It isn’t the easiest to get to without private transport, but the remains of the 13th-century Bellapais Abbey are worth every drop of sweat you may expend on the four-mile walk/drive. As with most historical sites, questions surround its origins, but it is generally accepted that Bellapais started life in a meaningful fashion in 1187 when the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre left Jerusalem following Saladin’s conquering of the city. Building began here in earnest, and the 13th-century church and 14th-century cloister remain in excellent condition today, despite the best efforts of the Ottomans (who neglected it) and the British (who used it as a military hospital). The views of Kyrenia and the sea are spectacular.
