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Cyprus: A reminder of the old med

KYRENIA: Five-finger mountains

But the reality on the ground is somewhat different - witness the steady stream of cement trucks rumbling along roads, feeding the frenzy of villa development; see the modern shops springing up to cater for a population which a recent census discovered has grown 31 per cent in the last 10 years.

Foreigners - mainly Brits - are piling into North Cyprus. They are going for the all-year sunshine, the dramatic scenery, a lower cost of living and a relaxed pace of life.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkish forces invaded the island after a coup by Athens-backed Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot ministate, recognised only by Turkey, was created in the north.

Prosperity

Eventually, and probably not too far in the future, the north and Greek-Cypriot south will be reunited inside the European Union - and that can only mean more growth and prosperity. Tourism will flourish.

But while this brighter future beckons, the hope is that the North will cling to what makes it so special, a sunshine haven that has the feel of what the rest of the Med must have been like years ago, before the onset of mass tourism.

The jewel of the North is Kyrenia, or Girne as the locals call it, sandwiched between the sea and the jagged Five Finger mountain range.Away from the bustle of the busy town, the small, charming harbour, dominated by the big Crusader castle, is packed with fishing boats and yachts and lined with cafes and restaurants.

It's a great place to unwind, sitting under a sun umbrella, sipping a cool Efes beer or a Turkish coffee, watching the world go serenely by.

We stayed at the Riverside holiday village, a country retreat set in several acres of relaxing gardens and fruit trees on the mountain slopes about six miles out of Kyrenia.

Our excellent accommodation was a two-storey villa - kitchen and lounge downstairs, bedroom, bathroom and balcony upstairs - with views of the mountains, farmland and the sea.

Fun

The Riverside appeals to both couples and families, with a large swimming pool and a separate fun pool with slides for children. And there's also an indoor pool during the cooler months.

There are two restaurants and also an English-style pub showing Sky Sports on a large screen.

A daily courtesy bus takes you to Kyrenia, and there are several tours you can join, but it's well worth hiring a car to see the sights and sample the variety of local restaurants. The cost of hire is very reasonable - I paid just £39 to have an air-conditioned Nissan Sunny for three days - and driving is on the left, a reminder that Cyprus was a British colony until 1960. Three days is ample time to see three must-see points on the tourist trail: two of them on the mountains overlooking Kyrenia - the fairy-tale castle of St Hilarion and the ancient abbey at Bellapais - and the other the ancient Roman city of Salamis near Famagusta.

St Hilarion, said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty, was built during the Crusades.

Persecution 

It is named after St Hilarion, a hermit monk who fled from persecution in the Holy Land and lived and died in a cave on the mountain.

The castle was originally built as a lookout to give warning of Arab pirates, but later became the summer home of the nobility.

The spectacular views of the coastline from its battlements make the hair-raising ride to the top well worth the effort.

Not quite so high up, but again affording great views of the northern coastline, the 14th century abbey is in the little village of Bellapais, once home to author Lawrence Durrell.

After exploring the remains of the abbey, wander the narrow streets of the charming village then quench your thirst by the Tree of Idleness, made famous in Durrell's book Bitter Lemons. The drive to Salamis, the island's most important archaeological site, is further afield but well worth the effort.

Just as the ruins of the city of Pompeii were saved by being covered in volcanic ash, the remains of Salamis were saved by being buried under sand for more than 1,000 years.

The one drawback to flying to North Cyprus is that it takes six hours from Manchester - planes have to land first in Istanbul. But the comfort of the charter plane turned the flight into a pleasant experience. The Airbus 320s, operated by Turkish-owned AtlasJet, have leather seats with 30in of legroom - and the baggage limit is a generous 25kg. Other charter airlines please note.

John Casham travelled to North Cyprus with Jewels of the World.

Call 0870 116 2233 for a brochure or check their website for their latest offers on a wide range of hotels and holiday villages.

Flights from Manchester are on Saturday afternoons on AtlasJet.

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