Whenever you choose to visit Northern Cyprus, the sun will shine, you will be welcomed warmly by the friendly people, the food will be excellent, the scenery beautiful and the historical places quiet. The seasons are distinct with a short winter, long spring and summer, a short autumn. At every time of year there is so much to see and do, the visitor is spoilt for choice! Most think of this island as a summer destination yet it is a wonderful place for walking, bird watching, and enjoying nature in the months of October right through to May.
WINTER: (December and January)
If
your choice is to be away from the UK for Christmas, then Northern Cyprus is a
good choice; here Christmas can be as low key as you choose yet there is plenty
going on and all visitors are welcome to join in. The shops are decorated, there
are Christmas Bazaars and Fairs organised by various groups, and the Anglican
Church in Kyrenia celebrates the Nine Lessons and Carols. In the hotels and
restaurants special menus are all at affordable prices (around £10 per head).The
weather is warm and sunny by day, ideal for walkers and ramblers to explore the
Kyrenia Mountains and the beautiful countryside. New Year is a special
celebration Ophry skotschyi
for the Cypriot
people; decorations are the same as for our Christmas with a tree, Father
Christmas, tinsel and celebrations in hotels, restaurants, the towns. Kyrenia is
a hive of activity; music, dancing, fireworks. The atmosphere is amazing with
families promenading and enjoying the festivities. If you want to totally ignore
all celebrations you can do that very easily, it is a great time of year for
wandering along the many beaches and warm enough for picnics. In winter, once
the sun goes down it does get chilly and you will need your fleece! Temperatures
are perfect for those with an interest in history, Northern Cyprus is an open
air museum and there is much to explore and enjoy. Bird Watchers will want to
spend most of their time in The Karpaz; this is an area of unspoilt beauty and a
haven for the many birds that can be seen at this time of year.
SPRING: (February, March, April, early May)
This is considered by many to be the best time to visit Northern Cyprus. The orchids and wild flowers carpet the roadsides and mountain paths. The whole country is a blaze of colour. Nature lovers, botanists, painters, walkers, cyclists, and bird watchers are all enthralled by the beauty that surrounds them. Sunny days, chilly nights and the odd shower of rain are typical in spring.
SUMMER: (June, July, August and early September)
Summer months give guaranteed sunshine for those wanting to relax by a hotel pool or on one of the many beautiful beaches. Temperatures Flower Hunting do average around 35C by day but drop to a comfortable 22C at night. Water sports are available from many beaches; wind surfing, sailing, snorkelling, water skiing…If you are interested in Scuba Diving then this is a good place to learn; there are now several centres set up teaching both the PADI and BSAC systems with one school diving all year round.
Late August is the time to pick carobs; the locust beans which was called "Cyprus black gold" many years ago. This is a healthy bean full of vitamins and minerals and is prized by the Health food shops in Western Europe. In Northern Cyprus the Cypriot people make delicious carob Orchis punctulata syrup called "Pekmez" and use it to mix with tahini (sesame paste) to make a rich and nourishing spread or pour it over yogurt. Any visitor wishing to spend a day in a traditional Turkish Cypriot, mountain village picking carobs and learning how to make "Pekmez" is invited to go along to Hisarkoy on set days at the end of August.
Green and the Loggerhead turtles nest on the North Cyprus beaches during the whole of the summer months and are monitored by groups of students from Turkey and Europe who do splendid conservation work from about 30 beaches. Visitors can go along to the student centre at Alagadi to see the turtles nesting during the night. Hatching time of the nests is one month later and it is a joy to watch a nest being excavated and the release of the young hatchlings as they are returned to the sea.
AUTUMN: (October and November)
Temperatures are perfect for every activity! The sea is warm for water sports, the days are sunny and good weather for any outdoor activity is guaranteed. Walking, cycling, exploring the historical sites, painting, bird watching, in fact, anyone who enjoys nature and a peaceful environment will be delighted with the unlimited scope for getting out and about. In November there are organised groups for visitors to go olive picking and learning how to make oil. In Buyukkonnuk the original, village olive press is opened up and olive oil is produced using the old, traditional method. In the same village there are cheese and bread making days along with various other traditional activities in Heaven's Gate which the visitor can join. For bird watchers there is the opportunity to see the migrating birds as they fly to Africa for the winter. The cranes are a spectacular sight as they fly overhead in their thousands; sometimes the sky is black with birds and the noise is deafening!
Many thanks to www.walksnorchidsnorthcyprus.com for contributing this article and photographs.