Salamis Ancient City, Famagusta: A Visit for Every Kind of Traveller

Not everyone goes to Salamis for the same reason. Some want the columns, some want the photos, some mainly want a swim in the afternoon. So this page is split by who you are. Find the heading that sounds like you and start there. Every route ends up in the same spot: by the sea, a short 8–9 km ride up from Famagusta (Gazimağusa).

If you only have a couple of hours

Two to three hours is the comfortable length, but a shorter visit still gets you the essentials. Buy your ticket at the gate; the fee and the hours change, so check before you set off. Keep the order simple:

• The gymnasium: a courtyard framed by columns, the palaestra, with statues around it. This is the picture everybody knows.
• The Roman baths: right beside it. Look for the mosaics.
• The theatre: it once seated about 15,000. Climb the steps and look down.

Seen those three? Then you have seen the face of Salamis. Save the rest for next time.

For history lovers

Salamis was a city-kingdom and, for centuries, the island’s chief city, until earthquakes and Arab raids in the 7th century brought it down. Go past the gymnasium and the theatre. The Kampanopetra basilica, what is left of the agora and the temple of Zeus, and the big cistern once fed by a Roman aqueduct are all on the same site.

Tradition says St Barnabas was born here. His monastery and tomb are close by, with icons and an archaeology museum in the monastery. The Royal Tombs are in the same area too. If you want to go further back, to the Bronze Age, put Enkomi on your list. No need to cram it into one day: Salamis one morning, Barnabas and the tombs another.

If you are going in summer

July and August afternoons hit 33–36 °C, and shade on the site is scarce. Wear a hat and carry more water than feels necessary. Best of all, go first thing or towards the end of the day, when the light is better as well. The stone gets hot at midday, so good shoes help.

The easiest seasons for walking around are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–November). If your dates are flexible, pick one of those. Season by season, it is in our weather guide.

For students and groups of friends

Famagusta is a university town. Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) was founded in 1979, and tens of thousands of students live here. Salamis is right on the doorstep, which makes it a perfect weekend afternoon.

With a big group, make the theatre your meeting point; the site is large and people drift apart fast. Let everyone wander for half an hour, then regroup on the steps. Fancy a game afterwards? KARTAL is a tavla and PlayStation café in Famagusta.

For families with children

Salamis is wide and open, so kids have room to run. The theatre usually wins them over: the steps, the stage, the rows built for thousands. Don’t try to cover the whole city. The gymnasium, the baths and the theatre are plenty for a family. Keep it short in the heat and look for shade now and then. The best reward for tired legs is the beach right next door.

For photographers

Midday light is harsh and flat. Shoot the gymnasium columns at the start or the end of the day, when the shadows stretch out. Climb to the top rows of the theatre to get the stage and the steps in one frame. The sea is just beyond the ruins, so let it into the picture.

If you want a swim as well

One of the best things about Salamis: a sandy beach right beside the ruins. Explore in the morning, swim at noon. The sea is comfortable for swimming from May to early November. For other stretches of coast, see our beach guide. Adding Varosha or the walled city to the same day is easy too.