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Kyrenia Centre, Zeytinlik and Karakum: living in town

The historic centre of Kyrenia has the harbour and the castle. The castle was built around a Byzantine core and later enlarged by the Lusignans and the Venetians; the Shipwreck Museum inside displays a merchant ship dated to around 300 BC. To the west, Zeytinlik, on the hillside, is known for its olive festival; to the east, Karakum, on the coast, takes its name from the Turkish for "black sand".

All three neighbourhoods come under Kyrenia municipality. The shops and the open market are in Kyrenia Centre; the primary, secondary and high schools are in Kyrenia Centre and Karakum.

Reviewed by: Onur Dokuzoğlu, architect · Updated: 13 November 2026

Prepared with the help of AI.

listings for sale
148listings for sale
listings to rent
40listings to rent
to Nicosia
25 kmto Nicosia
to Ercan
47 kmto Ercan
Kyrenia CentreZeytinlikKarakum

Kyrenia Centre, Zeytinlik and Karakum compared

Kyrenia CentreZeytinlikKarakum
To Kyrenia Castle (by road)The castle is here4 km3 km
LocationAround the harbour and the marketTo the west, on the hillsideTo the east, on the coast
Listings: for sale / to rent134 / 3812 / 22 / 0
State schoolsNursery, primary school, secondary school, high schoolNone confirmed within the areaNursery, primary school, secondary school
Population (2011 census)20,8511,090722
Of noteCastle, museums, open-air marketOlive festivalBeach, university

Kyrenia Centre. The castle, the old harbour and the museums are all within walking distance. An academic study from 2023 notes that shops, offices and apartment blocks stand side by side along the main roads in the centre, and that most homes are in apartment blocks. In Kyrenia (Girne), the 2011 census counted 4,471 people in Lower Kyrenia and 16,380 in Upper Kyrenia.

Zeytinlik. A village on the northern slope of the Kyrenia Mountains (Beşparmak), formerly called Templos. The 2011 census counts the village and the residential quarter separately: 622 people in Zeytinlik village and 468 in the Zeytinlik quarter.

Karakum. On the coast, east of Kyrenia. Karakum Beach, the University of Kyrenia and three state schools are here. The 2011 census counted 722 people.

The seaward walls of Kyrenia Castle
Photo: A.Savin, FAL, Wikimedia Commons
Boats in Kyrenia's old harbour
Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Getting around: Kyrenia is 25 km from Nicosia and 47 km from Ercan

Distances and times are Google Maps driving estimates for Friday 13 November 2026, between 11.15 and 11.25.

RouteDistance · estimated time
Zeytinlik (Templos) – Kyrenia Castle4 km · 14 min
Karakum (Karakoumi) – Kyrenia Castle3 km · 19 min
Kyrenia Castle – Nicosia (Dereboyu)25 km · 34 min
Kyrenia Castle – Ercan Airport47 km · 50 min

Short distances in the centre can take a long time: when we checked, the 3 km Karakum road was estimated at 19 minutes. On 27 August 2026 the municipality announced a digital payment partnership that also covers parking meters. On 18 September 2026 a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights began operating on a trial basis outside Osman Nejat Konuk Ortaokulu (state secondary school) in Karakum; the same announcement said two more crossings are planned on this road.

New listings in the area

Schools in Kyrenia Centre and Karakum

State schools with a Kyrenia address:

  • Girne Maarif Anaokulu (state nursery school; Sedat Simavi Caddesi)
  • 23 Nisan İlkokulu (state primary school; Sedat Simavi Caddesi)
  • Mustafa Çağatay İlkokulu (state primary school; Öğretmen Ahmet Hamdi Sokak)
  • Oğuz Veli Ortaokulu (state secondary school; Naci Talat Caddesi)
  • Anafartalar Lisesi (state high school; Atatürk Caddesi)
  • 19 Mayıs Türk Maarif Koleji (state college; Hakkı Borataş Caddesi)
  • Girne Turizm Meslek Lisesi (state vocational high school)

In Karakum:

  • Karakum Anaokulu (state nursery school)
  • KTEV Şehit Hasan Cafer İlkokulu (state primary school; Dereboyu Sokak)
  • Osman Nejat Konuk Ortaokulu (state secondary school)
  • University of Kyrenia (Şehit Yahya Bakır Sokak)

The school or the Ministry of National Education can tell you which school to register with and how many places are left. The colleges take pupils by entrance exam.

Kyrenia state hospital

Kyrenia's state hospital is on Karaoğlanoğlu Caddesi, in the Zeytinlik neighbourhood. Since 2 October 2026, the services of Dr. Akçiçek Hospital have been provided here.

The Wednesday Market and Girne Fest

In Kyrenia, the open-air market appears in municipality announcements as the Wednesday Market ("Çarşamba Pazarı"). The municipality's 2026 Girne Fest programme ran from 28 August to 11 October.

Karakum Beach

The municipality tests the seawater at Karakum Beach at two points. In the 7 August 2026 test, both types of bacteria it checks for were at zero at both points. This is the result for a single day, so you can ask the municipality for the latest test.

Questions to ask at a viewing: water, sewerage, parking, rain

Water

Check how big the water tank is and what the water pressure is like in the house.

Sewerage

Ask for documents showing whether the house is connected to the municipality's sewer network. In June 2026 the mayor named three problems the municipality is working on: overflowing pipes, pumping stations and treatment capacity.

Parking

Ask whether the building has its own car park and how many cars it takes.

Walking

Walk the streets around the house: a study dated 2023 notes that some streets in the centre have narrow pavements or none at all.

Rain

According to a statement from the municipality reported in the local press, the west of Zeytinlik flooded during heavy rain on 24 January 2026. On 23 September 2026 the municipality announced that work on the rainwater drains was still going on. Ask the neighbours what the road is like when it rains.

Electricity and internet

Ask which appliances the house's backup system can run during a power cut, and check with the provider which internet connection is live at the address.

Kyrenia Castle, the Shipwreck Museum and the harbour

Kyrenia Castle

No one knows when the castle was first built; the core of what stands today is linked to Byzantine defences of the 7th century. It first appears in written sources in 1191. Between 1208 and 1211 it gained a new entrance, towers and dungeons; after 1489 the Venetians gave it its present shape, with thick walls and gun towers. In 1570 it surrendered to the Ottoman army without a fight, and under British rule it served as a prison and a police school. The Church of St George inside the walls dates from the 12th century. In the winter season (1 November 2026–31 March 2027) it is open from 08.00 to 17.00, with last entry at 16.00.

Shipwreck Museum (inside the castle)

The museum displays a merchant ship from around 300 BC, together with its cargo. A sponge diver found the wreck in 1965, about 1 kilometres off the coast at a depth of 30 metres; a team from the University of Pennsylvania raised it in 1968–1969.

Carob Warehouse and Cyprus House Museum (on the harbour front)

On display are an olive mill, farm tools, weaving and handicrafts. In the winter season it is open on weekdays from 08.00 to 15.30, with last entry at 15.00, and it is closed on public holidays.

Archangelos Michael Icon Museum

The Department of Antiquities and Museums lists it as closed in its winter schedule for 2026–2027; check with the department before you go.

Olive festival in Zeytinlik

The 25th Kyrenia International Zeytinlik Olive Festival was announced in the 2026 programme for 30 September–4 October. The same programme also included the Golden Olive Humour Service Awards and an exhibition of entries from the international cartoon competition.

Kyrenia, Templos and Karakoumi: what are these names?

Written sources also give Kyrenia as Keryneia, Zeytinlik as Templos and Karakum as Karakoumi. The name Templos is usually linked to the Knights Templar, and the name Zeytinlik has been in use since 1975.

Agencies with listings here

Nearby areas

Frequently asked questions

How far are Nicosia and Ercan from Kyrenia?

By road, it is 25 kilometres from Kyrenia Castle to Nicosia (Dereboyu) and 47 kilometres to Ercan Airport.

Where is the state hospital in Kyrenia?

Kyrenia's state hospital is on Karaoğlanoğlu Caddesi, in the Zeytinlik neighbourhood.

Is there a high school in Kyrenia?

Yes: Anafartalar Lisesi, 19 Mayıs Türk Maarif Koleji and Girne Turizm Meslek Lisesi.

When is Kyrenia Castle open?

In winter (until 31 March 2027) it is open from 08.00 to 17.00, with last entry at 16.00. Check current opening hours with the Department of Antiquities and Museums.

How old is the shipwreck?

It dates from around 300 BC, which makes it about 2,300 years old.

What day is market day in Kyrenia?

The open-air market is known as the Wednesday Market; the municipality can confirm the current day and times.

How warm is the sea in Cyprus?

According to the Meteorological Office's 1991–2020 averages, the sea around North Cyprus averages 28.4 °C in August and 21.8 °C over the year. The average annual air temperature is 19.5 °C and annual rainfall is 387 mm.

Sources and check dates

Prices and listing counts come from Evlek listings. Distances and travel times come from Google Maps. Sources and the dates they were checked for all other information are listed below.

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