Christmas in Northern Cyprus

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Head to beautiful Cyprus to enjoy a warm festive welcome and to celebrate the season in traditional style. Based close to fascinating Famagusta, where a very merry, very relaxing Christmas is all-but guaranteed, this wonderful week-long holiday features a mix of included highlights and optional tours, in addition to sparkling celebrations.

Holiday Highlights

Explore Famagusta's once-deserted streets
Ancient Salamis and its Roman ruins
An optional excursion to Hilarion's fairy-tale fortress and idyllic Bellapais
The chance to soak up Kyrenia's seasonal cheer on an optional tour
Opportunities to explore historic Kantara Castle and Nicosia

What's Included

Seven nights' all-inclusive accommodation at the Salamis Bay Conti Resort
A festive Christmas Day dinner
A guided tour of Famagusta and Salamis' Roman ruins
Return flights to Larnaca or Paphos
Coach travel and transfers throughout
The services of a friendly, experienced tour manager
One piece of hold luggage per person

Itinerary

Day 1

Fly to Cyprus and transfer to the Salamis Bay Conti Resort.

Day 2

Today's included excursion introduces you to nearby fascinating Famagusta. The city was once one of the world's richest and today is somewhat of a living museum. Explore its ruined churches, former-cathedral-turned-mosque, and Venetian Palace lying amid modern cafés and shops. You'll also take in the extraordinary Roman ruins of the ancient coastal city of Salamis, with its colonnades, magnificent theatre and bathhouse, which was once part of a much larger settlement, a lot of which is now submerged under the sea. This afternoon, return to your hotel to begin your celebrations with a Christmas Eve dinner.

Day 3

A day at leisure to relax and enjoy Christmas Day at your hotel, making the most of the facilities on offer before Christmas Dinner is served this evening.

Day 4

This morning you’ll have the chance to stretch your legs and get some fresh air by visiting historic Kantara Castle on an optional half-day excursion. Located around 1800ft above sea level in the Kyrenia Mountains, Kantara Castle is one of several castles in the area that formed a defensive perimeter, protecting Cyprus’ northern shores from invaders. Thanks to its unique vantage point, Kantara was used to pass messages to the other castles. The castle’s date of construction is unknown, but there are clear Byzantine and Frankish architectural elements. Your knowledgeable local guide will bring the castle’s fascinating history to life, including the story of when it was taken by Richard the Lionheart in 1191.

Day 5

Rest and relax at the hotel or join today’s optional excursion to historic Nicosia, island capital for more than 12 centuries and separated into a Turkish north and Greek south since the Green Line was first drawn, in 1963. Enjoy a guided tour of the northern territory, where highlights include the ancient Büyük Han, once the largest caravanserai (roadside inn) on Cyprus, the colourful covered bazaar and the Selimiye Mosque (historically known as the Cathedral of St Sophia). After crossing into the southern territory, you'll have free time to explore the narrow streets that shelter within the Venetian walls of Nicosia's old town. Why not visit tiny St John's Cathedral or one of the various museums of Cypriot history and culture before you return to your hotel?

Day 6

Today’s optional tour begins with a visit to the mountain-top castle of St Hilarion and beautiful village of Bellapais – home to the preserved ruins of a Gothic abbey. This idyllic spot was home for three years to celebrated writer Lawrence Durrell, who chronicled his stay here in his novel Bitter Lemons. Wander the ruins of the abbey, stepping back in time, before heading to Kyrenia with its horseshoe-shaped harbour and entrance to its imposing medieval castle – a picture-perfect scene enhanced by the festive decorations of the cafés and shops that fringe the harbour at this time of year.

Day 7

Your final optional excursion gives you the chance to explore the unspoilt Karpas Peninsula, a rugged spit of land fringed by some of the island's bluest waters, dotted with old villages and home to herds of wild donkeys and the remote Apostolos Andreas monastery, famous for its holy well. You’ll also visit an olive oil producer and, weather permitting, Golden Beach.

Day 8

Bid farewell to your Cypriot hosts and transfer back to the airport for your return flight.

Salamis Bay Conti Resort

The Salamis Bay Conti Resort is locally rated five stars, and boasts a wonderful seafront location just north of Famagusta. It even has its own stretch of private sandy beach.

Hotel Facilities & Amenities

The facilities at the resort include indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and wellness centre with a sauna and Turkish bath, as well as a gym and tennis court. There are numerous places to eat and drink, including the main buffet restaurant, a poolside bar, a snack bar, a patisserie, and a Turkish and Chinese restaurant (extra charge).

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour and 10 minutes from Larnaca and two hours and 30 minutes from Paphos.

European closing times

Shops in Europe will generally close from early afternoon on Christmas Eve until 27th December. Included tours and excursions have been chosen for their scenic or historic value.

Terms and conditions

BONUS50 TERMS: This offer applies to UK and European air holidays lasting five nights or more. The offer is available on new bookings made between 18th February and 11th March (inclusive) only. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with Late Availability pricing, is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Offer excludes Wimbledon packages and Lapland Santa Experience Day Trips. Prices shown when booking do not include the discount. The £50 per person discount will be applied to your booking once the promo code BONUS50 has been entered, and will be confirmed before purchase. The discount applies to your final holiday price (excluding insurance if selected) at the time of booking.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Foreign Office travel advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Combining hotel transfers

We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Passport information

European Union citizens travelling across the border from Southern Cyprus to Northern Cyprus must have passports valid for at least two months beyond the date of their crossing. Visitors from outside the EU must have passports valid for at least six months beyond the date of their crossing.

Holiday provided by

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Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Salamis Bay Conti Resort

Hotel transfer times

European closing times

Terms and conditions

Itinerary changes

Foreign Office travel advice

Combining hotel transfers

Special requirements

Disabled access

Passport information

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