Buffavento Castle: what to see, how to get there, entrance fees

One of the three main castles of Northern Cyprus and the highest of them - the fortification rises 954 meters above sea level. Strong winds blow at such a height, which gave the building its name - Buffavento is translated from Italian as "protection from the wind."

The Italian name alludes to the Venetians, although the lower part was founded by the Byzantines. The castle was owned by everyone who passed control of the island, it wasn't only an observation post and fortification, but also a prison.

Over time, Buffavento ceased to perform protective functions and began to gradually collapse. Unfortunately, now it's in a ruined state, but this doesn't affect the fantastic views.

Since the castle isn't being restored, there isn't a cash desk and admission is free. If you arrive early in the morning, you can walk all alone, and in the evening you can try to light a preserved fireplace.

The hike to the castle takes at least an hour, so we don't recommend visiting Buffavento in extreme heat. In any case, take care of good shoes, comfortable clothes and enough water - there will simply be nowhere to buy it.

You can only get to the starting point by car, you can find the location on the map below. From the paved road, you can see a yellow sign, after which gravel and serpentine will begin