Bellapais: a Gothic abbey above the Northern Cyprus coast

Northern Cyprus is administered by Turkey, recognized only by Turkey; the United Nations considers it occupied territory.

A Gothic masterpiece in the hills above the sea

In 1953, the writer Lawrence Durrell rented a house in the village below this ruined Augustinian abbey and spent three years here, writing “Bitter Lemons of Cyprus” — his memoir of that period. He called Bellapais one of the most beautiful places he had ever lived. The abbey was already a ruin when Durrell arrived, its 13th-century Gothic nave open to the sky, its cloister arcades intact but empty. That has not changed.

Bellapais Abbey (from the French “Abbaye de la Paix” — Abbey of Peace) was founded in the early 13th century by the Lusignan kings who ruled Cyprus as a crusader kingdom. It is one of the most completely surviving Gothic monastic complexes in the Levant, and its combination of architectural quality, coastal mountain setting, and accessible ruin state makes it genuinely remarkable.

Where	8 km south of Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus
Cost	Entry fee paid on site; confirm the current price at the ticket booth
Time needed	60-90 minutes
Getting there	Hire car with Northern Cyprus insurance, or guided tour from Kyrenia
Best time	Morning for light on the refectory window; April-June or September-October for weather

What makes Bellapais special

The abbey occupies a terrace cut into the hillside above the village, at approximately 220 metres altitude. From the refectory’s great north window, and from the cloister garths, the view extends across the coastal plain to Kyrenia harbour and the sea beyond. On clear days in spring and autumn, the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey are visible on the horizon.

The ruins are extensive and well-preserved. The 14th-century refectory is the most intact major space — a vaulted hall with a decorated rib ceiling, a pulpit carved into the north wall (from which a monk would read scripture during meals), and three large Gothic windows facing north over the coastal plain. The cloister is complete on three sides, its arcades carrying elaborately carved column capitals. The church, to the south, is partly collapsed but retains its apse and south wall.

Bellapais village itself has grown up around the abbey over centuries. The village café below the abbey entrance — where Durrell spent many evenings — still functions under the famous mulberry tree he described. The village retains a quiet character, with a mixture of Turkish Cypriot families and European expatriate residents.

Reading the ruins as you walk

Bellapais rewards a slow visit more than a quick one, and it helps to have a rough order in mind. Most people enter, glance at the church, and head straight for the refectory because that is where the photographs are. A better rhythm is to start in the cloister, where the carved capitals are easiest to study before other visitors arrive, then walk into the refectory for the view, and only afterwards look back at the church and the surrounding walls.

The abbey was built as a working religious community, and the layout still shows it. The cloister was the centre of daily life: monks moved between the church, the dining hall and their living quarters under the covered arcades. Standing in the garth, the open square in the middle, you can trace those routes with your eyes. The refectory sits along one side so that the meal and the reading from the pulpit happened in a single, quiet room with the sea laid out below the windows.

Look at the stonework as well as the shapes. Gothic builders in the crusader kingdom brought French ideas about ribs, pointed arches and slender columns, and Bellapais is one of the places where those ideas survive in a form you can walk through rather than read about. The contrast between the delicate carving and the rough hillside is part of the appeal. If you have visited the Kourion ruins on the southern coast, the difference in period, material and mood is striking: Kourion is Greek and Roman and open to the sun, while Bellapais is cool, shaded and inward-looking.

The village around the abbey

The lanes below the abbey are worth a short wander before or after the ruins. Houses step down the slope, and gaps between them open onto the same view the monks had of the plain and the sea. It is a place for ambling rather than ticking off sights, and the café terrace is a natural place to sit once you have finished walking.

The atmosphere here is very different from the busy harbour at Kyrenia. Evenings are quiet, and the village feels closer to the mountain villages described in the traditional villages of Cyprus guide than to a seaside resort. If you enjoy that slower pace, consider arriving later in the afternoon, when the day-trip groups have thinned out and the light on the hillside turns warm.

Top things to do here

Explore the abbey ruins. Allow 60–90 minutes for a thorough visit. The refectory and cloister are the highlights. The carved capitals in the cloister reward close attention — medieval monsters, foliage, and human faces appear throughout.

Have coffee at the café under the mulberry tree. The café at the abbey entrance is not just a convenience stop — it is a place mentioned by Lawrence Durrell in his memoir and still recognisable from his descriptions. Sit and look at the view towards the sea.

Combine with St. Hilarion Castle. The two most important medieval sites in the Kyrenia region are 15 km apart. A private guide covers both comfortably in a half-day from Kyrenia.

St. Hilarion Castle and Bellapais Ruins – with Private Guide

Join a Kyrenia half-day tour covering both sites. Several operators offer morning or afternoon circuits combining Bellapais and St. Hilarion from Kyrenia harbour.

From Kyrenia: Half-Day St. Hilarion Castle & Bellapais Tour

Visit from Famagusta on a full northern loop. Tours from Famagusta that cover Kyrenia, Bellapais, and St. Hilarion make an efficient circuit of the main Kyrenia sites.

From North Cyprus: Kyrenia, St Hilarion Castle, Bellapais

Practical info

Border crossing. Bellapais is in Northern Cyprus. Enter via any official border crossing — from Kyrenia harbour or via the Nicosia crossings. Valid passport required. Your hire car needs supplementary insurance for Northern Cyprus.

Getting there. 8 km south of Kyrenia via the main road towards Nicosia and then the signed Bellapais turn-off. Drive time approximately 15 minutes. The village is narrow; park at the abbey car park below the entrance.

Entry fee. The fee is set locally and changes with the lira; confirm the current price at the ticket booth and bring local currency.

Opening hours. Hours vary by season and on public holidays; check them on site before you go.

Photography. Excellent throughout the site. The north window of the refectory is particularly dramatic — the arch frames the coastal view below.

When to visit. Spring (April–June) brings wildflowers to the hillside below the abbey and mild temperatures. October is excellent. July and August are hot — visit early morning.

Where to eat nearby

Bellapais village has the café under the mulberry tree at the abbey entrance, and one or two small restaurants in the village. Simple food at modest prices.

Kyrenia harbour (8 km north) has the widest range of restaurants in Northern Cyprus, from fresh fish at harbour-side restaurants to international cuisine. Worth the short drive for a proper lunch or dinner.

Crossing from the south for the day

Most visitors to Bellapais come from the Republic of Cyprus side, which means factoring the border crossing into your day. From Nicosia, the Ledra Street or Agios Dometios crossing is the most straightforward — present your passport, cross the buffer zone, and you are on the road to Kyrenia within minutes.

Republic of Cyprus car insurance does not cover the north, so budget €25-35 for a day’s supplementary policy at the crossing, or join an organised tour that handles this for you. The crossing to Northern Cyprus guide covers the practicalities in more detail, and the Northern Cyprus guide is worth reading before you go if this is your first visit to the north.

How it fits into a Cyprus itinerary

Bellapais is consistently paired with St. Hilarion Castle for a half-day or full-day Kyrenia circuit. Both are medieval, both have sea views, and together they represent the best of Lusignan-era architecture in Northern Cyprus. If you are crossing from the south for a day, the most logical loop from Nicosia crosses at Ledra Street, drives to Kyrenia for coffee, visits both Bellapais and St. Hilarion, and returns via the same crossing by evening. For those spending longer in the north, the St. Hilarion guide and the Kyrenia (Girne) guide fill out the rest of the region.

Planning the rest of your time in the north

A visit to Bellapais rarely stands alone, and what you pair it with depends on how long you have. For a single day, the St. Hilarion circuit described above is the natural choice. If you can spare more time, the walled city of Famagusta and the ancient site at Salamis make a very different second day, covered in the Famagusta walled city guide and the day trip to Famagusta and Salamis. The long, quiet Karpaz Peninsula suits travellers who want empty beaches and open country after the heritage sites.

Anyone building a longer trip that mixes both sides of the island will find Bellapais slotted into the 7 days with the north itinerary, and the day trip to Northern Cyprus guide lays out how a one-day visit from the south can be organised. If you are still deciding between bases in the north, the Kyrenia versus Famagusta comparison helps weigh the harbour town against the walled city.

Making the most of your visit

A few habits make the visit smoother. Wear shoes with decent grip, because the stone floors and steps inside the abbey can be uneven and worn. Bring water in warmer months, since shade is limited outside the covered parts of the cloister. Carry a little local currency for the entry kiosk and the café, as noted above, and keep your passport with you throughout the day in the north.

Take your time at the refectory window rather than snapping one photograph and moving on. The view changes with the light, and a few minutes of waiting often gives a clearer frame without other visitors in it. If you are travelling with children, the open spaces and the carved faces in the capitals tend to hold their attention better than a conventional museum, though the drops and uneven steps deserve a watchful eye.

Finally, leave room in the plan for the unexpected. Bellapais is small enough that you can see the main spaces in a morning, but it is the kind of place where lingering over a coffee turns into the best part of the day. Reading a few pages of Durrell’s memoir beforehand, or carrying them with you, adds a layer to the village that no signboard provides.

Frequently asked questions about Bellapais

Who was Lawrence Durrell and why is he associated with Bellapais?

Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990) was a British novelist best known for the Alexandria Quartet. He lived in Bellapais village from 1953 to 1956 and wrote “Bitter Lemons of Cyprus” about his experience there. The book remains one of the most readable accounts of pre-independence Cyprus and brought international attention to the village.

Is Bellapais better than St. Hilarion Castle?

They are different kinds of site. Bellapais is a ruined monastery with Gothic architecture at its most refined — better for those interested in medieval ecclesiastical architecture. St. Hilarion is a mountain castle with defensive towers and dramatic clifftop setting — better for those who like castle exploring and panoramic views. Most visitors find both worth seeing.

Do I need a tour to visit Bellapais?

No — independent visits are straightforward if you have a car with Northern Cyprus insurance. The site is well-signposted from Kyrenia.

Is Bellapais village safe and welcoming to visitors?

Yes. The village is quiet and well-accustomed to visitors. Turkish Cypriot villages in Northern Cyprus are generally hospitable to tourists from all backgrounds.

What is the best time of day to visit Bellapais?

Morning visits before noon get the best light on the north-facing refectory window. Late afternoon can be dramatic for the hillside colours. Avoid midday in July and August.