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This unique holiday offers a rich variety of experiences – from mountains carpeted with tulips and orchids in early spring to historic cities filled with ancient sites, castles, monasteries and churches; picturesque villages; and sun-drenched beaches lapped by turquoise waters.
We stay in the heart of Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus’s vibrant harbour town, renowned for its colourful horseshoe-shaped harbour, all overlooked by the impressive Kyrenia Castle, home to a remarkable shipwreck museum.
Our first of two incredible included excursions takes us across the scenic Five Finger Mountains to Nicosia, Europe’s only divided capital. Explore mosques, city gates, a Gothic cathedral, and the charming Buyuk Han, then wander the lively Bandabuliya Market, alive with spices, Turkish delight, and delicate lace.
Our second unforgettable included excursion explores Famagusta, with its 3.5 km Venetian walls and the ‘ghost town’ of Varosha, abandoned overnight in 1974 and frozen in time. Step back further at the ancient Roman city of Salamis, wandering 2,000-year-old mosaics, theatre, baths, and latrines – a paradise for history lovers.
Optional tours allow you to choose your perfect experience: explore the fairytale St. Hilarion Castle, visit the charming village of Bellapais where Lawrence Durrell wrote Bitter Lemons of Cyprus, or enjoy a guided walk at the foot of the mountains. At this time of year, the mountains are lush and green, carpeted with tulips, orchids, and wildflowers, and alive with a variety of birds – a true springtime paradise.
We stay in the warm and friendly, family-run 4-star Pia Bella Hotel, perfectly located in the centre of Kyrenia – an ideal base for exploring the town on foot. When you’re not out and about, relax in its beautiful gardens, or why not upgrade to a deluxe room for extra comfort? And of course, there’s still time to enjoy some stimulating bridge sessions under the expert guidance of Bridge Director David Berwitz.
For guests arriving at Venice Marco Polo airport on our specific change over days, join the group and transfer to the Hotel Pia Bella (Transfer time approximately 1 hour 40 minutes).
There will be a singles meeting where partners will be found for single players, followed by dinner and a short session of evening bridge, for those who arrive on time and wish to play bridge on arrival evening.
There will be a welcome meeting at 10.00 am in the bridge room where you will meet your bridge director and bridge hosts and be given information on the bridge programme, and optional tours and your holiday and enjoy a welcome drink with your newfound bridge friends.
Buffet dinner at 18.30 pm followed by evening bridge
Hotel Pia Bella
Our Club Classics bridge programme is included throughout your stay. Each evening, after dinner at 18:30, you are warmly invited to join us in the bridge room for engaging sessions from our varied duplicate bridge programme, running until late.
For those who wish to participate during the day, we also offer bridge seminars some mornings and additional daytime bridge sessions. These are carefully scheduled to complement any optional excursions, ensuring a balanced holiday experience. Our bridge director will remain attentive to local weather conditions and may adjust timings, if needed, to suit the group's interests.
Your final bridge programme will be sent to you with your travel documentation approximately two weeks before departure.
Join our included tour to Nicosia: Enjoy a scenic drive across the Five Finger Mountain Range before starting a walking tour at the old Girne city gate. Stroll past the Venetian column and discover the charming Buyuk Han, a beautifully restored Ottoman caravanserai now home to artists and craftspeople. Visit the stunning Selimiye Mosque, formerly St. Sophia Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Finally, shop for spices, Turkish delight, lace, and more in the lively Bandabuliya Market.”
To ensure the best possible experience, the order of excursions may be adapted to suit local weather conditions.
Optional Tour to Bellapais: Visit the charming village of Bellapais at the foothills of the Five Finger Mountains, where Lawrence Durrell composed his book Bitter Lemons of Cyprus. Wander through peaceful lanes and admire the 12th-century Bellapais Abbey, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture offering some of the most romantic and scenic views on the island. The day concludes at Kyrenia’s old harbour, one of Cyprus’s most picturesque coastal spots, where we visit Kyrenia Castle and its shipwreck museum, home to one of the world’s oldest recovered trading vessels.
To ensure the best possible experience, the order of excursions may be adapted to suit local weather conditions.
Our fabulous full-day tour to Famagusta takes us to the magnificent walled old city, encircled by 3.5 km of Venetian walls. Admire St. Nicholas Cathedral, now Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, and learn about Islamic culture while exploring this living monument. Step into history at Salamis, the legendary Roman city with 2,000-year-old mosaics, Roman theatre, baths, and latrines. We then visit Varosha, the ‘Ghost Town’ once known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean, a playground for celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960s and early 1970s, abandoned overnight during the 1974 conflict and frozen in time as residents fled, leaving everything behind.
To ensure the best possible experience, the order of excursions may be adapted to suit local weather conditions.
Optional Tour: St. Hilarion Castle – the fairytale fortress that inspired Disney’s Snow White Castle. Climb through ancient ruins to the Queen’s Window, the highest lookout at 732 metres above sea level, enjoying breathtaking views across Kyrenia and the Mediterranean. A moderate level of fitness is required for this tour.
To ensure the best possible experience, the order of excursions may be adapted to suit local weather conditions.
Optional Guided Walking Tour: We drive to the Geçitköy Dam, part of an 80 km underwater pipeline project supplying water to North Cyprus for the next 50 years. Enjoy a gentle 3–3.5 hour guided walk around the dam, spotting wild orchids, tulips, other wildflowers, and possibly foxes and a variety of birds. The walk is designed to be easy and suitable for most reasonable fitness levels.
To ensure the best possible experience, the order of excursions may be adapted to suit local weather conditions.
Today we bid farewell to guests and after breakfast and hotel check-out depart on the group transfers to Larnaca
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