Life is what happens to you while you are making plans.
If you have heard about Karpas many times, but have never been there, the time has come. This is a place of extraordinary beauty. The sights on the Karpas “force” you to come back here again and again. “I want to come back here. I want to be here,” thousands of tourists say about Karpas. Karpaz (Καρπασία) is a narrow and long strip of land extending into the Mediterranean Sea in the northeast of Northern Cyprus. The main population is Turkish Cypriots. Also, a small part of the population is Kurds and Greek Cypriots. The peninsula is known for its population of cute endangered donkeys. Campaigns for the protection of animals are regularly carried out, both from the Greek and Turkish sides. Karpas is an unusual place that will leave an imprint in your heart forever. So, what places do you want to visit on Karpas? Let’s take a look at…
Monastery of the Apostle Andrew
According to the history of Christianity, St. Andrew, one of Jesus’ apostles, stopped at Karpas to meet his water needs on his way to Jerusalem. According to legend, he made a hole on the beach with his cane and water came from there. With him was a man blind in one eye, who washed himself and immediately became sighted. And subsequently, a chapel was built on this very place in the XV century. This place has two developments: first, the church building appeared, and after (in the 19th century) the church was renamed into a monastery. However, the exterior of the building, which is visible now, was built in the XIX century. This monastery, which has survived to this day, is one of the beauties of Karpas.
The Karpas Peninsula ends with Cape “Zafer Bournu” or Cape Apostle Andrew, as it is called. It is here that one of the most significant shrines of the island is located, the Monastery of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called with a healing spring. On the Cape of the Apostle Andrew, the remains of one of the earliest settlements of the island, dating back to the VI millennium BC, have been preserved.
Church of Panagia Kanakaria
One of the monuments of Karpas that attracts its attention is the church of Panagia Kanakaria. We do not have clear information about the dates of construction of this church. However, it is believed that the first date of construction dates back to the V-VI centuries. Although it was damaged as a result of Arab raids in the VII century. The main damage was caused in the XII century, during the earthquake in Cyprus. At that time, there was a mosaic icon in the church with the image of Christ and the Apostles next to Him. This was during the Byzantine period. Now this structure of the building of the Byzantine period does not exist. However, the multi-domed Church was rebuilt in the 14th century and its current form is a reflection of those times.
Kantara Castle
Kantara is a wondrous pearl and necklace of fortifications crowning the coast of Northern Cyprus. Like all fortresses, the once massive and impregnable Kantara has witnessed bloody wars and turbulent times. She faithfully protected her masters from enemy raids. Today, this heritage of epochs keeps secrets and many secrets. It is worth visiting at least because at an altitude of 630 meters above sea level, a stunning panorama opens. It is here that you can enjoy a wonderful view of the bay and the entire peninsula. And if you are lucky, then (in clear weather) from the observation deck you can even see the shores of Lebanon and Syria, and they are no less than 150 km away.
However, the castle, which lost its importance after the XIV century, became deserted and empty. Today, Kantara is one of the most important parts of the Karpas region.
Dipkarpaz National Park
Dipkarpas is a place of national treasure of Northern Cyprus. It impresses with its beauty of a thousand-year history. These places give invaluable impressions. The Karpas Peninsula is a corner of the earth that is patronized by the heavens. It is a beautiful place where beaches with golden sand and turquoise waters stretch as far as the eye can see. The carp looks like an outstretched index finger, also popularly called the “handle of the pan”. And literally Karpas is translated as “beggar”. Maybe that’s why there are so many donkeys here 🙂 But in fact, the land on the Karpas is rich in abundant supplies of underground fresh water, many deserted and pristine beaches, wild donkeys, many archaeological sites and ancient Christian temples. It is here that you can find a quiet, picturesque village where Turkish and Greek Cypriots live in complete harmony. Karpas is the most beautiful place in North Cyprus. Combined with low hills covered with pine trees, the beaches with their golden sand create an amazing picture of natural balance. There are many endemic plants, birds, reptiles and mammals.
Golden Sands Beach
Golden Sands is a magical touch of nature. The 6 m beach of the purest sand and dense dunes is cleansed of pollution, thanks to the never-ceasing breeze. This beach is a paradise not only for sea lovers, but also for the Caretta sea turtles that lay their eggs here. On tiny islands protruding from the water almost near the shore, individual species of sea gulls nest. There are practically no hotels and entertainment complexes, but for many kilometers the pristine nature of Cyprus has been preserved – kilometers of sandy beaches. Small villages, dilapidated churches and basilicas, the remains of ancient cities waiting for their explorers – this is Karpas.
The local population has been engaged in agriculture here for centuries, cultivating olive and carob trees. This is a place about which they say that time has stopped here. You can visit the Karpas Peninsula, feed wild donkeys with us, see the nesting sites of sea turtles, visit the Monastery of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called with its miraculous spring at any time of the year. The heat is very difficult to endure here, so do not dare to go here in July-August during the daytime. Early in the morning or in the evening in the summer. Here, this is the right choice of traveling in Karpas. Always bring an umbrella from the sun and plenty of water. This is Cyprus – the heat spares no one here 🙂
My favorite island
Cyprus is my favorite island from the Mediterranean Sea. The thing is that the combination of virgin nature and urban infrastructure are so perfectly intertwined. This makes a person’s life comfortable. And in these times, many decided to move to Northern Cyprus. If you want to buy real estate here and move to live or use it as a summer cottage – welcome!
Property Managers
If you want to buy an apartment or villa on the Mediterranean Sea, then you can look through our entire database yourself. We have a large number of author’s real estate in North Cyprus for every taste and budget. Contacts of managers:
- Philip Babenko +90 533 840 3183
- Irina Chekaleva +90 533 852 0549
- Yulia Rogulskaya +90 533 856 9449
- Orhan Atasoy +90 533 840 0175
- Feyweh Olatunde +90 548 888 33 48
Source: Veles Enterprises Article prepared by: Valerii Veles
If you have any questions regarding a residence permit, buying air tickets. As well as questions about apostilled powers of attorney, please contact Veles Property. Our contact phone numbers: 0533 826 0449 (Diana), 0533 840 4838 (Vera), 0533 833 3398 (Irina)
