Morphou, on the north-western plain of Cyprus

Morphou is the main town of north-west Cyprus, and one of the least known to visitors. It belongs to Nicosia district but has been in the north since 1974. Below is the little that citable official sources say about it, plus the route from the south. The wider picture is in northern Cyprus.

Where it is

Morphou lies on the island’s western central plain, by the Serrachis river, according to the Union of Cyprus Municipalities. Nicosia is about 34 km away on the map, and the town’s Turkish name, Güzelyurt, is the one OpenStreetMap uses.

To the north-west lies Morphou Bay, and the Spanish foreign ministry specifically advises against crossing the maritime demarcation line there by sea. If you’re sailing, respect it. Along that bay lie two ancient sites with pages of their own, the city of Soli and, on a hill above the sea about 4 km further on, Vouni Palace.

What its municipality tells

The Union of Cyprus Municipalities keeps a page for Morphou among the municipalities whose Greek Cypriot residents were displaced in 1974, and I take only the facts from it. The municipality was founded in 1883 and is one of the oldest in Cyprus, it covers about 5,636 hectares, and the area has been lived in since antiquity, as settlements excavated around it show.

On the name, the Union says the most likely explanation links it to Aphrodite, worshipped under a similar epithet. On the economy, it says the town flourished thanks to fertile land and vast citrus groves.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Nicosia before prices climb.

Twin towns and networks

The Union of Municipalities lists Morphou’s nine twin towns, five Greek ones, Sparta, Kalavryta, Ermoupoli, Orestiada and Mesolongi, plus Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire in France, Barnet in north London, a nice link for British readers, Zurrieq in Malta and, since 2008, Slovenj Gradec in Slovenia. The municipality also belongs to the network of Aphrodite cities and to the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, which, according to the same entry, it chairs. From Nicosia it still organises cultural and religious events to keep the town’s memory alive among its displaced residents.

Getting there from the south

You visit Morphou by car. The nearest crossing is Zodia, near Astromeritis, west of Nicosia, and further west is Lefka, opened in 2018. You’ll need insurance for the north, which gov.uk says is sold at crossings such as Agios Dometios, so check where to buy it if you plan to use Zodia. Everything is in crossing to northern Cyprus.

Nothing citable lists opening times or prices in Morphou, so I give none. Remember you’ll be paying in lira, with only limited consular help. I’d combine the trip with a look at the Green Line in Cyprus in Nicosia and sleep in the capital. One more point from gov.uk if you’re tempted by a longer stay in the area, residence permits issued in the north aren’t recognised by the Republic, and time spent there counts towards your 90 days.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Nicosia and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Nicosia on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Nicosia before prices climb.