Delicious fish meze, virgin beach and something light to eat in the evening, in the old city of Famagusta. From time to time we cross the border into the occupied part to rinse our eyes there and try the Turkish-Cypriot cuisine.
This monday we were in no hurry to leave long before 12 o’clock, because.. well.. the day off, sleep at will!
And since we are close to the border, we didn’t even blink and we arrived in Famagusta in the city. My luck that I chose to drive because I caught a day with all the beauty of traffic… So I took the little train through the city, the exit towards Iskele, in search of a fish restaurant that I heard would have, next to a superb view, some tasty food also.
🚩 See more about Katehomena here 👉 Katehomena – the occupied territories
Mackenzie Bay in Iskele
After about 20 km and many roundabouts where you keep going forward, we arrived at Mackanzi Bay, a restaurant that is built on the beach.
So the first thing ticked: nice sea view and breeze. Now, the service could be even better, but since no one was in a hurry, no one suffered. I said let’s try a fish meze to get an idea of how they do the fish here.
A little bit of each, but everything was good! I mean, if I go again, I’m sure I’ll have problems with what to order because I’m sure I’ll want to eat everything.
I mean, octopus stew – delicious, calamari rings – mmmm, fried calamari, a crazy taste… Not to mention that I also stalked the plates of my neighbors at the table…
In the end, everything was just over 30 euros, that is 530 pounds.
Glapsides beach
Glapsides beach seems to be sought after by locals, because in the afternoon it got really alive. At the entrance, the boys met us to take our money on the sunbeds, that is 20 lira for 2 people. Somewhere at €1.15.
The water is probably restricted because there is a military unit right next to it, but since I’m not a great swimmer, it was better just to lay there, especially since the water was super warm.
Petec with geraniums
After a well-deserved ”do nothing” right by the sea, with a breeze just good enough to not feel the sun biting you, I said that we can’t go home without a light dinner at Petek in Famagusta. I found a table at the first floor with geraniums next to it, the medieval wall in front and some jacarandas in bloom in sight.
I noticed that most of the people in the restaurants don’t really speak English, but the smile, the ”thank you Lady” and in the end everything is ok. A salad, a burger and two soft drinks, another 210 lira, which is about €12.
So if you’re thinking of eating and enjoying a lazy day in Famagusta and Iskele in Katehomena, I say it’s worth looking for a fish tavern because the cuisine is different from what you’ll find in the south.
INFO
I exchanged lira at a rate of 17.4/1 euro, but you can also pay with your card or in euros. You will receive the rest in lira, but at a weaker exchange rate.
🚩📽If you venture further towards the tail of the island you will find the most beautiful beach 👉 Golden Beach – paradise on the island of Aphrodite