NorthCyprusToday — the paper of Northern Cyprus

🏖️ Season on the island

Tourist season peaks as the north opens its harbours, beaches and old towns

From Girne harbour to the Karpaz beaches, the island is in full summer swing. At the same time universities open their entrance exams and the new academic year begins — a double wave of visitors and new residents.

On the wire today

✈️

TUI halts all trips to Northern Cyprus Breaking

German travel giant TUI suspends all Northern Cyprus tours from August 2026, citing safety concerns — a heavy blow to the island's tourism.

TUI, one of Europe's largest tour operators, has announced it will halt all package tours to Northern Cyprus starting August 2026. The company cited 'security concerns' as the reason, though no specific incident was named. The decision is expected to hit hotels, restaurants and tour operators across Girne, Gazimağusa and the Karpaz.

Tourism professionals on the island are calling for an urgent government response. The TRNC tourism ministry has not yet issued an official statement.

◆ source: ncyprus.com.tr

🛂

TRNC residence permit: application window closing

The TRNC Ministry of Interior confirms the current residence permit window closes in 2026 and will not be extended.

Applicant numbers have surged in the final days. If you haven't applied, prepare a passport, proof of address and the fee payment in advance — don't leave it to the last day. The document list and procedure are on icisleri.gov.ct.tr.

◆ source: @KiprNovosti

💊

On-duty pharmacies in the TRNC, 13 July

Today's up-to-date list of on-duty pharmacies across the north.

As every day, the list of on-duty (nöbetçi) pharmacies is out — the ones open in the evening and overnight when ordinary pharmacies are closed. Duty rotates by district, so there is one on call in Girne, Lefkoşa, Gazimağusa, İskele and Güzelyurt.

An on-duty pharmacy must dispense prescription and first-need medicines outside normal hours. The address and phone of today's specific pharmacy are in the source channel — the list is refreshed daily.

◆ source: @KiprNovosti

⛽

Oil prices fall, but fuel in the north stays put

World oil prices slide, yet petrol and diesel at the pumps are unchanged — residents are asking why.

Crude has fallen on world markets in recent weeks, but the price on the forecourts of the north has stayed put. Drivers ask why the drop in the raw material isn't reaching the pump.

The retail price in the TRNC is not built from the crude cost alone: taxes, the exchange rate, logistics and importers' margin all feed into it, and can hold the price even as a barrel gets cheaper. No official tariff revision has been announced.

◆ source: @KiprNovosti

⚖️

Jailed for an illegal border crossing, caught at Ercan

A resident jailed for an illegal buffer-zone crossing, detained at Ercan about a year on.

A court sentenced a resident of northern Cyprus to prison for illegally crossing the buffer zone. According to the investigation, about a year ago he left through a military zone, bypassing the official crossing points.

He was caught on his return at Ercan Airport, where the border check flagged him. The case is a reminder that crossing the Green Line outside the checkpoints is a criminal offence carrying a real prison term.

◆ source: @KiprNovosti

✈️

Ercan Airport: passenger traffic up 8.24% in H1 2026

2.8 million passengers in the first half of the year, peaking in May.

In H1 2026 about 2.8 million passengers passed through Ercan Airport — up 8.24% year on year, peaking in May.

The growth is tied to new routes and the expanded terminal opened in recent years. Ercan is the main air gateway of the north, and its load climbs with the tourist flow and the arrival of students.

◆ @northcyprusfaq

🌐

Fibre-optic to homes across the TRNC

Districts, schools and hospitals to be connected by end-2027 — a step toward digital independence.

The TRNC has announced a programme to bring fibre-optic to homes. By the end of 2027 the fibre is meant to reach districts, schools and hospitals across the north.

Fibre gives noticeably faster and more stable internet than the current lines. The authorities call it a step toward the north's 'digital independence' and the growth of communication services.

◆ @starojilkipra

🛂

Residence permit · verified first-hand info

Move to Northern Cyprus without surprises

Four honest routes to residence — student, short-term, family and permanent. Documents, timelines, cost and the exact procedure — no myths, no dodgy middlemen.

Open the 4 guides →

🗓️Events Live

All events →

Girne

Old Harbour summer nights

Live music, seafood terraces and craft stalls along the historic Girne harbour every weekend.

Fri–Sun · all summer

Universities

Entrance exams & placement week

EMU, Near East and Cyprus International hold entrance and English-proficiency exams for the new intake.

Late summer

Bellapais

Bellapais Abbey music evenings

Classical concerts under the Gothic arches of the mountain abbey above Girne.

Weekly · summer season

New residents

New academic year & student orientation

Orientation days, dorm move-ins and welcome fairs as thousands of students arrive for September.

From September

Famagusta

Walled-city evening tours

Guided walks through the Venetian walls, Othello Castle and Lala Mustafa Pasha mosque.

Tue & Thu · evenings

Güzelyurt

Citrus & harvest weekend

Orange groves, village markets and local produce in the citrus heartland of the west.

Season weekends

🧭New on the island

The essentials for your first weeks

💳

Money & SIM

The currency is the Turkish lira. Pick up a local SIM (Turkcell / KKTC Telsim) at the airport or in town.

🚗

Driving

Traffic drives on the left. A car is close to essential outside the city centres — rentals are easy to find.

📋

Residence

Short stays are visa-free for many; for longer, apply for a residence permit (öğrenci / kısa dönem).

🩺

Health

Private clinics are widespread and English-friendly; keep travel or private insurance for your first months.

🏡Property Live

All property →

İskele · Long Beach

Front-line studios & 1+1 apartments

First line of Long Beach — studios and one-bedroom flats with a low entry point and long instalments.

from £49,000 · 35% down · 30 mo

◆ @kibrishome

Girne · Doğanköy

Furnished 2+1, a step from Bella Marine

Move-in-ready two-bedroom flat in Doğanköy, minutes from the Bella Marine seafront.

Furnished · ready to move in

◆ @kibrishome

New build · phase two

Fully furnished villas, phase-two release

Second-phase villas with full furnishing included — launch pricing held for a limited window.

from £154,900 · until 7 Oct

◆ @kibrishome

🧯

Buyer's guide

Safety checklist for buying a new-build

After the Long Beach fire — what to check before you buy: always confirm evacuation routes and fire escapes.

◆ @starojilkipra

🧳Relocation Live

All relocation →

🛂

Analysis

Schengen for the TRNC: pros and cons

Easier travel on one hand — but a real risk of cementing the Green Line as an EU border on the other.

◆ @starojilkipra

🎙️

Interview

The market through a practitioner's eyes

An interview with Elena Medkova, director of Etazhi Northern Cyprus — 26 years in the property market.

◆ @starojilkipra

🧭

More on relocation, coming

Residence permits, importing a car, opening a business as a foreigner and schools for expat children — next up.

🗂️More sections

Rolling out across the island

🎭 Soon

Leisure

Beaches, marinas, hikes in the Beşparmak range, nightlife, festivals and family days out.

🍽️ Soon

Food

Meze tables, seafood on the harbour, village kebab houses and the best coffee across the north.

🛠️ Teaser

Specialists & services

A trusted directory of Russian-speaking specialists — lawyers, doctors, agents, tutors, repairs — coming next.

➕

More coming

Jobs, community notices, classifieds and health — added as the paper grows with you.

🏙️The cities

Turkish names · one island, six centres

Home of Long Beach — the longest sandy shore in the north — and a huge, fast-growing Russian-speaking community of holidaymakers and new residents.

Explore İskele →

The harbour town — castle, marina, mountain villages and most of the expat life on the north coast.

Explore Girne →

The capital — the walled old city, government offices, universities and everyday business of the north.

Explore Lefkoşa →

The old port of the east — Venetian walls, Othello Castle, a big student campus and long sandy beaches.

Explore Famagusta →

The agricultural, greenest region in the west — famous for its citrus and fruit orchards.

Explore Güzelyurt →

The youngest district in the west — mountain air and closeness to the sea draw lovers of quiet living and nature.

Explore Lefke →

✉️

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Tourist season peaks as the north opens its harbours, beaches and old towns

Move to Northern Cyprus without surprises

🗓️Events Live

Old Harbour summer nights

Entrance exams & placement week

Bellapais Abbey music evenings

New academic year & student orientation

Walled-city evening tours

Citrus & harvest weekend

🧭New on the island

Money & SIM

Driving

Residence

Health

🏡Property Live

Front-line studios & 1+1 apartments

Furnished 2+1, a step from Bella Marine

Fully furnished villas, phase-two release

Safety checklist for buying a new-build

🧳Relocation Live

Schengen for the TRNC: pros and cons

The market through a practitioner's eyes

More on relocation, coming

🗂️More sections

Leisure

Food

Specialists & services

More coming

🏙️The cities

İskele

Girne

Lefkoşa

Famagusta

Güzelyurt (Morphou)

Lefke

Get the island in your inbox