#1. Kyrenia (Girne)
Kyrenia (Girne) has always been governed by the sea. Its natural harbour, once coveted by anyone with dreams of empire and bustling with traders and exporters, is today just as popular with visitors whose only desire is to stroll the seaside strand and hop on a boat cruise around the bay.
Catch a whiff of the days long gone by strolling the narrow twisty lanes of the Old Town. Then climb up the honey-coloured fortifications of the Byzantine castle, lording it up over the horseshoe-shaped inlet, and stare down at the fishing boats bobbing in the water.
Afterwards, join the flocks of day-trippers and travellers taking up residence outside the former carob warehouses that now house harbourside restaurants. Here on the waterfront is the ideal spot to ponder this ancient port’s mammoth history while staring out to sea.