Imagine a millionaire’s resort; one to rival St. Tropez, Italy’s Portofino, or Miami’s South Beach – abandoned overnight. Imagine the luxury hotels suddenly emptied of their guests and left to slowly decay, the boutiques, bars and nightclubs reclaimed by nature, sunbathers replaced by sea turtles nesting on the deserted beaches and the once vibrant holiday spirit silenced; nothing more than a whisper in the wind. Perhaps in 2020, such scenes are less difficult to imagine, but this is not the story of a temporary travel ban to control the outbreak of a virus. This is the story of a near 50 year lockdown of the Cypriot seaside city known as Varosha, once regarded as one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations during the early 1970s.
- Messy Nessy Chic
