Today’s entry is Famagusta – on the East coast of Northern Cyprus and famous for being where the abandoned district of Varosha (Βαρώσια or Maraş) is located.
Apart from the abandoned district of Varosha, Famagusta – known in Greek as Αμμόχωστος and Turkish as Gazimağusa – has a very nice old walled city popular with tourists.
A short distance from the walled city is the town’s beach, close to the abandoned quarter with Turkish border guards making sure no one gets too close and stopping tourists from taking photos.
I have only been to Famagusta for a day trip while staying in Larnaka on the Greek side of the border, but Famagusta is recommended. Crossing the border in to the Turkish half of the island is easy and some car rental companies will let you take the car over too – You usually have to buy insurance at the border, or a couple will be happy to arrange it on your behalf if you let them know in advance. (I pick my TRNC insurance documents up when I collect the car at the Airport).
Within the walled city is Othello’s Tower/Castle which is believed to be where Shakespeare got the inspiration from for Othello.
Victoria Hislop’s book The Sunrise is set in the city.
Here are some photos from my day trip to Famagusta in February 2019.
