Ghost Town Beach is the strip of sand running alongside Varosha (Maraş in Turkish) — the former Famagusta resort district that was sealed off following the 1974 conflict and stayed empty for decades. After a partial reopening in October 2020, the beach itself is again accessible to visitors, set against the unusual backdrop of empty tower blocks frozen in their 1970s state.
A note on the history
Varosha was the high-end tourist quarter of Famagusta before 1974, sometimes described in period press as the "Las Vegas of the Mediterranean". After Turkish forces took control of the area following the conflict, the district was fenced off and its hotels, apartment blocks and shopfronts left as they stood. The visual character of the beach — sand and clear water in front of decades-old empty towers — is part of why the site has drawn so much attention in recent years.
What's reopened and how to visit
A partial reopening began in October 2020 and the accessible perimeter has expanded since. Visitors can walk along the beachfront and a number of cleared main streets behind it. Entry is free; cars are permitted in some sections, and bike rentals operate from the main entry points. Designated paths and signs mark where you can walk, swim, or cycle; stepping outside these paths into the wider sealed area remains prohibited and police patrol the perimeter.
The beach itself
The sand and water are still — biologically and visually — a Mediterranean beach. In summer, sun loungers are available to rent along the reopened stretch, and the water remains clean. The unusual element is what's behind the beach: a row of empty mid-rise buildings whose paint, signage and architecture are essentially preserved from the early 1970s. Visitors come for the visual contrast as much as the swim.
Rules and etiquette
Drones are prohibited. Stay on designated paths and don't try to enter any of the empty buildings or fenced areas — the structures are decades old and unsafe, and the site retains formal protected-area status. Photography of the public sections is permitted in most cases; military and police installations along the perimeter are not. Be mindful that for many Cypriots Varosha is a sensitive historical site rather than a tourist novelty.
Who it suits
Ghost Town Beach is for visitors who want something more than a generic beach day — travellers interested in modern Cypriot history, photographers, students, and casual visitors who pair a short swim with a walk through the reopened streets. Visitors looking purely for a polished resort-style beach club won't find that here; the appeal is the setting.
Visiting Famagusta?
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