Living in Bellapais: Beylerbeyi and Ozanköy Guide

Short answer: Life in Bellapais is appealing for those who want views, historic character and tranquillity while staying about 15 minutes from the services of Kyrenia. In return, you accept steep and narrow roads, tourist traffic on summer evenings, cooler and more humid homes in winter, and full dependence on a car. Just below it, Ozanköy is a family-oriented alternative that offers similar views with flatter roads and larger plots.

This article is prepared for readers who have chosen Kyrenia but are considering a home on the mountainside rather than in the crowded city centre. We look at Bellapais (officially Beylerbeyi) and Ozanköy in terms of daily life, transport, climate and housing type. If you would like to compare all Kyrenia neighbourhoods side by side, you can first read our guide to buying a home in Kyrenia.

Where is Bellapais and what kind of village is it?

Bellapais is a small village south of Kyrenia, on the northern slope of the Beşparmak Mountains. The village’s name derives from a French phrase meaning “beautiful peace”; although its official Turkish name is Beylerbeyi, Bellapais is used most often in everyday language and property listings.

At the centre of the village stands the Gothic-style Bellapais Abbey. The square around the abbey, narrow streets, stone houses and cafés form the touristic face of the village. A little higher up or to the side, however, a quiet residential area begins, made up of villas spread along the hillside, boutique compounds and old single-storey houses. In the evenings, the view over the Kyrenia coastline and the sea is the reason most often mentioned by those who choose the area.

In normal traffic, it is about 15 minutes to central Kyrenia and only a few minutes to Ozanköy and Çatalköy. Since the route to Ercan Airport runs via Kyrenia, the journey time should be calculated by adding a few minutes to the 40–50 minutes measured from central Kyrenia. These times are approximate; check your own route with a map application.

The Abbey, Durrell and the village identity

What sets life in Bellapais apart from other hillside villages is that daily life flows around a historic monument. This brings both a privilege and a practical burden.

The abbey was built in stages during the Lusignan period. According to sources, the first structures date to 1198–1205, the main buildings to the second half of the 13th century, and the cloisters around the courtyard and some sections to the 14th century. The building is open to visitors year-round; in the summer months, concerts and festival events are held in the abbey courtyard. You should follow event announcements for the current programme and entry conditions.

The village also has a literary reputation. British writer Lawrence Durrell lived in Bellapais between 1953–1956 and wrote Bitter Lemons, his book of Cyprus memoirs, during this period. The “Tree of Idleness” mentioned in the book is still associated with the cafés in the village square today. This interest plays an important role in the village’s recognition among foreign visitors and resident expatriates.

The practical side is this: around the abbey, traffic and parking congestion may occur due to tour buses during the day and restaurant customers in the evenings. How close your home is to this core directly determines your expectations of quietness.

In terms of social life, Bellapais and its surroundings have a mixed structure, like the other hillside villages east of Kyrenia: long-standing village residents, foreigners who spend part of the year here, and families who work in Kyrenia and return to the hillside in the evenings live together. The cafés and restaurants in the village square do not completely close in winter, but evenings become noticeably quieter compared with the summer pace. Neighbourly relations are more individual than in compound living; in detached homes, you need to organise matters such as security, garden maintenance and checks on a house left empty for long periods yourself. If you will use the home for only part of the year, planning this arrangement before purchase reduces later surprises related to damp and maintenance.

Ozanköy and Çatalköy: the lower belt of the hillside

Ozanköy is located below Bellapais, closer to the Kyrenia ring road, and offers a flatter alternative for daily life. Access to schools, markets and central Kyrenia is easier; the roads are not as steep and narrow as Bellapais’s village streets.

The area is dominated by detached homes with gardens, semi-detached villas and small compounds. As we also noted in our Kyrenia guide, families with children often prefer the Ozanköy, Çatalköy and Karaoğlanoğlu line. Çatalköy, further east, is known for being closer to the coast and for its villa stock on larger plots; this line continues towards Esentepe.

Times are approximate values in normal traffic; they can become significantly longer on the Kyrenia ring road during school hours and summer evenings.

Living in Bellapais: transport, shopping and winter

Life in Bellapais is practical as long as you have a car; without a car, it is almost impossible. There are cafés, restaurants and small grocery shops in the village, but for weekly supermarket shopping, pharmacy, bank and doctor visits, you need to go down to Kyrenia.

• Roads: Village streets are narrow and steep; manoeuvring and parking with a large vehicle may become difficult. When viewing a property, go in the evening and check the parking situation.
• Public transport: Kyrenia’s public transport is mainly based on intercity buses and minibuses; relying on these for daily transport in hillside villages is not realistic.
• Winter: Homes on the hillside may be cooler and more humid than those by the coast. In north-facing homes that do not receive sun, damp and heating bills increase; be sure to ask how the property is heated.
• Summer: The elevation and mountain breeze can provide a little coolness in the evenings compared with the coast, but air conditioning is still required.
• Infrastructure: In some hillside addresses, wireless internet is used instead of fibre. If you will work from home, have an address-based availability check carried out.

We explained the issue of winter heating and humidity in general terms in our article on the Cyprus climate and seasons. If you are considering a hillside home, we particularly recommend reading this section.

Housing types, rents and price indicators

Bellapais and Ozanköy are in the upper band of Kyrenia’s price average, because supply is limited, the views are permanent and the area available for new development is narrow. Since no independent and official price index is published for the region, only indicative data can be given based on listing examples.

In the examples we saw as of October 2026, villas across Kyrenia were listed roughly in the 350.000–750.000 £ range; a second-hand 2+1 penthouse built in 2022 in Bellapais had been listed for 245.000 £. On the rental side, long-term 2+1 properties in central Kyrenia and its surroundings are seen in the 700–900 £ range, while 3+1 properties and villas are seen at 900–1.500 £ and above. These are listing- and estimate-based figures, not completed sales or rents; confirm with current listings. For a detailed table, see our article on Northern Cyprus (TRNC) rental prices 2026.

The main factors determining price are:

• Permanence of the view: The zoning status of the plot in front of you determines whether the view may be blocked over the years.
• Access: Walking distance to the abbey core is a plus for touristic rental, but a minus for quietness.
• Plot and slope: On sloping plots, garden usability, retaining walls and rainwater drainage can create additional costs.
• Building age: In old stone houses, damp, roof and plumbing/electrical system renewals are common items.

Who is Bellapais suitable for, and who is it not for?

Bellapais is most suitable for couples and retirees who will spend most of the year on the island, value views and historic atmosphere, and have a car. Ozanköy is a better fit for families with children who want to stay close to the same area.

The profiles that may struggle are also clear: those who do not drive or do not want to drive, people with limited mobility (because of the steep streets), those expecting complete silence while viewing homes around the abbey, and those who want to walk to a sandy beach. If a sandy beach is your priority, Alsancak or the eastern coast may be more suitable.

Before making a decision, carry out the following checks:

1. See the property once during the day and once on a summer evening; observe traffic and noise on site.
2. Ask about the orientation of the house and winter sun; look for signs of damp in north-facing rooms.
3. Measure the real driving time to the school, market and hospital in Kyrenia in the morning.
4. Have the internet infrastructure checked by the provider on an address basis.
5. Have your lawyer check the zoning status of the plot in front of the view and the title deed type.

Frequently asked questions

Are Bellapais and Beylerbeyi the same place?

Yes. Beylerbeyi is the Turkish official name of the village, while Bellapais is its historic and internationally known name. Both names are used in listings, on road signs and in everyday speech. It is enough to check with your lawyer which name appears on the title deed and official documents.

Can you live in Bellapais without a car?

In practice, no. Although there are cafés, restaurants and small grocery shops in the village, you need to go down to Kyrenia for supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and doctors. Public transport is not sufficient for daily needs in hillside villages. Because the roads are steep and narrow, shopping on foot is also difficult.

Bellapais or Ozanköy?

If views, historic atmosphere and village-square life are priorities, Bellapais stands out. If you are looking for easier access to schools, markets and Kyrenia, flatter roads and a detached home with a garden, Ozanköy is more practical. Families with children generally prefer the Ozanköy and Çatalköy line.

Is it difficult to live in Bellapais in winter?

Winters are mild, but homes on the hillside may be cooler and more humid than those on the coast. In north-facing homes without central heating, damp and heating bills increase. When the tourist season ends, the village becomes quieter; going down to Kyrenia for daily services continues in the same way in winter.

Are house prices in Bellapais higher than in central Kyrenia?

For villas with views, generally yes, because supply is limited and the development area is narrow. As of October 2026, villas across Kyrenia are listed roughly in the 350.000–750.000 £ range. These are listing prices, not completed sales; confirm with current listings and an independent valuation.

If you would like to assess together which of Bellapais, Ozanköy or Kyrenia’s other hillside villages best fits your lifestyle, you can contact the Akol Global team.

This article is for informational purposes; it does not replace legal, tax or financial advice. Last updated: October 2026.