http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25955 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25955 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24556
In Northern Cyprus the currency for purchasing everything apart from real estate is the Turkish Lira which has fared much better against the British Pound in comparison to the Euro. This year, those who are destined for Cyprus in the hope of enjoying an affordable holiday in the sun, away from the UK's and Europe’s credit crunch situation should make certain they are holidaying on the right side (i.e., the North side) of the Green Line!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24556 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23744 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23744 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23246
The Roman Theatre has been recently restored to its former glory and is used as a venue for concerts and plays during the summer.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23246 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21982
Apart from being exceptionally good value for money, North Cyprus has so much to offer - great beaches, beautiful historic sites, amazing wildlife, fantastic but cheap restaurants, friendly locals and much more. I go there to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and always come home feeling completely relaxed (even when I've taken the kids).

I always stay at the Mountain View Hotel, a 3-star English/Cypriot family run hotel in Kyrenia, as I'm made to feel so at home and am always shown to the best local restaurants. If you haven't been - North Cyprus really is a must visit place!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21982 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18014
One sunny, windy Easter-week day, we drove there and paid a tiny fee to climb steps from the haphazard garden of what is not much more than a shack, to a viewing platform where, through telescopes, you can scan a desolate and abandoned townscape of Famagusta, deserted during the conflict of 1974.

Our five-year-old son loved the telescopes and running round the platform, pointing out windmills and the sea, whilst our three-year-old daughter played happily (and safely) in the garden below, full of fig trees, plants and flowering bushes, feeding leaves to the giant tortoises that slowly ambled around a wire enclosure. We were mesmerised by the site of the empty buildings and houses, imagining the scenes on the day they were left amidst the violence and uproar.

Afterwards we sat in the garden at the wooden tables painted cobalt blue, having fresh, warm banana cake and tea, provided by the elderly, handsome owner, speaking grammatically perfect English - somehow a human embodiment of the region’s past. He has also lovingly curated a mini-museum to his country's sad history, with yellowing newspaper cuttings, photographs, signs and testimonies displayed. You are gently urged to write a comment in the visitors’ book before leaving.

The kids came away talking about their adventure and the fantastic cake. We adults found it an intensely moving, eerie and evocative experience.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18014 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17602
Obviously get a good map and get your bearings in the day when you can judge whether an area is safe or not. Saves you some pennies too!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17602 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16702
The service is great and the staff are fantastic, plus they have a large stock of wines, spirits, beers, soft drinks and liqueurs. We had a fortnight near to them and we had all our evening meals there, we thoroughly recommend the Stallion to everyone.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16702 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13136
The highlight of our trip was driving through the Troodos Mountains and eating at quaint villages high in the mountains. We also drove to Tylliria and visited a sanctuary for the endangered moufflon.

Plenty of archaelogical sites including the Tomb of the Kings and the famous Paphos Mosaics, most Cypriots seem devoted to Venus - Goddess of love and images of Venus can be found almost everywhere!

Food is delicious - superb mezes, friendly people; we also learnt a bit of Greek (although you can very easily get by in English as everyone speaks it there). This is a beautiful island, with lots to see and do.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13136