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Once closed behind fences for 46 years, Maras in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has reopened in stages to visitors. Known as the Ghost City, the district now draws strong tourist interest. Visitors walk through streets frozen in time, where hotels, shops, and homes remain untouched since 1974.
Located in Gazimagusa, Maras was once known as the regions Las Vegas. After the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, Turkish forces took control of the area and closed it to settlement.
Before its closure, Maras hosted luxury hotels, upscale homes, and foreign visitors, including Hollywood figures. In 2020, authorities began opening parts of the district to the public in a controlled manner.
Today, visitors can walk along Demokrasi Avenue and parts of the beachfront. The rest of the district remains restricted as a military zone.
Maras has become one of the key tourism sites in Northern Cyprus. Local and foreign tourists continue to visit the area throughout the year.
Shop signs, home gardens, wall writings, and traffic lights still stand in place. The district preserves traces of daily life interrupted decades ago.
Visitors tour Maras on foot or by bicycle. The area receives around 5,000 visitors per day in summer and about 2,000 per day in winter.
Since reopening, nearly 5 million people have visited Maras. Many buildings face a risk of collapsing, and warning signs advise visitors to avoid approaching unsafe structures.
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