Travel ideas for Cyprus - unique sights, worth Guinness records

The main mystical attraction of Cyprus is the abandoned Berengaria Hotel. Its opening has taken place over 80 years ago. The luxury hotel has been focused on the wealthiest tourists and has brought considerable income to the owner. After the founder's death, his business was inherited by three sons, but they have failed to establish the work. They often quarreled and became hostages to their own greed, so once brothers turned into bitter enemies. Soon all three died under mysterious circumstances, and the once luxurious hotel was abandoned.
Staff out of there was taken by locals, which became the first witnesses of unexplained phenomena occurring at the hotel. Many of them believe that spirits of dead brothers live in the walls of the hotel even these days. By nightfall, you can see ghosts and hear the voices of men who fiercely argue about something. Visiting the hotel after dark is extremely dangerous, not only because of the high probability to meet the ghost of one of the former owners. Blighted buildings are very dilapidated and may collapse any time. Numerous snakes, which have chosen abandoned ruins as their home, add even more mystery to these places. ... Complete sights collection

Among the abandoned cities of the world there are many large resorts. Cypriot town of Varosha is among them. Just a few decades ago it was one of the most popular and prosperous resorts on the island. Everything changed in 1974 when the city turned to be occupied by the Turkish army. Local residents were forced from their homes and the resort was strictly forbidden to the visitors. Varosha has been standing empty since then and is being gradually destroyed.
Brave tourists who manage to enter the territory of the closed city have an opportunity to observe old hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, which the resort was famous for. Many homes and offices have been looted, a terrible mess reigns in homes – all valuables have long been taken away. In 1974 the city's population consisted of more than 16 000 people. All of them have been leaving their homes hoping to be able to return.
Those hopes have not been realised. Until today Varosha remains a disputed territory, in addition, part of the town is still occupied by a Turkish military base. As mentioned above the town is a closed territory prohibited from entering. Military men are regularly patrolling the streets, but that does not seem to bother curious tourists. The empty coast of the resort looks especially interesting. There have survived umbrellas and lounges from more than forty years ago. One can see the remaining wooden terraces of restaurants and furnished rest areas. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most beautiful and interesting for visiting amphitheatres is located in Kourion. It will amaze travellers with its majestic appearance, the beauty of the preserved antique mosaics and the magnificent panoramic view that opens from spectators’ seats. The antique landmark is very popular with travellers. For them, part of the amphitheater has been covered with galleries that prevent penetration of the rays of the hot sun.
The Amphitheater in Kourion was built by the ancient Greeks in the 2nd century BC and was later rebuilt several times by the ancient Romans. This is one of the oldest arenas in the world, preserved until our days. As the old town of Kourion was abandoned in the Middle Ages, researchers discovered the amphitheater relatively recently, only in mid-20th century. The arena was found in archaeological excavations. Archaeologists have discovered fragments of old villas and other ancient buildings in the immediate vicinity.
After the last reconstruction, the theater was completed with a beautiful lighting system. On its stage, interesting performances of the plays of Euripides, Sophocles and Aristophanes are staged. The theater is also used as a venue for music concerts. The Amphitheater of Kourion is not as big and can accommodate only 3500 spectators. Today, it is recommended to purchase tickets to the ancient theater in advance. ... Complete sights collection

One of the world's most famous ghost town of Famagusta is located in Cyprus. Today, it’s difficult to imagine that a few years ago this place has been a popular holiday destination for thousands of tourists. The popular resort town once completely emptied because of the war between Greece and Turkey. By some quirk of fate, the city was on the border between the two rival states. Today, it is fenced with a barbed wire. For many years, the two countries can not come to an agreement about one that has to own a former resort town.
Over the years, the city was completely looted. Almost all the buildings on its territory can not be reversed. An access to the city is strictly prohibited and may be life-threatening, because military forces are constantly watching the disputed territory. Modern travelers have an opportunity to admire the town only from behind the barbed wire. Famagusta is quite a big city. The first mention of it dates back to 3 century BC. Once, there was a small village of fishermen. Its golden age occurred in the period from 1960 to 1970.
During this period, its area has grown substantially, and the population reached a record of 40 000 people. The city had a highly developed industrial sector. There were large factories producing tobacco, food, clothing, and transport equipment. The tourist industry raised significant funds too. In 1974, Turkish troops invaded the city. It was empty in a few days. Now it is slowly being destroyed under the influence of the moist sea climate. ... Complete sights collection

You can see the ruins of the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia in the vicinity of the city of Larnaca in Cyprus. It was formed in the 7th Millennium BC. The settlement lasted for more than 3,000 years. The unique archaeological area was discovered about a hundred years ago. It was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1998. It was found out in the course of numerous studies that a stone wall of impressive size surrounded the territory of the settlement. Its height was 3 meters, and its thickness was about 2.5 meters.
The main objects of the ancient settlement were small round buildings. Their internal diameter varied from 1.4 to 4.8 meters. Some of these buildings had a residential purpose. The area for the hearth was allocated in them. They also had windows. There were also many outbuildings for various purposes on the territory of the settlement. The ancient city of Choirokoitia completely fell into disrepair at the beginning of the 4th Millennium BC. The reasons why locals left the city remain unknown to modern researchers.
About 600 people lived in the ancient city during its heyday. Locals were engaged in farming and cattle breeding. Numerous studies have shown that the cult of the dead was widespread among locals. Burials were formed directly under the floor of residential buildings. Many items were found by researchers in the burial sites. These were jewelry, weapons, utensils, and other artifacts. The main attraction of the archaeological area is considered to be the foundation of ancient dwellings today. Researchers found human images on some stone fragments. They are the oldest found on the territory of Cyprus. ... Complete sights collection