North Cyprus Tourist Information

North Cyprus Currency

The currency used in Northern Cyprus is called the New Turkish Lira (YTL) and has been used since 1974. Outside the main tourist area Cypriots are still referring to the old Turkish Lira which was counted in millions. This can be a shock for tourists on their holiday in North Cyprus when they are at the local markets and Cypriots ask them for 5 million. In fact they are are asking for 5YTL. The difference between the TL (Turkish Lira) and the YTL is in the removal of 6 zeros (example: 1 million TL is now 1 YTL).  You will find that most foreign currencies are accepted in Northern Cyprus.

Time in Northern Cyprus

In North Cyprus local time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), remember it during your holidays in North Cyprus. In summertime the clocks change on the same day as in the UK.

Spoken Language in Northern Cyprus

Turkish is the official language of Northern Cyprus and English is becoming increasingly more widely spoken and is now considered the country’s second language. Although you will find English widely spoken throughout the Northern Cyprus Island,the level at which it is spoken can vary a lot. Local people will relish in the fact if you can take the time to learn a bit of Turkish. So if you do not plan only spending holidays in Northern Cyprus it’s well worth mixing with locals to pick up the odd words or attending turkish lessons.