Guzelyurt and Lefke 
Guzelyurt translates into "beautiful country" which is an obvious reference to its luscious green surroundings. The charming town is famous for its Oranges, Lemons, Limes and Grapefruits. The rich red soil and underground water reserves make perfect growing conditions for the Citrus fruits. Many of the fruits are exported and the remainder are made into fruit juices and canned for local consumption. There is an annual Orange festival held where locals celebrate with concerts, art events and competitions.
Guzelyurt is situated on the northern skirts of the Troodos mountains and like many other towns in North Cyprus it has been home to many great civilisations throughout history. The neighbouring town of Lefke is one of the most beautiful in North Cyprus. Nestled at the foot of the Troodos mountains and around 74km from Lefkosa. The fact that mountains and forests surround Lefke means that it experiences cold winters and cool summers. The fertile soil of Lefke is owed to the Dam that was built for watering the citrus gardens, which provide the people of Lefke with the majority of their income.
For those who enjoy peace and tranquillity Guzelyurt and Lefke provide the perfect place for a picnic in natural surroundings whilst lovers of history and antiquities can visit the many places of interest.
These include St Mamas church that is also home to the Icon museum. St Mamas is an 18 th century monastery and according to legend St Mamas refused to pay his taxes so the authorities sent troops to punish him, but on his way to the capital St Mamas noticed a lion about to kill a lamb, he took the lamb in his arms and rode into the city on the back of the Lion. The governor was so impressed by this he released St Mamas from his dues. St Mamas has since been known as the patron saint of tax avoiders!!
The ruined city of Soli is an amazing site with origins as early as 700BC. The city was constructed after the Athenian statesmen "Solos" suggested building a city near the river Ksero. The city was enlarged towards the sea during the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine reigns. The Arab raids in the 7 th century BC caused heavy damage to the city and the inhabitants deserted the city. The present theatre dates from the late 2 nd century AD to the early 3 rd century AD and was built on the site of a Greek theatre and the auditorium was carved out of the rocky part of hill and faces the sea. The original capacity of the theatre was 4000. The stage is two storeys and is decorated with marble and statues. A temple dedicated to Aphrodite the goddess of love has been discovered on a hill to the west of the theatre.
The Basilica was one of the first churches to be built on the island and was built in the second half of the 4 th century BC. The mosaic floors depicting animals and geometric shapes have been preserved.
The Vouni Palace was constructed 5 miles west of the city after the Persian conquest of Soli in the 5 th century BC. Its purpose was to keep the city under control. The city surrounding the Palace was built on three levels with the palace itself on the second level, on the first level on top of the hill was the Athena temple with its statues. The third level closest to the sea is where the people of Vouni lived in stone houses. When the Persian rule in the area was replaced by Greek rule the palace was left empty for seventy years before eventually being destroyed in a fire started by the people of Soli .
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