Seaside town once beloved by celebrities is now a crumbling haven for ‘dark tourism’ – World News
Varosha in Cyprus quickly transformed from a star-studded holiday destination into a ghost town after the conflict and “there is tremendous anger” about it, locals said
An abandoned hotel is seen on a beach in Varosha, Cyprus(
A beautiful seaside town that was once teeming with tourists – including Hollywood royalty – has remained a ghost town frozen in time for decades following the conflict.
Residents of Varosha, Cyprus remain furious at the situation, which has seen buildings collapse, areas cordoned off by the military and businesses closed for a long time.
Travel restrictions that have been in place for years were only eased slightly in 2003 and 2020 after the Turkish army invaded northern Cyprus in response to a 1974 coup attempt backed by the Greek junta.
The soldiers’ arrival prompted 180,000 Greek Cypriots to flee the northern third of Cyprus, including 15,000 residents of Varosia who had to abandon most of their possessions and belongings, the Express reports.
Varosha has become a ghost town despite being a busy tourist destination in the early 1970s(
Tens of thousands of Turkish nationals relocated to the occupied part of the island to create Northern Cyprus – a country recognized only by Ankara.
Previously, celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton vacationed in Varosha.
However, the neighborhood is now high on the list of gritty tourism destinations – a special type of tourism that involves travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy.
Costantinides, 53, who lives in the city, said: “There is tremendous anger over what has happened here. Turkey has committed a great crime. Today we are witnessing the same crime again.”
“It’s like they’re doing an autopsy and tourists come to see it. It’s a shame, a shame for humanity.”
A Turkish military shield can be seen in front of abandoned houses in the settlement(
Hubert Faustmann, Professor of History and International Relations at the University of Nicosia, said: “Varosha was intended as a bargaining chip from the start. In fact, during the negotiations, it was offered three times for various concessions by the Turkish-Cypriot side, the most.” What they have in common is that they wanted the port of Famagusta, but also Ercan Airport, to be opened to international traffic.
“The section was among the top tourist spots in terms of black tourism, so they started opening up certain parts of Varosha and it’s now a tourist destination with guided tours, e-bikes, vehicles and cafes.”
“Varosha is used as a tourist destination, as a tourist attraction, without a single resident returning before 1974. It has changed in the sense that it is open to the public but not open to return.”
For decades, the settlement remained an abandoned ghost town, frozen in time and cordoned off by the military.
Some areas in Varosha are cordoned off by the military as entry is strictly forbidden(
Photos show the abandoned site with derelict and derelict buildings and several fenced off areas where entry is still prohibited. Travel restrictions were eased somewhat in 2003, when former residents were allowed a peek inside the forgotten resort – but not to repossess their homes.
With Varosha partially reopened to tourism since then, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar also invited Greek Cypriots to return and reclaim their homes – though only to live under the administration of Northern Cyprus and not in a unified Cyprus like it governed by the United Nations.
Construction workers have cleaned up the area in advance of the tourists’ arrival, laying cement, removing debris and cordoning off buildings that were not visible to the public. Also, mobile canteens and tables, umbrellas and chairs were set up to offer the service to visitors.
Beaches and hotels are largely idle in the deserted city(
However, these works would not be enough to allow a full reopening of the district not only for tourists but also for residents, stressed Professor Faustmann.
He said, “Do it [Northern Cyprus] Do you see it as an obscure tourist hotspot that needs further development? Or, given the reopening, will they allow the properties to be returned and sold to investors, which is likely to be much more profitable?
“What we can see is that they have developed more areas, they are preparing to develop more areas, but they have not taken any steps towards infrastructure in terms of sewage systems and electricity that would allow the Greek Cypriots to return.”
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