You can rent a car for a minimum of 3 days. The car can be delivered at Ercan airport or at your home or hotel. Cars cannot be delivered to the south of the island, but a transfer to and from the airport can be arranged and the rental car can then be delivered to your chosen location in the north.
You must be over the age of 25 to rent a car and you will need your driver’s license and passport to complete the paperwork. You will then need to bring your driver’s license and contract with you. Petrol in Northern Cyprus is cheaper than in the UK, so sightseeing in your air-conditioned hire car is a must.
You can drive to the Kyrenia (Girne) area to see the harbour, Kyrenia Castle, Bellapais Abbey, St. Hilarian Castle or just walk around the city center and have lunch or a drink while you’re there.
The Famagusta (Maayusa) area has a great history. You can visit the Monastery of Saint Barnabas, the ruins of Salamis, the old city walls or the deepest port in Northern Cyprus. Or maybe you would like to see the city center. There are also some beautiful beaches around Famagusta that you can relax on once you’ve seen some of the sites.
Nicosia (Lefkoaya) might appeal to you more. You have the Old City and the Kyrenia gate, the Selimiye Mosque, the Grand Inn, the covered bazaar. The border has now been opened so you can walk to the south of the island. You will see a difference between north and south immediately. In the north of the island the surrounding area is narrow cobbled streets, but as soon as you cross the border it’s just like any other main road. You even have Debenhams, McDonalds, Marks & Spencer, Peacocks, Next etc. as well as the Greek shops.
The Karpaz (Pan Handle) peninsula is very popular, although some people stay overnight to break their journey. There are miles of sandy beaches for you to enjoy and sometimes you are more likely to see donkeys than people! Scattered everywhere are ancient ruins, villages, and tombs for you to explore. The beaches in the Karpaz area are also popular with the endangered Chelonia Mydas and Caretta Caretta turtles. Also around the Karpaz area are traditional Cypriot rural villages where the locals live off the land. They all make you feel welcome in their part of the island.
They are just the main cities/towns that you can easily visit if you have a car. Apart from them you can drive up to the mountains, the views are fantastic and the villages are beautiful. Or follow one of the side detours to a secluded and unknown beach.