North Cyprus has a large festival scene, and there are more and more festivals being formed every year it seems!

The festival season spans roughly six to seven months of the year, with the first events being held around April time and the last ones finishing off in late October, early November.  So you can try to catch one when you’re visiting, or even attend a few if you’re living here on the island!

Village fairs have grown in popularity over the last few years, and some are extremely popular, enabling the public to see traditions and cultural mainstays of Turkish Cypriot life, as well as giving the local population a chance to show off their skills and wares.  The Olive Festival in Zeytinlik for example has really got on the media bandwagon to promote itself, and you can now find out about the festival and the schedule via its Facebook group!  However, the local press will also always publicise these events with schedules appearing nearer the opening of the event.

You can see cookery displays, arts and crafts demonstrations, competitions and also most popular are the folk dance displays that give a great insight into the skill of the dancers as well as the stories that they tell.  You can see and buy lots of local products made in their traditional fashion, and even have a go at making some of them too at the Büyükkonuk Eco-festival.  Festivals are generally organised by the local municipality, and sponsors are often sought to provide finances for some of the larger exhibitions and displays.

North Cyprus is also becoming well known for its international musical events that never fail to impress – with some big names now attending the most popular events.  You can find out about these via the websites set up to promote and detail the names which will be taking part each year.  There are a wide range of artists who take part, from classical tenors to Turkish pop singers, as well as some old favourites such as Boney M and Bonnie Tyler who have performed here in the recent past!

The International Bellapais Music Festival held in May each year at the stunning Bellapais Monastery venue near Kyrenia, has now been running for over 10 years and has featured some truly international classical groups, orchestras and individuals to amaze the crowds.  Equally the International Famagusta Art & Culture Festival is growing in stature, again running now for over 10 years, with theatre and music events mostly being held at the wonderful Salamis Antique theatre.  Find out more about this festival at www.magusa.org, and also via our article giving festival dates.

Besides music and village festivals there are also the cinematic and arts festivals of North Cyprus, featuring something for everyone to enjoy.  Please visit our other festival page for a round up of the individual festivals in North Cyprus as well as articles on folk dancing, cinema and arts for example.

North Cyprus is home to a really wide variety of music and musicians of various genre, and you can find some great venues across the island in which to listen to music, get involved or dance to what you hear!

Restaurants and hotels are beginning to realise the benefits of having their own house bands, providing jazz, pop and Turkish music nights for example.  These pull in local crowds as well as entertaining hotel guests.

Classical music is one of North Cyprus’ most heavily promoted genres, with well attended classical music festivals taking place throughout the year where you can experience an evening of orchestras, chamber choirs, tenor singers, quartets and trios at many historic venues for example.  You can also find such events taking place at smaller venues such as the Büyük Hann in Lefkoşa, with evenings in traditional music often held there during the summer months.  Classical music also incorporates the tradition of ‘Fasıl’ music which has its roots in the Ottoman era; this is a blend of instrumental and vocal music possibly dating back to the 14^th century.

Jazz music, a popular genre here in North Cyprus, can often be heard with the bigger 5 Star hotels such as the Malpas hosting jazz nights in their Cotton Jazz Bar.  Here you can  sip a cocktail or two and relax whilst listening to some really good music, or you can try the Rocks Hotel and the Savoy Ottoman which also have their own music nights offering not just jazz but various other types of music too.  They advertise special music entertainment evenings in the local press.

Club or disco music is played in clubs all summer long in North Cyprus, and you can often just follow the sound to find out where it’s coming from!  DJs from all over the world come to North Cyprus to entertain packed audiences at the various beach clubs like Escape in Alsancak, and events can continue well into the morning despite the rules stating otherwise!  You can find out more about the nightlife and the various pubs and bars in our Leisure section, but you will also see large advertising banners when someone big comes to town!

Rock music has a healthy following in North Cyprus, and being able to listen to live music is something that has thankfully grown over the past few years with many of the pubs and bars now hosting rock evenings.  There are a number of good local musicians and bands around and they normally play at the live music venues such as the Old Tunnel Rock Bar in Kyrenia, and the Narnia Pub in Lefkoşa (both of which have MySpace pages by the way)  The bigger rock bands that visit from Turkey will however mostly get to play at the larger beach club venues.

There are now several ways to find out about venues, bands and what’s on, one is to check out listings and adverts in the Cyprus Today newspaper, or online here at Essential Cyprus, but you will also find that some of the bands and DJs have their own Facebook pages.  New venues appear all the time, often with great fanfare, so just keep your eyes and ears open and you will find out what’s going on!

And don’t forget, during any of the big Public Holidays such as Şeker Bayram and Kurban Bayram there’s an explosion of Turkish music with stars arriving en masse to entertain the many visiting Turkish mainlanders and the locals with their glitz and glamour and unique style of entertainment, so if you are looking to partake in some partying, be sure to make note!

North Cyprus has a lively and successful theatre scene, and there are several theatres and theatrical festivals which take place on the island throughout the year.

There is the International Cyprus Theatre Festival for example, which is often held at one of the large university complexes but which also stages one off shows in the municipality squares and sometimes even the castles.  It offers up to a month’s worth of stage plays, puppet and dance theatre.

Theatre companies from Turkey, such as the famous Büyükşehir Belediyesi Şehir Tiyatrosu from Istanbul, come to perform at this festival, as well as groups from Ankara and Russia for example.  Of course Turkish Cypriot theatre companies also attend!

There are several theatre companies based in North Cyprus, one of the main being Sidetreets in Lefkoşa. There are also popular privately run theatre companies such as the Lefkoşa Belediye Tiyatrosu and Maras Emek Theatre, as well as a comedy theatre group called Kıbrıs Türk Komedi Tiyatrosu which is based in Famagusta.

Some of the theatrical events that take place are silent, so there is no problem with any language barriers!  However, even if your mother tongue is not Turkish, lots of people attend plays just to see the exceptional standards of acting, and some of the stories are so old and well known that it doesn’t take much to figure out the storylines!

Lefkoşa, Kyrenia and Famagusta are all host to an array of theatre activities, and you will find these activities well advertised in the press and other media so that you can decide which plays to go and see for example.

For the foreign residents among us KADS, (Kyrenia Amateur Dramatics Society), puts on some excellent productions of well known English plays during the year at various locations in Kyrenia, and also more recently broadcast radio theatre productions via the BRT radio station.

Folk dancing has very deep roots here in North Cyprus and in fact, across Cyprus as a whole.  The rich history of this island means that its culture and arts such dancing have been influenced by many centuries and the traditions of the latter are being kept alive and well with folk dancing displays being given to the pubic on a regular basis. 

Dances were usually performed on big occasions such as at weddings and harvest days, but because of their popularity with the visiting public, and due to efforts by local folk arts organisation HASDER, dancing has now become something of an international ‘sport,’ with folk dancing competitions taking place in TRNC in which countries from all over the world participate.

One dance you are likely to see in North Cyprus that features both men and women is the traditional ‘kartchilamas’, this is a series of different dances combined, where dancers hold each others wrists and form a circle.  There are twelve basic steps and one main dancer leads the rest, with separate dances performed by both the men and women, with the men throwing swords into the air and catching them, and women dancing with clay pots, depicting their role as providers.

Dancers look brilliant in their traditional colourful attire, and dances can sometimes last for half an hour or so, meaning that training and practice is paramount to enable the performers to carry on for this amount of time!  North Cyprus folk dancing dresses come in a variety of colours depending on which area they are from, and they feature a long colourfully embroidered overdress called the Ucetek.  Brightly coloured shoes and a headscarf with tinkling gold coins are also worn to finish off the costume.  Men usually wear white shirts with black trousers and knee length boots, with a splash of colour provided by a bright waistcoat with a handkerchief, and a fez hat.

If you see a folk dance at a festival in North Cyprus it is likely to be performed to a taped version of the music, but sometimes you may be lucky enough to see the musicians accompanying them with instruments such as the ‘darbuka’ and ‘davul’ which are forms of drums, the ‘zurna’ which is a traditional reed instrument with a middle eastern sound, and also the violin – and sometimes even the mandolin and accordion.

There are also yearly international folk dance festivals and competitions on the island, and countries such as Russia, Serbia, Turkey and even Nigeria and Taiwan are invited to participate in a week-long celebration of traditional folk dancing.  Municipalities from Gönyeli and Iskele amongst others have folk dancing groups that also get to travel and show their art in other countries and at worldwide competitions.

One organisation, formed originally in 1977, is HASDER, its a folk arts foundation and initiative that aims to promote traditional Turkish Cypriot culture – from folk dancing to furniture making – and they have done a lot to instil the importance of Turkish Cypriot culture.

When we talk about cinema in North Cyprus, we don’t just mean the usual blockbuster movies that anyone can see no matter where in the world they live, we also mean that North Cyprus does have its own budding cinematic scene. 

Arts venues are host to various screenings, with offerings from local and international film makers, and you can see them in a variety of places such as at Sidestreets in Lefkoşa.  Often these cinematic events are bought together by both Turkish and Greek Cypriots, who seem to thrive on working closely to provide a vibrant arts scene.

You can also attend films shown as part of the yearly North Cyprus International Film Festival, which normally occurs in May each year.  This festival combines films from an international perspective, including many small independently made films.  Films are generally available to see on a rotation basis via the main cinema venues, which are detailed at the end of this article.  However, most of them are shown in their native language with Turkish subtitles, so it’s worth checking out the local press for those films that will be shown in your mother tongue.

Another film fest is the Golden Grapes Film Festival, (we like the name!), held in August every year, and this is aimed at both local professional and amateur film makers who present their offerings and are then judged by a panel which features some prominent filmmakers in their own right.

The main cinemas in North Cyprus show the usual American and British blockbusters, and are the films often rotated weekly between each city and town venue.  Trusty Cyprus Today publishes the weekly film guide, and at the time of writing you can find cinemas at:

Lefkoşa

Galleria Cinema Club – +90 (0)392 2277030

Mısırlızade Galleria Cinema club – +90 (0)392 2289698

Lemar Cineplex – +90 (0)392 2235395

Kyrenia

Lemar Cineplex – +90 (0)392 8223565

Famagusta

Galleria Cinema Club – +90 (0)3651270

Güzelyurt

Lemar Cineplex – +90 (0)392 7146940

It’s also worth noting that due to North Cyprus presently not having any form of copyright law, you can purchase most of the blockbuster movies at a fraction of the cost that you would pay across the rest of Europe.  There are various outlets and DVD clubs all over North Cyprus that have the latest films for rental or sale, and the cost of  movie is usually around 4-5ytl (approx. £2), so you will find it quite affordable to buy the odd new release!

If you’re living in North Cyprus with children of any age you may feel that there is not a lot for them to do. 

We can start by saying that North Cyprus obviously has its own strong community ties and you can always join in with groups that are particularly aimed at promoting Cypriot culture such as HASDER, but your children may need to at least know the basics of the Turkish language before they get involved.  Having said that, the more the expat and local communities mingle the better, and you will quickly find that children can communicate more easily than adults these days and it’s not a big deal for them to get on and speak a mixture of Turkish and English!

For the toddler age group there are now specific toddler groups due to the arrival of younger expat families wishing to settle in North Cyprus.  They are often advertised in the press or by word of mouth, so it shouldn’t take long to become a social yummy mummy!  Toddler groups are often weekly or bi-weekly get togethers, and they give the youngsters and parents a chance to socialise.  Of course if you’re working there is always the nursery option which will also give your children a great start to life in North Cyprus as they will be able to integrate with the local Cypriot children too.

For children of any age there is a lot to entertain, with groups setting up to educate and allow kids the chance to explore their potential and hone their social skills.  The Five Fingers restaurant in Ozankoy is home to Alex and Libby Main who have set up a Garden Bookshop which is used for kids’ book clubs, talks and shows, and they also hold very successful flower shows.

Adults can also enjoy the activities on offer at the Five Fingers Restaurant as well, with talks and book and film launches, all of which have proved very popular for the expat and local communities alike.  If you would like to know more about their activities then feel free to call them on +90 (0)392 815 2010 or +90 (0)533 8458278 or email alex.main@sunnycyprus.net.

There is the newly opened Black Olive Café in Alsancak, located near to British Academy School, it runs craft clubs and various other entertainment activities to suit kids of all ages, and you can even book your child’s birthday parties there too and let them run riot in the purpose built playground.  You can contact them on +90 (0)533 8355133 or by email theblackolivecafe@gmail.com.  It’s also worth noting that Black Olive Café offers exercise classes for adults too.

If children are interested in sports then there is always football which seems to bridge any kind of culture divide, there are tennis courts in Kyrenia and Lefkoşa which act as a social meeting place too, or children can always get involved in a pursuit such as diving, giving them the opportunity to pick up a skill that could become a possible career or hobby in future years.  If your child attends a local school then there are always things to do and trips to go on organised through the school, so they will soon find plenty to keep them busy.

Perhaps your children are more creative than sporty and again there is much to keep their interest and enthusiasm going with music and dance schools, private piano tuition and so on.  The Cyprus Art School is a private education facility that teaches in music and dance and you can contact them on +90 (0)533 8404094 or by emailing kibrissanat@gmail.com.  Alternatively children can join in a variety of classes at various dance studios all over North Cyprus, where they can learn jazz, ballet or contemporary dance for example.  Girne American University in Kyrenia also has a Stage School if kids are after something a little more artistic, and can offer a range of activities such as belly dancing, tap and ballet – contact 650 2220 for more information.

Besides the above, there are many more things that children can do for entertainment, with beaches or water slide parks making for a fun day out for example, as can a trip to the cinema or a castle!  Whatever children enjoy then please visit our water and land activities articles  to get a full run down of everything there is to do in North Cyprus!

Lefkoşa is the main centre for all things art related in North Cyprus, and you will find a host of galleries and exhibitions to attend in the city throughout the year.  You can also find out about what’s on in the arts scene in Cyprus Today, which has its own culture reporter Heidi Trautmann who often enthuses about several exhibitions at once!  You can find art exhibitions featuring everything from painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography, often with bi-communal participation confirming that art really does have no borders.

There are well-known artists living in North Cyprus, and they sometimes offer tuition on the various art forms that they specialise in for those who wish to study and progress in a particular genre.  Foreign artists sometimes hold talks and shows too, and the British Council, which has offices in Lefkoşa, is heavily involved in bringing the arts to people’s attention.

Although you will often find art exhibitions literally taking place on the streets of North Cyprus, cultural and artistic venues are in abundance, both North and South of the border – and you can find out about what’s going on through various media channels.  You can join art related group outings which are organised, and a lot of organisations have their own websites and are constantly updating their offerings, and if they are really modern thinking then they can also be found on the social networking site Facebook!

You can buy art from a number of places in North Cyprus; the Round Tower in Kyrenia and Büyük Han in Lefkoşa are popular places for artists to display and sell their own work for example.  You can also sometimes find stalls set up in the summer months along Kyrenia harbour, with local people displaying their own wares and arts there.  There is the Archway Gallery in Karaman too, as well as the Crows Nest pub which displays art for sale in the village.  The HASDER Folk Arts Foundation and Institute is also very active within the local community, promoting and keeping the traditional Turkish Cypriot art and culture alive and well.

For those who have the free time and who want to try something different, you can join an amateur painting and drawing group based in Kyrenia, there are weekly lessons for all abilities.  If you would like more information please call +90 (0)533 8485780 or +90 (0)533 8667936.

As well as finding various forms of art on display at many of the yearly festivals in North Cyprus, below are some of the more prominent arts venues and organisations:

Atatürk Cultural Centres

You will find that each of the cities as well as the major towns in North Cyprus all have their own Atatürk Cultural Centre, these being set up to remind people of and continue the efforts made by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to bring Turkish culture into the modern era.  You can find out what’s happening through the local press.

EMAA – European Mediterranean Art Association

Local artists in various disciplines have come together to form this group, and they regularly hold events and exhibitions at venues island wide.  They are also involved in the organisation of many bi-communal events.  You can find out more about them via their website which has some, if limited, English language pages www.emaacyprus.org.

HP Gallery

This venue, based in Lefkoşa, is a former church that then became the Haydar Pasha Mosque; it became home to the HP Gallery in 1994 and now displays exhibitions and shows on a regular basis.

Sacakh Ev (Eaved House)

Located in the Selimiye District of Lefkoşa, the Eaved House is located on the walking path tour of the city and holds regular exhibitions for both local and international artists.  The venue itself is wonderfully historic with parts of the property dating back to the Gothic period, it also features Ottoman style restoration.

Sidestreets

The Sidestreets organisation is based opposite the law courts in Lefkoşa, and they hold regular talks as well as exhibitions, film screenings and workshops in creative writing for example.  You can check out what’s on at the group’s venue through their website www.sidestreets.org.  They also have their own Facebook group – just look up groups in North Cyprus and you will find them.

Universities

Another place to visit exhibitions is at the larger university campuses which often house international and local artists’ work in their own state of the art exhibition and conference facilities.

Trade Fairs in North Cyprus are not just trade fairs, they are a form of entertainment too!

The main exhibition centre in North Cyprus is commonly called the ‘Faur’ in Lefkoşa, it’s located on the main Lefkoşa to Famagusta road which runs past the industrial estate area on the outskirts of the city.  The official name for this centre is the Lefkoşa Fair Zone, and there is only one company that has the capability to market events and stage them at the centre, and that’s Fairex Trading.

Running for some years now, Fairex Trading has managed to put on some very good trade fairs for consumers and trade organisations – it has hosted  car shows, agricultural shows, gift fairs and local crafts displays for example.  Often the timing of these fairs coincides with the public holiday periods, so the events end up being a great place to go in the evenings as they often feature bands playing and  funfair rides – and you can always sample local cuisine while you are there too.

Details of events are available through the local press, and in previous years brisk trade in sales have been made with visiting craft and gift companies coming from Turkey.  The attendance of such companies adds to the tourism factor for visitors, but it also increases the level of interest from overseas companies who then wish to participate at future events.

North Cyprus was recently given the opportunity of exhibiting at the yearly International Cyprus Trade Fair on the south of the island.  It was able to promote TRNC products and businesses, and this was a welcome sign for both Greek and Turkish Cypriot traders alike – the event was free for anyone to attend.

Fairex Trading does a valuable job in terms of keeping local businesses in the news, and it has great visions for what the company will ultimately achieve.  These visions include having at least one fair every 2 or 3 months which will feature different companies and types of products.  They have already held successful wedding and book based fairs amongst others, and don’t intend to stop there.

In the meantime, a trade fair is a great place to go because everyone seems to gravitate there to have a good time!

The outskirts of Bellapais are also home to the Early Bronze Age necropolis of Vounous, although this site has now been pilfered and robbed by many and is no longer really the experience it should be.

The ruins of Bellapais Abbey itself are of huge proportions and you can spend hours exploring and gazing at some of the truly magnificent remains of superb gothic architecture, all incredibly imposing on the eye.  Originally founded as the Abbaye de la Paix in around 1200 by Aimery de Lusignan for the use of Augustine monks who had been forced to leave Jerusalem, it was also referred to in history as the White Abbey, possibly due to the fact that the monks who lived there all wore white habits.  It benefited from rich and influential benefactors such as King Hugues III, and grew considerably in size and importance.

This was however until the Genoese invaded in 1373 when it suffered terribly by being looted and robbed of its treasures – it was said that even part of the ‘true’ cross was taken.  From this time onwards the fortunes of the Abbey declined ever further with the Venetians sapping it of its prosperity for themselves, and it even morally declined too, being recorded that in the 16^th century some monks took a wife (or even two!) with their offspring being the only ones allowed to enter novice monkhood.

Once the Ottomans had invaded in 1570 the Abbey was left to decay even further, with much of its stonework being used to build up the surrounding areas and villages.  There is sadly not much evidence of what happened to the monks (and their wives!), but it is likely that they would have integrated into the communities that grew after the Ottomans arrived on the island.   Despite its decline, The Abbey still retains much of its charm, and enough of its structure remains so that even today there are still examples of architecture from the 13^th century, such as the church built in Frankish Gothic style with some wonderful frescoes and the nave, as well as 14^th century cloisters, and a superbly carved sarcophagus dating back to around 2AD, amongst much more of interest.

The ruins are a stupendous testament to history and one of its main features is the refectory which sits on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea to the north – and above its entrance is a marble lintel bearing the carving of the arms of Jerusalem, the Lusignans and Cyprus.  Under British Rule this huge 27 metre long refectory was used as a rifle range, although somewhat surprisingly it remains intact!  Anyway, we shall not divulge all of its mystical charms, as you no doubt will want to visit yourselves!  Opening hours are usually 9am-7pm daily from June until mid-September and 9am-5pm daily from mid-September until May.

All around the Abbey there are wonderful sights to see, and due to its size, the wonderfully tended gardens, and its superb position offering views to the east and west you can spend many an hour at the Abbey before looking at your watch!  Outside of the Abbey itself there are plenty of places to have lunch or refreshments, and walking around the surrounding village you will see both modern and historical buildings of interest.

Today Bellapais is a busy village or small town with plenty of tourist groups and individuals making the journey up the mountain to visit this beautiful and enchanting place.  You can also attend one of the many musical events held at the Abbey during the festival season, although perhaps there is something to be listened to in the concerns expressed by some about the preservation of this monument and the damage that noise may do to its structures.

There are plenty of walking tracks leading from the village, so if you are in the mood for some exploring around the area then there is plenty to do, although it would be wise to have your bearings as there is opportunity for getting lost!  Bellapais is also well known for its wonderful little boutique hotels too, making it an excellent place to spend an affordable and rewarding holiday!

One remaining point of interest is that writer and novelist Lawrence Durrell lived in Bellapais from 1953-1955, writing his well-known book ‘Bitter Lemons of Cyprus’ and also his novel ‘Justine’ during this time.  Durrell describes his wonder at his first sighting of the Abbey and its history in detail several times in the book, and tells the humorous tale of the famous Tree of Idleness, which apparently made the person who sat underneath its branches extremely lazy!

The town has its own certain presence, it’s peaceful and traditional with a few quality restaurants such as The Archway, a traditional Turkish Cypriot restaurant.  It has a great atmosphere and is always popular with locals and holidaymakers alike.  A number of expats have also made the area their home due to its close location to the main town whilst still providing a peaceful setting in which to live.

Visitors are also treated to the ever growing and international North Cyprus Olive Festival each year in October, where there are plenty of opportunities to see and buy traditional olive products and enjoy the entertainment laid on for spectators.

You can also find the old olive mill which has seen some restoration to enable visitors to see how the mill used to operate, and it still contains a clocking in book where the workers signed in each day.

Zeytinlik is definitely worth a visit, especially at festival time when the place really comes to life!