Anne
I have driven into Old Famagusta myself and can give directions.
Where would you be coming from?

Would I recommend it?
Well, getting there is the easy bit. I went through at Ayios Nicolaos.

• Stop at the Insurance booth, pay £10/£15 (it varies) get insurance certificate for the car, assuming you take one
  
  Take insurance cert and passport to next booth
  
  Fill out visa ticket - NO you are NOT asked to sign anything
  
  Get back in car and drive on.

HOWEVER...getting back to the crossing point was a nightmare. There are very very few road signs (any? only back to Famagusta/Gazimagusa!) and we drove round for what seemed an eternity until a TC policeman escorted us back to the road we were meant to be on.

I am normally very good instinctively on directions and actually was very close to where I needed to be. But I drove round for ages, constantly coming across blocked off roads and turning round...

Forget Sat Nav as there are no maps

Ady

Ady

thanks so much. We will be coming from Paphos along the road near the Tomb of the Kings.

Anne

Anne, some car hire companies do not let you take the car across the green line. Check the terms and conditions.

Marion

Thanks for that Marion, will be sure to check!!

Anne

Yes the scene on Famagusta beach is very eerie and brings back memories of the suffering that both sides of Cyprus had to cope with during the 70's. The Greek Cypriots have managed to build up the sounthern side of Cyprus with money the Greeks have given them. The Northern side (Turkish) have had no such help from Turkey and so yes the area is more run down than the southern side. Please let us not firget that the Turkish army invaded Cyprus as a last resort to stop the genocide of the Turkish Cypriots by the Greeks. If anyone saw Holidays in Euroland on BBC2 a couple of weeks ago, you will know that the Greeks still want Cyprus to themselves and are still using the EOKA-B slogan "the only good Turk is a dead one". The Turkish Cypriots also lost their homes in the Southern side of Cyprus and yet you do not see the Turkish Cypriots going to the south and demanding their homes back as The Greeks are doing in the North.

WIth respect to the last post its not quite as simple as that (indeed nothing is simple on this particular topic!). The north remains unrecognised as a country by anyone other than Turkey which immediately creates problems with foreign investment etc. As a result they have to rely on Turkey for its survival (Cyprus Mail today announced a huge Turkish investment in the north - co-incidentally just after a visit from Condoleeza Rice, but lets not get into that one). Also the greater majority of Turkish Cypriot properties in the South still stand bare and are slowly collapsing. These properties are effectively "protected" and cannot be used by anyone other than their rightful owner.

Like I say, things are never as simple as they seem on this subject, and given that this is a holiday forum its probably not the best place to discuss - however there are many websites and books available if anyone wishes to learn more - of-course these again can be biased.

Richie

and given that this is a holiday forum its probably not the best place to discuss -

Thanks Baggieboy, you took the words right out of my mouth.

Can all members keep the topic holiday related. Thanks

Kath x

Is the trip suitable to take 2 children aged 6 & 3 on ?

Hi, would not recommend taking a hire car accross, many people do so and just pray that they do not have an accident! Most companies will not allow you to do so.I have driven accross several times in my own vehicle and without help you will probably miss the best bits in an attempt to save money or do your own thing! The Famagusta jeep safari will cost you CY19 pp at the moment and bus tours are less. Kyrenia is a must as its fantastic however, with young kids I would stick to Famagusta as it's a much shorter trip.

Does anyone know if trips to Kyrenia and/or Famagusta run from Paphos or Coral Bay and if so how much - and are they coach tours??