NORTHERN CYPRUS escorted explorations Of KYreniA And beyond STAYing AT THe OnAr VillAge HOTel

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1 NORTHERN CYPRUS Escorted explorations of Kyrenia and beyond staying at the Onar Village Hotel

2 northern cyprus - ancient & modern An escorted exploration of Kyrenia and beyond staying at the Onar Village hotel Kyrenia Castle and the Harbour Ballapais Abbey Cyprus with its significant position in the Eastern Mediterranean has, since the earliest times held great political importance. Greeks, Romans, Persians, Crusaders, Venetians and Ottomans have all left their mark on this beautiful island. This escorted itinerary focuses on the north of the island with its marvellous collection of sites from ancient Greek through to Venetian. Rather than rushing through the itinerary in the customary week, we have extended to a ten night trip, thereby allowing for some restful breaks in between the excursions. Northern Cyprus is still relatively unspoilt by the ravages of tourism and the development that goes with it and the base for our stay is the Onar Village Hotel, a delightful, family run property located just outside the harbour town of Kyrenia which we have been associated with for almost twenty years. The Itinerary Day 1 London to Larnaca. Fly by scheduled flight. Drive to the Onar Village Hotel, crossing the border to Kyrenia, for a ten night stay. Day 2 Kyrenia. A day of relaxation whilst you become acquainted with the delightful Onar Village Hotel. Day 3 Kyrenia. Drive up into the mountains to the 13th century Crusader castle of St Hilarion. The view of Kyrenia and the coastal plain is stunning from here. Continue to nearby Bellapais Abbey, a magnificent 13th century Gothic building in the village where Lawrence Durrell wrote Bitter Lemons. Drive down to picturesque old Kyrenia harbour and, after lunch, visit Kyrenia Castle with its unique Shipwreck Museum. Day 4 Famagusta & Salamis. Full day excursion to the old walled city of Gazimagusa (Famagusta), including Lala Mustapha Pasha Mosque (formerly St Nicholas Cathedral), the Othello Tower and the ruins of the Venetian Palace. Continue to the important ancient site of Salamis, a former capital of Cyprus. Lunch will be taken at Salamis by the beach. The day concludes with a visit to St Barnabas Monastery which is home to the Archeological and Icon Museum containing many ancient artefacts from local excavations. Day 5 Nicosia. This morning, drive to Lefkosa (Nicosia) and enjoy a walk around the city, visiting the Girne Gate, Venetian Column, the Buyuk Khan (a 16th century inn), the Selimiye Mosque (formerly St Sophia Cathedral) and a traditional Turkish House. Afternoon at leisure. Day 6 Kyrenia. A day of rest, or perhaps take the complimentary bus into Kyrenia for some individual exploration and lunch in one of the many outdoor restaurants that face the delightful harbour. Day 7 Soli & Vouni. Drive west to Guzelyurt (Morphou), surrounded by orange groves and market gardens. Continue to the 5th century B.C. palace of Vouni, from where there are breath-taking views of the sea and the Troodos Mountains. Visit the ruins of Soli, a Hellenistic and Roman city, famous for its 5th century Basilica with mosaic floors and a Roman theatre with seventeen tier stone seating. After lunch in a local restaurant, visit the nearby archaeological museum and Monastery of St Mamas. Day 8 Kantara. Today we will drive into the mountains for a climb to the Crusader castle of Kantara, high on a ridge with dramatic views. En-route we will stop at a picturesque fishing harbour. The excursion will include lunch in a local restaurant. Days 9 & 10 Kyrenia. Two days free for relaxation and individual sightseeing, perhaps taking an optional forest walk with barbeque. Day 11 Larnaca to London. Transfer to the airport for the return scheduled flight to London Departure Dates and Prices per person based on double occupancy 17th to 27th April; 1st to 11th May; 20th to 30th May, 1st to 11th June; 17th to 27th September; 6th to 16th October Hotel room with balcony 1295 Garden villa 1495 Sole occupancy of hotel room with balcony 1495 Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel, 10 night s hotel accommodation including breakfast and dinner daily, lunches on days 3, 4, 7 and 8, excursions with guide, entrance fees, tour manager, transfers, airport taxes. Not Included: Travel insurance, optional excursions, gratuities.

3 Ruins of St Hilarion Castle Music in Kyrenia An escorted tour of Northern Cyprus staying at the Onar Village Hotel in Kyrenia with London Festival Opera 28th September to 5th October 2015 Due to the continuing popularity of our music tours in collaboration with London Festival Opera, we are delighted to be hosting a music-themed stay at the Onar Village in the beautiful hilltop village of Kyrenia. Our regular travellers will be aware that we have offered tours to Northern Cyprus for many years, however we recently introduced a music theme to our programmes which has proven very popular with some excellent feedback received. The beautiful scenery, fascinating history and calming ambience are the perfect setting to listen to the captivating music of the great composers. London Festival Opera will perform in the atmospheric Bellapais Abbey and the Bedesten, a former Byzantine church in Nicosia. Our week will also include explorations of the surrounding area, to learn of the different periods of history which have all left their mark. London Festival Opera Joining us for our visit to Northern Cyprus will be members of London Festival Opera. Bringing together established opera singers from major British opera companies including the Royal Opera, English National Opera and Glyndebourne Festival Opera, London Festival Opera have achieved a considerable reputation for presenting opera and music performances internationally in palaces, castles, country houses, theatres, embassies, private homes and some of the leading opera houses of the world. Particular attention is given to the design and quality of their costumes which are as authentic as possible. The Itinerary Day 1 London to Larnaca. Fly by scheduled flight. Drive to the Onar Village Hotel, crossing the border to Kyrenia, for a seven night stay. Welcome drinks and dinner at the hotel. Day 2 Kyrenia. Today we visit Bellapais Abbey, a magnificent 13th century Gothic building in the village where Lawrence Durrell wrote Bitter Lemons. Our day continues with a drive down to the picturesque old Kyrenia harbour and, after lunch, we visit Kyrenia Castle with its unique Shipwreck Museum. Enjoy dinner and cocktails in the hotel this evening. Day 3 Kyrenia. We will drive up to the Kyrenia Mountains known as the Five Finger Mountains which run for 120 kilometres parallel to the North Cyprus coastline. After a BBQ lunch we return to the hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure. After an early dinner at the hotel we will transfer to Bellapais Abbey for a performance by London Festival Opera featuring the works of the great opera composers including Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Bizet and Puccini. Day 4 Nicosia. This morning, drive to Lefkosa (Nicosia) and enjoy a walk around the city, visiting the Girne Gate, Venetian Column, the Selimiye Mosque (formerly St Sophia Cathedral) and the Buyuk Khan (a 16th century

4 Kyrenia Harbour Gymnasium at the ancient site of Salamis Buyuk Khan, Nicosia inn). After lunch at Buyuk Khan we transfer to Bedesten for a matinee concert by London Festival Opera who will perform a programme of opera tracing the life of Maria Callas in words and music. Dinner at the hotel. Day 5 Famagusta & Salamis. Full day excursion to the old walled city of Gazimagusa (Famagusta), including Lala Mustapha Pasha mosque (formerly St Nicholas Cathedral). Continue to the important ancient site of Salamis, a former capital of Cyprus. Lunch will be taken at Salamis by the beach. Dinner tonight is at the hotel. Day 6 Kyrenia. Drive up into the mountains to the 13th century Crusader castle of St Hilarion. The view of Kyrenia and the coastal plain is stunning from here. The remainder of the day is at leisure. This evening we return to Bellapais Abbey for dinner and our final performance from London Festival Opera, A Night at the Opera featuring popular repertoire with highlights from the great operas of Verdi including Otello which is set in Cyprus. Day 7 Kyrenia. A day of rest, or perhaps take the complimentary bus into Kyrenia for some individual exploration and lunch in one of the many outdoor restaurants. This evening we transfer to the harbour for our farewell dinner in a delightful local restaurant. Day 8 Larnaca to London. Transfer to the airport for the return scheduled flight to London. NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ON THE FIRST FIVE HOTEL ROOM BOOKINGS Prices per person based on double occupancy Hotel room with balcony 1695 Garden villa 1895 Sole occupancy of hotel room with balcony 1895 Supplement for additional seven nights on half board basis without excursions Hotel room with balcony 395 Garden villa 495 Sole occupancy of hotel room with balcony 495 Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel, seven nights accommodation at the Onar Village on half board basis, 2 dinners at local restaurants as described, lunches on excursions (days 2-5), 3 London Festival Opera performances as described, excursions with guide, entrance fees, transfers, airport taxes. Not Included: Travel insurance, optional excursions, gratuities. Opera Venues During our escorted tour, there will be three opera performances by London Festival Opera in two magnificent settings: Bedesten: Situated in the town of Nicosia, Bedesten was constructed in the 12th century as a Byzantine church (The St. Nicholas Church). It was later enlarged with some Gothic annexes built by the Lusignans. After some more changes in the Venetian period, the building was given to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis. The building with its different architectural styles is of a hybrid nature. In the Ottoman period, it served as a depot and a market where mostly textile products were sold. The masonry on its northern entrance resembles the masonry on the entrance of the St. Sophia Cathedral. Bellapais Monastery: This Gothic building derives its name from French - Abbaye de la Paix, meaning monastery of peace. Bellapais Village is built around this beautiful abbey, situated in the Five Finger Mountains near Kyrenia. The first building was constructed between 1198 A.D. and 1205 A.D. Later, between 1267 A.D. and 1284 A.D. French King Hugh III gave it the present shape that exists today. The pavilions around the courtyard and the refectory were constructed during the reign of King Hugh IV between 1324 A.D. and 1359 A.D. The Italian frescoes on the front walls were made in the 15th century. When the island was captured by the Ottomans, the building was given to the Greek Orthodox Church who built the 13th century abbey church present today. Much of the Bellapais Monastery now consists of picturesque ruins with great Gothic arches and towering stone walls. Many music events are held in the Refectory Hall which has excellent acoustics. +44 (0)

5 Onar Village HOTEL The Onar Village Hotel has an enviable location just outside Kyrenia occupying elevated ground with magnificent views over the sea and surrounded by lovely gardens. The relaxing and traditional hospitality at the family-run hotel make the Onar Village an ideal retreat for a relaxing break. Your Accommodation There are 18 garden villas and 44 hotel rooms. Both types of accommodation are air-conditioned and offer considerable comfort. The garden villas are set amongst landscaped pine tree gardens and consist of a double bedroom, sitting room, bathroom, kitchen, dining area, television, telephone and large patio. The hotel rooms are spacious and well designed with a balcony, bathroom, television, telephone and mini-bar. Your Space Hotel facilities include a large restaurant with sea views, a bar with outdoor terrace, an outside swimming pool with bar, indoor swimming pool, lounge and library, fitness room and health spa with sauna, Turkish bath and massage. There is also a complimentary daily shuttle service to and from the town and free wireless internet service in the restaurant, lounge and pool area. Hotel room with balcony Garden Villa Swimming pool with views of Kyrenia Indoor pool

6 Kyrenia Harbour 2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7BE +44 (0) info@noble-caledonia.co.uk Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request. Cover image: Ballapais Abbey. NC_001_021014_K