Varosha: The Ghost Resort Town In Cyprus
Wikimedia CommonsThe abandoned beachside town of Varosha.
Before 1974, Varosha was the jewel of Famagusta, Cyprus — a glamorous resort town that attracted international celebrities, wealthy tourists, and sun-seekers to its pristine beaches. Various hotels lined the waterfront, luxury apartment buildings housed well-heeled residents, and the district boasted sophisticated shops, restaurants, and nightclubs.
Varosha was one of Cyprus’ leading tourist destinations and a symbol of the island’s prosperity. That all changed in 1974. That summer, Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, following a Greek-sponsored coup on the island.
As Turkish forces advanced toward Famagusta, Varosha’s 39,000 Greek Cypriot residents fled in panic, hoping to return once the conflict subsided.
Turkish troops captured the city on August 14, 1974, but rather than occupying Varosha, they fenced it off entirely. The district was sealed so it could be used as a bargaining chip amidst Turkey and Greece’s ongoing territorial dispute over Cyprus. Turkey maintained that Varosha’s return would depend on a much broader political settlement.
Wikimedia CommonsThe crumbling, abandoned hotels lining the Varosha shore.
Under Turkish military control, Varosha became a “forbidden zone.” UN resolutions later called for the handover of Varosha to UN control, but the area remained largely inaccessible to its former inhabitants and the public. Over time, buildings in Varosha began deteriorating from long-term neglect, and vegetation overtook many of the surrounding streets.
Reports from permitted visits in recent years described homes with tables still set for meals, shops with goods on shelves, and abandoned cars. One former resident, Vasia Markides, said, “The picture that I had in my mind was of a kind of paradise. But it felt like some sort of post-apocalyptic nightmare.”
As Business Insider reported, the town was eventually reopened to Turkish Cypriots to explore in 2020 and later to anyone with a valid passport, but many areas in Varosha remain blocked off to this day.
Unsurprisingly, the crumbling ghost town is still a far cry from the lavish resort it had once been back in the early 1970s.
