Newsroom
Brigitte Bardot, who passed away at the age of 91 this week, once spent her holidays in Varosha, the sun-soaked district south of Famagusta that in the early 1970s was nicknamed “the St. Tropez of Cyprus.” Long before the area became abandoned and silent, Bardot joined a string of international stars who flocked to its beaches, luxury hotels, and vibrant nightlife.
Bardot stayed at the Argo Hotel on Kennedy Avenue, the same hotel favored by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Raquel Welch visited regularly, and even ABBA performed together informally in Famagusta during their 1970 vacation, years before they became global icons. Hollywood’s Paul Newman spent months in the city filming the 1960 movie Exodus, enjoying the summer scenery from the Constancia Hotel.
But Varosha’s fame wasn’t just about celebrity visits. According to archaeologist and art historian Anna Marangou, it was “the elite of the arts,” a place where international trade and tourism flourished and where Cyprus’ intellectual and creative life thrived. Greek literary figures such as George Seferis, Odysseas Elytis, and Nikos Gatsos found inspiration in its streets, while Nikos Kazantzakis once described Famagusta as one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Bardot’s passing highlights a poignant chapter in Varosha’s history, recalling a time when the area was alive with glamour, culture, and international attention, a vibrant world that now exists largely in memory and old photographs.
*Information from LIFO
