From 1970 to 1974, the Varosha district of Famagusta, Cyprus, was "one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world," a favorite of Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, and Brigitte Bardot. When Turkish forces invaded Cyprus in August 1974, every Greek Cypriot resident fled. The Turkish Army fenced the area. For decades, only military and UN personnel could enter.
The hotels remain largely as they were in 1974. Buildings have been slowly reclaimed by vegetation; windows are broken; furniture, power sockets, and ceiling lamps were looted in the years after the evacuation. By 2014, sea turtles were nesting on the beaches. Partial civilian access was restored beginning in 2017, and nearly 5 million people had visited Varosha by the end of 2025.
A footnote: in April 1970, the four future members of ABBA visited Varosha on a promotional trip and performed an informal show for Swedish UN peacekeepers stationed on Cyprus. It is widely described as the first time all four performed together.
