Skip to content

Esentepe, Bahçeli, Karaağaç and Beşparmak: four villages east of Kyrenia

Four villages east of Kyrenia, on the northern slopes of the Kyrenia Mountains. Alagadi, on the Esentepe coast, has been protected since 1997; two species of sea turtle nest on its beaches. Antiphonitis Church, on the hillside above Bahçeli, dates from the end of the 12th century or the start of the 13th. The Apricot Festival is held in Esentepe every May.

All four villages come under Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality. Esentepe has a primary school, a health centre and a police station.

Reviewed by: Onur Dokuzoğlu, architect · Updated: 14 November 2026

Prepared with the help of AI.

to Kyrenia Castle
18–33 kmto Kyrenia Castle
listings for sale
101listings for sale
from Esentepe to Ercan Airport
38 kmfrom Esentepe to Ercan Airport
turtle beach
Alagaditurtle beach
KaraağaçEsentepeBahçeli

Four villages side by side

BeşparmakKaraağaçEsentepeBahçeli
To Kyrenia Castle (by road)18 km27 km28 km33 km
Population (2011 census)302421,754388
Listings: for sale / to rent0 / 07 / 091 / 13 / 0
Known forJust below Beşparmak peakOlive and carob treesAlagadi, public beach, primary school, health centreAntiphonitis Church

Esentepe. The largest village in the area. Its old name is Agios Amvrosios. The Alagadi protected area, the municipality's public beach and a golf course are all on the Esentepe coast.

Bahçeli. The easternmost of the villages. Its old name, Kalograia, is Greek for "nun". A rock formation in the geology of the Kyrenia range is named after the village.

Karaağaç. The municipality's own description picks out its olive and carob trees. Its old name, Charkeia, is linked to the meaning "copper workshops".

Beşparmak. The village sits just below Beşparmak peak, which gives the range its name, and 30 people were counted here in 2011. Its old name, Trapeza, is Greek for "table". There are no listings in this village on Evlek today.

The Alagadi coast
Photo: CAPTAIN RAJU, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
A shingle shore east of Esentepe
Photo: Manfred & Barbara Aulbach, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Getting around: 18–33 km to Kyrenia, 38 km to Ercan

RouteDistance · estimated time
Beşparmak (Trapeza) – Kyrenia Castle18 km · 38 min
Karaağaç (Charkeia) – Kyrenia Castle27 km · 48 min
Esentepe (Agios Amvrosios) – Kyrenia Castle28 km · 48 min
Bahçeli (Kalograia) – Kyrenia Castle33 km · 51 min
Esentepe – Ercan Airport38 km · 53 min
Esentepe – Nicosia (Lefkoşa), Dereboyu41 km · 1 hr 4 min

Driving times from Google Maps, checked on Friday 13 November 2026 at 18.05, in the evening rush hour.

The road to Kyrenia runs through Çatalköy. In October 2026 the Ministry of Public Works and Transport said it had given instructions to finish the remaining 2 km or so of the Kyrenia–Çatalköy road. We could not find a published bus timetable between the villages or into Kyrenia; if you plan to live without a car, check with the municipality.

New listings in the area

School, health centre and police station in Esentepe

  • School. Esentepe İlkokulu (state primary school) opened its new 14-classroom building on 5 October 2026. On the same day, the mayor said the aim is to bring a secondary school and a vocational high school to the area. The Ministry of National Education decides which secondary school and high school serve the area.
  • Healthcare. Esentepe Health Centre is on Gümüş Sokak. The nearest state hospital is Kyrenia (Girne) State Hospital, on Karaoğlanoğlu Caddesi in Zeytinlik, which opened on 2 October 2026.
  • Municipality and police station. The municipality's Esentepe office is on Atatürk Caddesi, and Esentepe Police Station is also in the village.

Alagadi turtle beach and Esentepe public beach

Alagadi

The Alagadi Special Environmental Protection Area was declared on 25 August 1997, and more than half of its 10.19 square kilometres is sea. Green and loggerhead turtles nest on its beaches, and the nesting season runs from May to October. The Environmental Protection Department announced that a total of 1,585 nests were counted on the Alagadi and Akdeniz beaches in 2024.

The protected area's management plan, dated 2011, says the beaches are closed between 20.00 and 08.00 throughout the season, that entry to Alagadi is free, and that the turtle society runs an information centre here. Current rules are announced by the Environmental Protection Department.

Esentepe public beach

The beach is run by the municipality. According to the local press, edition 1 of the Esentepe Sports Festival opened here in July 2026.

Questions to ask at a viewing: water, sewerage, electricity, internet

Water

Check the size of the water tank and the water pressure in the house. In July 2025 the mayor of the municipality said that not enough water was reaching homes in Çatalköy and Esentepe through the tanks. In Karaağaç, about 11 kilometres of drinking water main were renewed in 2026.

Sewerage

Ask to see documents showing whether the house is connected to the municipality sewer or uses a septic tank.

Electricity and internet

Ask which appliances the backup system runs during a power cut, and check with the provider which internet connection is active at the address.

Distance

On a Friday evening the drive from Esentepe takes 48 minutes to Kyrenia Castle and 53 minutes to Ercan Airport (Google Maps estimate).

Coast or hillside: indoors in summer

A study of 92 homes in Kyrenia in August 2025, with air conditioning or fans running, put 36 of the 46 hillside homes at 150–300 metres above sea level and 25 of the 46 coastal homes in the "neutral" band of the thermal comfort calculation. This is a calculation from measurements, not what residents reported. Indoor humidity was higher in the coastal homes. In the January measurements, the calculated thermal comfort indicators of the two groups showed no significant difference; indoor humidity and air speed did differ.

Antiphonitis Church and local festivals

Antiphonitis Church, Bahçeli

The church on the edge of Bahçeli village dates from the end of the 12th century or the start of the 13th century. Its narthex and south portico were added in the 14th–15th centuries. Inside are layers of frescoes from two separate periods. It is built on an eight-support plan, a church type of which few examples survive. Visiting hours are announced by the Department of Antiquities and Museums.

Apricot Festival, Esentepe

Çatalköy-Esentepe municipality holds its Apricot Festival in Esentepe every May. The 2026 festival was number 17 in the series.

Alagadi Fest

On 2026 the municipality announced that Alagadi Fest would run from 7 to 9 August.

Golf course

Esentepe has a golf course.

Where are Agios Amvrosios, Kalograia, Charkeia and Trapeza?

Sources also give Esentepe as Agios Amvrosios (Aygurush), Bahçeli as Kalograia, Karaağaç as Charkeia and Beşparmak as Trapeza. The names Esentepe and Bahçeli have been in use since 1975, and Karaağaç since 1976.

Agencies with listings here

Nearby areas

Frequently asked questions

How far is Esentepe from Kyrenia?

Kyrenia Castle is 28 kilometres away by road. Bahçeli is 33 kilometres, Karaağaç 27 and Beşparmak 18.

How far is Ercan Airport from Esentepe?

It is 38 kilometres by road, and Google Maps estimates 53 minutes on a Friday evening.

How many turtle nests are there at Alagadi?

According to the Department of Environmental Protection, 1,585 nests in total were counted on Alagadi and Akdeniz beaches in 2024.

When is Alagadi beach closed?

Under the management plan dated 2011, the beach is closed from May to October between 20.00 and 08.00; the Department of Environmental Protection announces the current rules.

Is Antiphonitis Church in Esentepe?

No; it is on the mountainside, within the boundary of Bahçeli village.

Does Esentepe have a school and a health centre?

Yes: a state primary school and Esentepe Health Centre.

Which municipality is Esentepe part of?

Çatalköy-Esentepe Municipality, which also covers Bahçeli, Karaağaç and Beşparmak.

When is the Apricot Festival?

Every year in May, on a date announced by the municipality. In 2026 it was held on 22–23 May.

Sources and check dates

Prices and listing counts come from Evlek listings. Distances and travel times come from Google Maps. Sources for everything else, with the dates they were checked, are listed below.

Report a correction