North Cyprus 3-Day Driving Itinerary — Kyrenia, Karpaz, Nicosia

# North Cyprus 3-Day Driving Itinerary Three days, one rental car, the best of North Cyprus. Total distance: **~340 km**. Suggested vehicle: SUV or compact estate for the Karpaz dirt tracks. ## Day 1 — Kyrenia (Girne) & the castle coast **Pick-up at Ercan Airport (08:00).** 45-minute drive over the mountains to Kyrenia. - **09:30** Coffee at Kyrenia harbour, photograph the Venetian tower. - **10:30** Drive 8 km west to **St. Hilarion Castle**. 90 minutes including the climb. - **13:00** Lunch at **Niazi's** in the harbour district — Cypriot kebab £12 per person. - **15:00** Drive 25 km east to **Bellapais Abbey**. Coffee under the famous mulberry tree. - **17:30** Sunset swim at **Escape Beach** (free car park, £4 sun lounger). - **20:00** Dinner in **Karaoğlanoğlu** — the seafood strip 7 km west of Kyrenia. Overnight: any hotel between Kyrenia and Karaoğlanoğlu. ## Day 2 — Karpaz peninsula **08:00 depart Kyrenia.** Drive the coastal road east through Esentepe and Bahçeli. 140 km to **Dipkarpaz**. - **10:30** Stop at **Kantara Castle** ruins. £2 entry, panoramic view of both coasts. - **12:30** Lunch at **Oasis at Ayfilon** — fresh fish on the beach. - **14:00** Swim at **Golden Beach (Altın Kumsal)** — 7 km of empty sand. - **15:30** Visit the **Apostolos Andreas Monastery** at the very tip of the peninsula. - **17:00** Feed the **wild donkeys** on the drive back. - **20:00** Dinner in Famagusta old town. Try **Petek Pastanesi** for desserts. Overnight: Famagusta or Iskele. ## Day 3 — Famagusta & Nicosia **09:00** Walk the **Venetian walls** of Famagusta. Park free at the Lala Mustafa Paşa Mosque. - **10:30** Drive 5 km to **Salamis ruins**. 2 hours exploring the Roman city. - **13:00** Lunch at **Glapsides beach** restaurant. - **15:00** Drive 60 km to **Nicosia**. Park at Sarayönü car park. - **15:30** Walking tour of the divided old town. **Büyük Han** for tea. - **18:00** Drive 25 km to **Ercan Airport** for evening flights, or extend with a fourth night in Nicosia. ## Total fuel cost A compact car at 6.5 L/100 km × 340 km = ~22 litres × £1.15 = **£25.30** for the whole trip. ## Booking tip A 3-day rental costs roughly **£72–110** in the shoulder season. Choose pick-up and drop-off at Ercan to avoid taxi transfer fees.