Social Groups & Activities in North Cyprus
January 29, 2009 by Essential Ed
Filed under Groups & Charities, North Cyprus Living
If you’re living in North Cyprus there’s often the question of what to do as an expat, especially if you like to participate in social gatherings and want to get involved in local activities which are of a more social nature. The good news is that there’s plenty of choice of social activities to do and social groups to join available to you and your children.
There are a whole host of social clubs in North Cyprus and it’s likely you’ll find something that appeals to you, whether it be a walking group or dance class – but the good thing is, even if you don’t or you have a particular passion for a specific kind of social activity, you can always set up your own club or social gathering!
Nowadays there seem to be so many activities we can’t possibly cover them all in this article, but there may be articles on specific groups in our See & Do section, so do please check there if you want more in depth information on some of the major social groups, sports clubs and activities here in North Cyprus.
One of the best places to look for listings, events and contact details for all the various clubs and activities is of course in the good old Cyprus Today newspaper (where would we be without it!) – but you should also get online and find 
the forums that are active for residents, property owners and expats of all denominations, creeds and backgrounds living on the island, although be warned, some of them can be pretty colourful!
The information we provide here however, will of course give you a good feel for the sorts of activities and events available and show you which social clubs in North Cyprus are already in existence, but of course things change all the time, so check Cyprus Today and if you have a new social club that you want listing in this article, just contact us with all the details.
Markets
We mention markets as they are a form of social networking, with people often going to meet up with friends and to browse the various goods available. Traditional expat markets have been going for years in North Cyprus, with Pegasos in Karaoğlanoğlu being the longest standing. Nowadays there are others to meet demands in various locations, such as the market at Chateau Lambousa in Lapta, Tolga’s in Karşiyaka as well The Carpenters in Karaoğlanoğlu and others across the coastline - both east and west of Kyrenia.
Entertainment
A wide variety of social entertainment groups are around, and if you like karaoke there’s the chance to sing every single night of the week at different venues around the Kyrenia area; you will often see karaoke events advertised outside venues on a regular basis. There’s the chance to join a more professional singing group too, it’s called Chorus Lambousa and it sing songs from the shows and other light musical numbers, they also arrange regular concerts – don’t worry though, you don’t have to audition to join! Call +90 (0)533 843 1176 for more information.
Or if ballroom dancing takes your fancy perhaps, you can join one of the various dance clubs that exist. Call Grahame on +90 (0)533 843 3554 for more information… Or if that’s a bit too strenuous try the line dancing group Kibris Liners in Alsancak instead, who hold regular evenings for all abilities, and who can be contacted on +90 (0)542 883 4422 or +90 (0)533 876 3410.
Other than this there are badminton and bridge clubs, church groups, amateur dramatics societies, darts clubs, keep fit, slim and stay trim groups, mother and toddler meetings and you can even learn to speak the local Turkish language too with various organisations and private tutors offering classes. Kids are also catered for with a wide range of activities such as dancing, piano lessons, craft clubs and lots more. You can find out more in our Things for Kids to Do article for some more specific ideas on keeping children occupied!
For those of us who are interested in the island and its history, then the Medieval Society is just the ticket, and you can join evenings where presentations are given on the Crusades, and can also join group days where members are taken on tours and walks across North Cyprus. They do have a website, but it is password protected and you are required to send a payment to become a member www.allcrusades.com, or you can contact Hans Doelman on +90 (0)533 8415419 or by email mcf.trnc@gmail.com.
If you’re thinking about moving to live in TRNC and you’re concerned about finding entertainment in North Cyprus to keep you occupied, or to get you out and about and meeting people – don’t worry! Trust us, once you arrive and start looking around for things to do you’ll soon find you’re booked up 24/7!
