Everything you need to know about renting Villa K and holidaying in N.Cyprus.

When is the best time to visit?

Depending on your requirements the climate of Cyprus offers year-round opportunities for a perfect holiday. March, April and early May are ideal for nature lovers with the flora & forna in abundance. Cyprus is renowned for its wild flowers which carpet the island in spring and offers more than 38 species of orchid alone.

June, September and October are the best times for those who like it hot but with cooler evenings. For those who are serious about their tans July & August are the best two months. Between the end of November and February is occasionally wet but is still a pleasant time to visit the island.

                                                                                AVERAGE YEARLY TEMPERATURES & DAYS RAIN

Public Holidays

1st January, New Year’s Day
23rd April, Children’s Day
1st May, Labour Day
19th May, Youth and Sports Day
20th July, Peace and Freedom Day
30th August, Victory Day
29th October, Turkish Republic                                                                                                                         15th November, Northern Cyprus Republic Day

How do we get to the North of Cyprus?

Northern Cyprus remains unrecognised by most of the international community and thus there are no direct flights from the UK. To date we have always flown into the North via Turkey usually stopping at Antalaya or Dalaman. You normally stay on the plane whilst they unload and take on board some new passengers. The least time we have spent waiting on the tarmac is 30mins with 1hr & 20 minutes being the longest.

Ercan is the main airport for the North  and located a few miles to the east of Nicosia. It takes from 35 to 50 minutes to get to the Villa depending on time of day & traffic volumes. Taxi fares are approx £25 either way although we have always picked up and left our hire car at the airport which cuts out the need for a cab.

We have so far always used Cyprus Turkish Airlines, but there are two other carriers: Turkish Airlines and Onur Air. The link below will take you to a review site to help you decide which carrier to use. http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/cyprus_turk.htm

Since the South of Cyprus joined the EU it has become possible to fly into Larnaca and be picked up and taken to the North. Although we have personally yet to try this route, other guests using Villa K have done so. The cost of transport from Larnaca is approx £45 each way and approx 1hr.20 to Villa K. The main advantage of traveling via Larnaca is quicker of flight times and the option of using more airports.

Transportation 

Buses, minibuses (dolmus) and shared taxis can be seen on the routes between all the towns and many of the larger villages. Minibus fares are cheap, costing about 1 Lira from the Villa to Kyrenia whilst taxis are also very reasonable. The best place to catch the minibus is on the main road to Kyrenia. The driver tends to honk his horn to catch your attention and stops anywhere you stick out a thumb. They normally run from 7am to 8pm seven days a week .

What times are the shops & banks open ?

Shops (Mon-Sat)

Summer: 8:00-13:00 and 16:00-19:00
Winter: 9:00-13:00 and 14:00-18:00 

Banks (Mon-Fri)

Summer: 8:00-12:00
Winter: 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00 

Public Services                                                                                                                                 
Summer:  Monday, 07:30-14:00 and 15:30-18:00 
             Tuesday-Friday, 07:30-14:00 
Winter:    Monday-Friday, 08:00-13:00 and 14:00-17.00                       

Electricity                                                                                                                                                                         Standard three pin British plug sockets using 220/240 volts  so there should be no need for adaptor although a two pin shaver adaptor may be useful, for charging shavers etc.