, gin, triple sec, melon liquor, blue curacao en Red Bull), Zivanitto (Zivania, fresh lemon, fresh mint, soda water and brown sugar) and shots like Zivania sour and Raki ‘n Roll.
If you’re unsure of what to order, try the national cocktail of Cyprus: brandy sour. Developed in the hill resort of Plátres for the young Egyptian king Farouk, brandy sour looked similar enough to ice tea for the Muslim king to get away with.
Practical Guide to Famagusta
Getting to Famagusta
Before heading to Famagusta, we had stayed in Paralimni. Thus we walked to the border crossing at Deryneia, where we hitched a ride into Famagusta. At the time of our visit (February 2022), there was no public transport going from the border to the city centre of Famagusta. The border is about six kilometres from the old town, so those with strong legs could walk. If you’re feeling less adventurous, a better option would be to cross into Northern Cyprus in Nicosia, walk or grab a taxi to the bus station (it’s on a big square called Gazeteci Kemal Aşık Caddesi) and take a bus to Famagusta. These buses leave regularly.
Pro-tip: when entering Northern Cyprus on a tourist visa, ensure the customs officers grant you a 90-day stay. It’s unlikely, but if you’re unlucky like us, you might otherwise get a different visa.
Eating in Famagusta
The town is divided into an old and a modern town, both have good options to eat. The restaurants in the old town are aimed a bit more at tourists, but that doesn’t mean they’re particularly expensive or inauthentic. The modern town boasts lots of student hangouts. We enjoyed delicious, good-value-for-money meals in both parts, for example at:
Mr Felafel (Başbuğ Sk)
Hole-in-the-wall behind the new mosque. Incredibly delicious crunchy falafel and creamy hummus, criminally low prices (less than 2 euros for a wrap, February 2022). We ate here multiple times. Mainly a popular takeaway, although there are a few tables for onsite dining. Don’t leave Famagusta without eating here!
Beckett (İsmet İnönü Blv 186)
This tearoom and restaurant near the university offered us our first meeting with Turkish hospitality when we tried their very rich menemen (scrambled eggs with vegetables). especially popular with the locals for their scrumptious ‘village breakfast’ – a spread of little plates. Very polite staff, beautiful presentation.
Petek Pastahanesi (Liman Yolu Sk)
This confectionery and bakery is the place in Famagusta to get pastries, baklava, candies and Turkish Cypriot fruit. It also has a restaurant, we ate a ‘village breakfast’ here. An icon in Northern Cyprus, having been established in 1976, shortly after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Also has a branch in Iskele.
Tutar Paça Çorba ve Ev Yemekleri (Toros Center, İsmet İnönü Blv)
When we travel, we always like to find the truly local places, the hole-in-the-walls where builders, elementary school teachers and lawyers can sit next to each other. This place, near the roundabout next to the new mosque, was the closest thing we found. Its promise is in its name – soups (Çorba) and homemade meals (Ev Yemekleri). Lentil soup, soft bread, rice and vegetable stew and complementary bowls of olives and salad – all for less than 4 euros per person (February 2022).
Ekor Vista (Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi, Alfam Öğrenci Yurtları)
Alternatively, eat at one of the inexpensive shacks or restaurants on the campus of the Eastern Mediterranean University (Doğu Akdeniz Üniversitesi). On the recommendation of a couchsurfer in Paralimni, we tried Ekor Vista. Whilst the food might not be on par with other places mentioned in this list, the jovial student atmosphere makes up for that. Ekor has other branches elsewhere in the city.
Paying in Famagusta
Northern Cyprus uses the Turkish lira as a currency. Although most places accept card payments, it’s still useful to take out cash – to use in buses and simple takeaway restaurants or to give tips.
Sleeping in Famagusta
We stayed for three nights in a fully-equipped apartment near the university, then switched to a room in a dorm-style residence in the old town. This was a great deal: for five nights in an excellent location, we paid less than 40 euros through Airbnb (February 2022). Although prices have gone up since then, it’s still hard to beat for value for money. For other accommodation options, check booking.com.
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