A TikTok video is making the rounds on social media, showcasing the abandoned and dilapidated streets and buildings of a once popular holiday resort destination in Cyprus
A recent TikTok video has documented the almost post-apocalyptic atmosphere of a once thriving city in Cyprus. Showing empty streets lined with rubble, rusted signs and shattered windows, it is hard to imagine that this was formerly the holiday hotspot of Hollywood stars.
The TikTok video was uploaded by @donny_knight and offers a rare glimpse into the remains of Varosha, in the abandoned quarter of Famagusta in Cyprus. The three-and-a-half minute video showcases decaying buildings, deserted streets and overgrown vegetation.
The video begins by showing the remains of what appears to be an old Singer sewing machine store. Then moves on to show an abandoned and dilapidated Barclays bank building, with only the entry sign still intact.
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As the person recording the video moves through the empty street, they show an abandoned Toyota showroom bereft of cars. The text over the video reads: “Where did the cars go from this showroom in Famagusta?”
To answer this question, it’s vital to look back at the city’s history. Varosha was once the crown jewel of Cyprus’ tourist industry, attracting the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton with its pristine beaches and luxurious resort hotels.
But On July 20, 1974, the Turkish army invaded the northern region of Cyprus – triggered by a coup attempt supported by the Greek junta. Varosha changed forever as its 15,000 residents were forced to flee and abandon their homes, cars, businesses and personal possessions.
The Turkish military subsequently fenced off the area, leaving the former resort town to become a ghost town. Even today, the neighbourhood remains untouched under the control of Northern Cyprus. The TikTok video displays this dark reality, featuring only two people on the street for the entire length of the video.
Varosha was not the only part of Cyprus that was impacted by the invasion. The opening thumbnail of the video also shows abandoned cars from the UN buffer zone of Nicosia which is almost an hour and a half drive away.
Needless to say, tourism to Varosha and Famagusta in general came to a complete standstill after the invasion. It was not until October 2020 that the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the then prime minister of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar decided to reopen the area to visitors.
But instead of attracting the glamorous sunbathers and Hollywood royalty of its heyday, Varosha became a hub for ‘dark’ tourists. Dark tourism has been a growing travel market in recent years, where travellers seek out destinations for their morbid and sometimes tragic histories.
When Varosha reopened its gates, it became a hotspot for dark tourists hoping to explore the ghost town for themselves. According to statistics released in 2024, more than 1.8 million tourists visited the area in the last four years.
The town is still working to repair its global image, initiating clean-up projects and introducing new visitor facilities and amenities near the beach. Hope to revitalise the town were also discussed during a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.