A famagusta ghost town tour takes travellers from the south-east of Cyprus to Varosha, the fenced and empty seafront district of Famagusta. It sits beside the Greek tours listed on Greece VIP.
This post covers what Varosha is, how tours reach it, the old city and Salamis, the starting points and formats, and what listings include. Photo rules, reviews and common questions come last.
What is a famagusta ghost town tour in Cyprus?
A famagusta ghost town tour is a trip to Varosha, the southern quarter of Famagusta, a city on the east coast of Cyprus. Cyprus is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and it is a separate country from Greece.
Varosha covers 6.19 square kilometres. It was the modern tourist district of Famagusta, with high-rise hotels along the beach.
Famagusta held 31.5 percent of the hotels of Cyprus and 45 percent of its bed capacity before the town emptied.
Listing titles say Famagusta ghost town, Varosha ghost town or Famagusta ghost city. The old walled city is a different place from Varosha.
- Place: Southern Famagusta.
- Country: Cyprus, not Greece.
- Past: High-rise beach hotels.
Every famagusta ghost town tour therefore visits Cyprus, which joined the European Union.
Why is Varosha empty, and how does a famagusta ghost town tour tell that story?
A famagusta ghost town tour explains how Varosha emptied: its Greek Cypriot residents fled before the Turkish army entered, and the army then fenced the district off. One listing promises the history of Famagusta and the events behind the abandonment.
A coup removed the president of Cyprus on 15 July, and Turkish forces landed on 20 July.
The UN Security Council calls any settlement of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants inadmissible. Turkey rejected a later Council statement on this.
Northern Cyprus, a de facto state recognised only by Turkey, currently controls Varosha. The international community treats its territory as part of the Republic of Cyprus.
- Accounts: First-hand stories.
- Footage: Archival film.
- Stop: Deryneia heritage centre.
A property commission in Northern Cyprus received 281 Greek Cypriot cases about Varosha.
What does a famagusta ghost town tour see inside Varosha?
A famagusta ghost town tour follows the open streets and the beachfront of Varosha, because the rest of the fenced district stays closed to visitors. Along the open routes, visitors see empty hotel blocks, apartment buildings and former shops.
Windows and balconies have worn away. Like the abandoned Byzantine city of Mystras, Varosha stands empty, and plants have spread through its unused spaces.
The beach beside Varosha has sand and clear water in front of empty tower blocks.
Northern Cyprus opened a stretch of beachfront and the streets behind it to visitors. Turkey’s president backed the decision, while the EU’s foreign policy chief called it a serious violation.
- Streets: Open routes only.
- Beach: Reopened stretch.
- Buildings: Closed, unsafe.
Fences and barriers keep a famagusta ghost town tour on the open routes.
How does a famagusta ghost town tour cross from the south of Cyprus into Famagusta?
A famagusta ghost town tour crosses the Green Line, the UN buffer zone of Cyprus, at a crossing point between the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and the area controlled by Northern Cyprus. Wikipedia lists a crossing at Deryneia.
A Cyprus newspaper calls the Deryneia crossing the practical route from Ayia Napa and Protaras. Tour pages name the Strovilia checkpoint.
The listings state that, because of local restrictions, only passport holders from EU states, the UK, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland can cross.
Children under 18 who travel without both parents need extra papers, the tour pages say, including a letter from the absent parent.
- Documents: Passport or ID.
- Hire cars: Insurance problem.
- Goods: Carry-back limits.
A famagusta ghost town tour avoids hire-car insurance gaps, since the group’s vehicle crosses.
Which old city sights join a famagusta ghost town tour in Famagusta?
A famagusta ghost town tour joins the walled old city of Famagusta, where listings name Othello Castle, the Venetian walls, the remains of the palace and the Gothic cathedral turned mosque. Two listings also give free time inside the walls.
The Venetians built the walls mainly in the 15th and 16th centuries, and they held out for nearly a year in a siege.
A private-tour listing sees Othello Castle and the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque from outside because restoration work is going on.
Like the Venetian old town of Corfu, Famagusta shows Venetian work, but a large share of its buildings are in poor repair.
- Castle: Four round towers.
- Mosque: Former Gothic cathedral.
- Walls: 14 bastions.
A famagusta ghost town tour adds walls, a castle and a mosque.
Does a famagusta ghost town tour include Salamis and Saint Barnabas?
A famagusta ghost town tour includes Salamis and the monastery of Saint Barnabas on the day-trip listings that name them. The shorter Varosha listing goes to Salamis Beach, beside the ancient ruins, and lists a visit to the ruins as optional.
Salamis was an ancient Greek city-state on the east coast of Cyprus, 6 kilometres north of modern Famagusta.
Barnabas, born in Cyprus, made Salamis the first stop of a missionary journey, according to the Acts of the Apostles.
One day-trip listing starts at Salamis, then adds the monastery of Saint Barnabas, a short walk in Varosha and the old town.
- Ruins: Theatre, gymnasium, baths.
- Monastery: Icon museum.
- Boat trips: Cruise first.
A famagusta ghost town tour reaches Salamis only where the listing names it.
Where does a famagusta ghost town tour start in Ayia Napa and Protaras?
A famagusta ghost town tour starts with hotel pickup in Ayia Napa and Protaras on small-group, mini-bus and jeep listings. One mini-bus listing adds Kapparis and Pernera, and one jeep listing gives Larnaca its own pickup.
Jeep pickups stay within the Protaras and Ayia Napa areas. Another Cyprus day out is the Troodos Mountains day trip.
The mini-bus listing sends Ayia Napa guests out later than the other three areas, and guests outside the areas travel to a pickup point.
One red-bus page says pickup covers only the areas it names. Guests check email the day before for the confirmed pickup time and place.
- Areas: Ayia Napa, Protaras.
- Extra: Kapparis, Pernera.
- Larnaca: Own pickup.
The hotel area decides which famagusta ghost town tour listing fits.
Which format suits a famagusta ghost town tour: minibus, red bus or jeep?
A famagusta ghost town tour runs as a mini-bus, a red open-top bus or a jeep, and private versions exist. Group caps differ between listings, from 8 on one small-group tour to 16 on a mini-bus listing.
The red open-top bus tour gives a walk at the group’s own pace with a map. Its Famagusta ticket says open-top seats are not guaranteed.
The jeep format drives an off-road vehicle across the buffer zone. Wheelchairs, car seats and pushchairs cannot go in the 4×4 vehicle.
A review-summary page says the mini-bus tour is not wheelchair accessible and has no age limit, but the red-bus 3-in-1 listing is labelled accessible.
- Mini-bus: 16 guests.
- Jeep: Off-road vehicle.
- Red bus: Walking map.
The right famagusta ghost town tour format depends on group size and mobility needs.
What does a famagusta ghost town tour include and leave out?
A famagusta ghost town tour includes transport, a driver or tour leader and hotel pickup, while food, drinks and tips stay excluded on the mini-bus listing. Longer day trips add admission fees, and entry to Varosha itself is reported as free.
The red-bus Famagusta ticket leaves out admissions, food and drinks. The red-bus Varosha tour includes transport and a driver who also gives commentary.
The shorter Varosha and Salamis Beach listing includes lunch, transport, a tour leader and full insurance cover for travel to the north.
Entry to Othello Castle is an optional extra on the Famagusta and Salamis day trip, and lunch there is optional.
- Included: Transport, driver, pickup.
- Excluded: Food, drinks, tips.
- Optional: Castle entry.
Each famagusta ghost town tour page lists its own inclusions and exclusions.
What are the photo rules, dress and weather like on a famagusta ghost town tour?
A famagusta ghost town tour allows photos in the visitor areas, with limits at military sites and wherever signs or staff forbid it. Drones are banned, summers are hot and dry, winters are wet, and shoulders are covered at the mosque.
The UK government warns against photographing military buildings and says the authorities can arrest a photographer. Visitors are asked not to cross a barrier for a picture.
Visitors stay on the marked paths and out of the decades-old buildings, which are unsafe. Objects stay where they are, because the properties have owners.
Modelled five-year average data put July highs near 35 C. October averages about 29 C.
- Mosque: shoes off, shawls
- Bring: hat, water, sunscreen
- Surfaces: broken in places
Sturdy shoes suit a famagusta ghost town tour in the sun.
What do reviews say about a famagusta ghost town tour, and who is it for?
Famagusta ghost town tour reviews praise the tour leaders, the mix of explanation and free time, and an educational day. The tour suits history fans, beach lovers and walkers, but one summary excludes travellers with mobility problems or small children.
The Ayia Napa small-group tour scores 4.5 from 937 reviews, the largest count read. The Ayia Napa, Protaras and Larnaca day trip scores 4.8 from 815 reviews.
A review-summary page says reviewers call the day emotional and thought-provoking, with knowledgeable tour leaders who share personal stories.
A travel page says the beach beside Varosha suits modern-history readers, photographers and visitors who add a swim.
- History: Salamis day trips
- Beach lovers: swim stops
- Walkers: Varosha-only listings
The Blue Lagoon combination page rules out small children.
Which questions do travellers ask about a famagusta ghost town tour?
Famagusta ghost town tour questions cover the country, passports, children and entry to Varosha. The answers below come from tour pages, a newspaper, Wikipedia and government travel advice, and each position is credited to the source that states it.
Is a famagusta ghost town tour in Greece or in Cyprus?
Wikipedia places Famagusta in Cyprus, an independent country, not Greece. Varosha lies in the part of Cyprus that Northern Cyprus controls, and Wikipedia calls it de jure territory of Cyprus.
Do travellers need a passport for a famagusta ghost town tour?
Tour pages say a passport or ID card is needed at the checkpoint into the northern part. Local restrictions allow only passport holders from EU states, the UK, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
Can children join a famagusta ghost town tour?
Tour pages say an adult must supervise children at all times. Minors travelling without both parents need a letter of authorisation from the absent parent plus papers such as a birth certificate.
Is entry to Varosha free on a famagusta ghost town tour, and what does a paid tour cover?
A newspaper reports free entry to the open area of Varosha, with bike hire and other services charged separately. A paid tour covers transport and a tour leader, not admission.
Travellers who want another quiet old place to visit can read about the abandoned town on Aegina.