North Cyprus Guide

North Cyprus is often described as ‘a corner of earth touched by heaven’; very few visitors to the Northern Cyprus Island are not touched by the friendly and warm welcome of the Cypriot people, the relaxed peace of life and beautiful natural scenery. The rich history of the North Cyprus Island plays a large part in its beauty, and over the centuries it has passed through the hands of many cultures such as the Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Romans, Byzantines, Lusignan, Venetians, Ottomans and the British - all of which have left their mark which is evident in the wide variety of ancient architecture.

The British colonial era which ended in 1960 is certainly still evident and most Turkish Cypriots speak English to some extent which is most helpful to those newcomers to Northern Cyprus who have not mastered the Turkish language yet!

Nowhere else can you find such a superb balance between modern western Europe and the eastern Mediterranean’s easy pace of life. Whether you are enjoying a drink at one of the chic modern cafes or are dancing at one of the the lively kebab tavernas in North Cyprus, the soothing call to prayer from the ancient mosques is often there to bring the warm peace and serenity only found in western Asia.

Useful information about North Cyprus

Electricity in North Cyprus

In Northern Cyprus, voltage is 220/240 volts AC, supplied at 50 Hz. Standard British rectangular 3-pinned plugs at 5 amps or 13 amps are used, but also some older 2-pinned plugs / sockets exist.

With both North Cyprus new and resale properties you will need to go to the local electricity board office and complete a contract and pay for meter connection and electricity supply. Electricity costs in TRNC are similar to other European countries and are paid monthly or you can arrange to pay in advance. There are occasionally power cuts in North Cyprus and some people choose to buy small diesel or petrol generators to cope with the problem. Larger hotels, companies in North Cyprus and Northern Cyprus holiday villages operate with their own generators. Electricity currently costs 0.106 new Turkish Lira per KW which is the equivalent of 4 pence per KW. Monthly costs per house average at approximately £15.

Cyprus Time zone

Local time in North Cyprus is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Main cities in Northern Cyprus

The capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Nicosia (Lefkosa), which has a population of approximately 35,000, where the main administration and business centers are.

Other major towns in Northern Cyprus include Famagusta (Gazi Magusa) which is a flourishing tourist, industrial and commercial center, as well as being the country's principle port, Kyrenia (Girne) a town of tourist importance with a wonderful yacht harbor. Both Lefke and Morphou (Guzelyurt) are agriculture cities, where most of the Citrus fruits and vegetables are grown for local Northern Cyprus consumption and export.

Hospitality of Turkish Cypriots

In North Cyprus, very important is the all-embracing warm hospitality of the Cypriot people. Cypriots are a mixture of many nations on the Mediterranean. The people in North Cyprus are open and friendly to foreigners. They are among the most hospitable people on Earth, always making you feel at home on the North Cyprus Island. The local population is Turkish speaking. Cyprus was once a British colony resulting in over 80% of the population speaking English. It is also useful to note that all street signs, direction signs, shop signs etc. in Northern Cyprus are written in English on the whole. Although, Turkish is the official language in North Cyprus, English is widely used.