Girne — known to Greeks and in older literature as Kyrenia — is the most picturesque town in northern Cyprus, built around a small Ottoman-era harbour backed by a Byzantine and Lusignan castle. The town sits at the foot of the Kyrenia Range, a spine of limestone mountains that runs along the northern coast of the island, and the combination of harbour, castle, and mountain backdrop makes it an appealing base.
The old harbour is lively in the evenings, with restaurants occupying the waterfront buildings. Kyrenia Castle, which encloses the Shipwreck Museum, dominates the harbour entrance. Belapais Abbey, about 6 km east of town in the hills, is one of the finest Gothic ruins in the eastern Mediterranean — Lawrence Durrell lived nearby and wrote about it in Bitter Lemons of Cyprus.
Before 1974 Girne was a significant tourist resort. The conflict left many of the old hotels unused, but the town has since developed its own character, drawing visitors from Turkey and further afield. Ferries connect Girne to Taşucu and Mersin on the Turkish coast.