IF you are looking for a holiday that combines azure seas and blue skies with healthy portions of history and delicious local food, Northern Cyprus will tick all the boxes. Add to that the fact the your spending money will go a long, long way and it’s almost too good to resist.

Leanne at Anatolian Sky Holidays had recommended the family-owned Pia Bella Hotel, because of its reputation and location, and after a good breakfast and a scout around its beautiful gardens and pool areas, we agreed it was a lovely base for our holiday.

We took a pleasant stroll to Kyrenia harbour, where the imposing Girne Castle stands guard at the entrance. Local craft ranging from fishing boats to masted sailing vessels are moored here, and old warehouses have been converted into restaurants retain the character and charm of yesteryear. Behind the harbour is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, where local shops offer keen prices.

An early morning 25-minute drive to Lapta in a dolmus (minibus) cost only £1. Lapta is a typical Turkish Cypriot village, where bougainvillea cascades down walls and plants and bushes give off exotic aromas. Meandering around its streets was a delightful way to spend the morning.

Returning back to the harbour for lunch, we had feta cheese salad, plus tasty side dishes and local beer for under £5, before visiting Girne Castle which proved most interesting, particularly the incredible 2,300-year-old shipwreck that was discovered with its cargo of 92,000 almonds and hundreds of vessels of wine all intact.

After two days on land, we went to sea, joining Skipper Mahir on Sabrina 11, a sleek sailing boat heading for Merit Chrystal Bay. This certainly lived up to its name: swimming off the boat provided stunning underwater views through the crystal-clear waters. Lunch onboard was fresh fish and salad – delicious. This six-hour trip was a sheer delight and great value for money.

The next morning we took an excursion to the 12th Century Bellapais Abbey, which nestles into the Five Finger Mountains, and were captivated by its serenity and Gothic architecture.

The Northern Echo:
Bellapais Abbey

In the evenings we were spoilt for choice, enjoying meals at restaurants around the harbour costing an average of only £7 a head. As the sun disappeared behind the masts of the bobbing boats and the harbour lights twinkled, it was enchanting.

Karpaz is the region on the peninsula of Northern Cyprus and our first stop as we headed up there was Bogaz, a picturesque fishing village, where we sampled Turkish coffee. It was then on to an old olive mill, where we watched the original process of pressing olives and sampled their range, before heading to the mountains for a traditional meze and lamb lunch at a farm.

Journeying on to the pristine five-mile Golden Beach, home to the nesting turtles, you feel you have the place to yourself. Then it was a short drive to the National Park, where we were greeted by the protected wild donkeys, who enthusiastically ate the apples and the cucumber we offered them.

The Northern Echo:
The Karpaz peninsula

Our final stop was St Andrew’s Monastery on the peninsula’s most eastern part, a multi-faith place of pilgrimage where it is said the saint brought healing waters which you can still sample from the well.

The following morning we travelled to Nicosia by local bus, a pleasant journey costing just over £1. Inside the old walls is Buyuk-Han, with small vibrant streets, and shop prices that don’t dent your spending money. Churches, mosques, bazaars and the Great Inn, a 16th Century watering hole, all add to the quaintness.

Sightseeing in North Cyprus does not take up full days, allowing time to relax and enjoy the sunshine in the hotel’s garden or nearby beaches.

The Northern Echo:
Imposing sight: St Hilarion Castle, which is built into the mountain

We weren’t slouches, though, and headed out on other days to Famagusta, the ancient city of Salamis, which has the largest Roman amphitheatre on the island, and St Hilarion Castle, which is built into the mountainside at abour 2,200ft above sea level. This is the place where Richard the Lionheart got engaged in 1191 AD and, looking out at the stunning views, you could well understand why he got carried away by the romance of it all.

  • Anatolian Sky Holidays has been offering holidays to North Cyprus and Turkey for more than 25 years. Seven nights half-board at the Pia Bella Hotel in Kyrenia starts from £509 per person. Visit anatoliansky.co.uk or call 08442-733586. For more information on North Cyprus visit welcometonorthcyprus.co.uk