Which Crossing?

[steveodp]

We have friends holidaying in Polis in August and they want to visit us.
They intend to drive to Nicosia and walk across the border where we’ll meet up, drive back to Karsiyaka, and they’ll stay overnight with us. We’ll then take them back to the same crossing next day.
Not having made this journey ourselves, we have no idea which crossing they should use?
Please make it easy to find as they have not been to the island before.

[iancrumpy]

We have friends holidaying in Polis in August and they want to visit us.
They intend to drive to Nicosia and walk across the border where we’ll meet up, drive back to Karsiyaka, and they’ll stay overnight with us. We’ll then take them back to the same crossing next day.
Not having made this journey ourselves, we have no idea which crossing they should use?
Please make it easy to find as they have not been to the island before.

If they are staying in Polis, and want to visit you in Karşıyaka, then the obvious crossing is the one at Yeşilırmak.

Many GCs, living in Polis, actually take this crossing, when they want to visit Nicosia - it's quicker than taking the route to the south of the Troodos mountain range. Maybe then you should take them to Nicosia, while they stay with you.

If, however, they insist on driving to Nicosia, then they should park somewhere close to the Metehan crossing. On the south side of Nicosia, they will need to follow signs for Kyrenia to get to the Metehan crossing.

[Hilltop]

On the south side of Nicosia, they will need to follow signs for Kyrenia to get to the Metehan crossing.

The signs to watch for are "Kermia".

[Keithcaley]

On the south side of Nicosia, they will need to follow signs for Kyrenia to get to the Metehan crossing.

The signs to watch for are "Kermia".

And possibly Kerynea ??

(although I may have got that wrong!)

[ttoli]

Directions , Polis to Ledra Steet https://goo.gl/maps/1NRTdEDUD5S2

or half the journey time Polis to Yesilirmak https://goo.gl/maps/fXXRRxU8cXy

[iancrumpy]

On the south side of Nicosia, they will need to follow signs for Kyrenia to get to the Metehan crossing.

The signs to watch for are "Kermia".

And possibly Kerynea ??
(although I may have got that wrong!)

You were only one letter out Keithcaley - it's Kerýneia, which is the Greek for Kyrenia.

Actually Κερύνεια is the Greek for Kyrenia, and Kerýneia is the transliteration of Κερύνεια. Sorry a little there.

[waddo]

So is there any place to park your hire car from the South at Yesilirmak crossing???

[iancrumpy]

So is there any place to park your hire car from the South at Yesilirmak crossing???

Yeah, that would be a problem - although the town of Kato Pyrgos is very close to the GC side of the buffer zone, the road in the buffer zone itself might be as long as one kilometre

[Keithcaley]

Thanks Crumpy,

I won't forget that in a hurry...

I tried to recall the spelling from a glimpse at a direction sign while driving

[iancrumpy]

I tried to recall the spelling from a glimpse at a direction sign while driving.

You did better than I would - I just remember a word that looks a bit like an anagram of Kyrenia.

"Keryneia" - yeah, looking at it now, I see that it has one more "e" than "Kyrenia".

[Panchocat]

Just a thought would it not be easier if they left their hire car at Kato Pyrgos and you drove across to collect them through Yesilirmak?

[iancrumpy]

Just a thought would it not be easier if they left their hire car at Kato Pyrgos and you drove across to collect them through Yesilirmak?

Yeah, I thought the same, but, unless they already have it, that would require steveodp to purchase south-side road tax and insurance ... and, correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think the road taxing can be done on the GC side at Kato Pyrgos - they'd have to go to Metehan.

Still, according to the Lonely Planet, Kato Pyrgos sounds as though it would be worth a visit:
"Located on the northern Troödos foothills, the charm of this small resort lies in its remoteness. Kato Pyrgos is about as far out of the way as you can get in the Republic, yet attracts a regular summer clientele of Cypriots, who come to escape the commercialism that they feel has overwhelmed the more popular coastal resorts. The approach is via Pomos and a winding coastal route flanked by undulating countryside punctuated by the occasional flock of goats. Past the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Erenköy (Kokkina), the road drops down to the Med and into the centre with its handful of coffee shops and restaurants flanking a small square shaded by a soaring oak tree, which is said to date from 1898. Don’t expect palm-fringed promenades and white sandy beaches; Kato Pyrgos has a mildly shabby, old-fashioned appeal."

That said, we drove straight through Kato Pyrgos, when we drove up from Polis and through the crossing.

[Panchocat]

We often stop for coffee in Kato Pyrgos on our way to Polis and Peyia.
Yes I wondered about the insurance but if they do have it I would think that was the way to go, but that's only my opinion.

[steveodp]

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately we don't have south-side insurance so they'll need to walk over to us - their GC hire car company forbids border crossing.
The crossing at Yeşilırmak would have been ideal though, if there was somewhere they could leave the hire car.
So I'll advise them to park somewhere close to the Metehan crossing, and look for signs for Kyrenia, or variations thereof.
Out of interest, what's the advantage of using Metehan over Ledra Palace or Lokmaci? I've not used any of them, so it's a genuine question, having found a list of border crossings in the Kibkom KibApp (that doesn't include Yeşilırmak).

[iancrumpy]

Out of interest, what's the advantage of using Metehan over Ledra Palace or Lokmaci? I've not used any of them, so it's a genuine question.

You'd probably get a better answer to this on a south-side expat forum. However, in msg 4 of https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g1 ... trict.html koritsi wrote in 2013 that they used a car-park close to the Paphos Gate and walked across at Ledra Palace.

From your point of view, it would be a tad easier getting to Metehan than either Lokmacı or Ledra Palace. However walking across at Lokmacı and Ledra Palace would definitely be more interesting for your friends ... and indeed for you if you've not been there before.

[steveodp]

Thanks iancrumpy, much appreciated.
Was thinking of walking across with them when they go back, and taking a look around the south side of Nicosia, but that's not definite yet.

[iancrumpy]

Was thinking of walking across with them when they go back, and taking a look around the south side of Nicosia, but that's not definite yet.

Provided you don't mind walking about two miles, you could leave your car in a car park near the TC side of the Ledra Palace crossing, walk over with them to their car on the GC side, then make your way round via the Paphos Gate to Ledra Street ... and from there over the Lokmacı crossing and back round to your car. It's a route we take our more athletic visiting friends on.

[iancrumpy]

Of course, after crossing back from the GC side at Lokmacı, you'll almost immediately have to veer right to see Büyük Han ... unless, of course you've already seen it.

[frontalman]

If they are staying in Polis it is crazy to drive all the way to Lefkosa. The road to Yesilirmak (Katyo Pyrgos) is straightforward and there will be somewhere to park near to the crossing, if their hire car is Greek Cypriot it should be no problem at all. The walk through is a bit long but should not pose a problem unless they are disabled.

[aerhere]

You can drive through the TRNC crossing, through no mans land as far as the South side crossing, collect your friends, turn around without going through the South side of the crossing and go back to the North....No problem, no walking, no insurance and room to park a car just through the border crossing in the South.

[iancrumpy]

You can drive through the TRNC crossing, through no mans land as far as the South side crossing, collect your friends, turn around without going through the South side of the crossing and go back to the North....No problem, no walking, no insurance and room to park a car just through the border crossing in the South.

Steveodp, unless you or your friends really want to go to Nicosia, then aerhere's suggestion for the Yeşilırmak crossing would seem to be your best option.

[steveodp]

That’s fantastic, thank you all for working your way to a solution.

[steveodp]

You can drive through the TRNC crossing, through no mans land as far as the South side crossing, collect your friends, turn around without going through the South side of the crossing and go back to the North....No problem, no walking, no insurance and room to park a car just through the border crossing in the South.

Just an update in case anyone else considers doing this - the gents on the TRNC border control were adamant that the hire car could not pass, so we ended up having to walk between the two border controls, meet our family, and then walk back, which was a tad further, and a tad warmer, than we would have liked - and the border chaps seemed to get some amusement/enjoyment from seeing us make the trip, so it’s good to make people happy...
But the family’s visit was excellent, so it all turned out well after all.