What is important to know before you travel to Northern Cyprus!

This article contains all the necessary information for those who are planning to spend a vacation in Northern Cyprus or move to permanent residence.

The state of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkiye, and although the unrecognized status sounds intimidating, it actually carries more pluses than minuses. There are no refugees, a high level of security, no proof of source of income is required, and banks do not exchange customer account data with other countries.

 

Visa to Northern Cyprus

In most cases, only a passport is needed to enter the northern part of the island.

 

Flight to Northern Cyprus

Due to partial recognition, there are no direct flights to the country – all flights are made through Turkey. If your passport allows you to enter the Schengen zone without a visa, then you can fly to the airports in the southern part of the island and cross the border between countries.

 

Capital

Lefkosa or Nicosia is the capital of both South and North Cyprus. Business activity also contributes to remoteness from the sea – there is no temptation to run to the beach.

 

Climate

The island of Cyprus is located in the Mediterranean Sea, so it has dry summers, plenty of sunshine, and mild winters.

 

Time in Northern Cyprus

The time zone in Northern Cyprus is GMT (+2). The country uses the transition to winter and summer time.

 

Northern Cyprus – language

The official language of the Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkish. Turkish Cypriots speak good English, so you can manage without knowledge of the Turkish language (with the exception of trips to government agencies).

 

Population of Northern Cyprus

According to the latest census, a little over 300 thousand people live in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. North Cyprus is now experiencing a large flow of migrants, so we can say that at least half a million people now live here.

The majority of the population is Turkish Cypriots, while foreigners are dominated by British, Germans, Scandinavians and people from the CIS countries.

 

Currency of Northern Cyprus

The official currency is the Turkish lira, but the British pound, euro and dollar are also widely accepted. All major expenses, such as buying or renting property in North Cyprus, cars, private school tuition, are usually paid in pounds.

Fun fact: Northern Cyprus is one of the few countries in the world where you can pay with cryptocurrency everywhere.

 

Electricity and sockets in North Cyprus

The TRNC uses 240 volt electricity and British type sockets. Adapters are sold everywhere, so you can easily use the brought electrical appliances.

 

Public transport in Northern Cyprus

Bus service, although present, is rather poorly developed. For a good rest and life you will have to rent a car.

 

Car rental in Northern Cyprus

Due to the large influx of tourists and those who have moved to Northern Cyprus, there has recently been a shortage of cars for rent. On average, prices start at $35 per day.

 

Districts of Northern Cyprus

In Northern Cyprus there are regions for every taste – for beach lovers (Iskele), and for those who appreciate peace (Esentepe), and for surfers (Gaziveren). In the cities of Kyrenia and Famagusta, you can combine the urban rhythm of life with a beach holiday, feed donkeys on the Karpaz Peninsula, and history buffs will love the castles and remains of ancient buildings located in different parts of the country.