9Varosha, Cyprus

Pre 1974, Varosha was the place to be if you were in Cyprus. The beachside resort was popular with celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor and Brigitte Bardot. But in 1974, Turkish troops invaded the island after tension with Greece reached breaking point. 

The inhabitants fled and although tensions have calmed down, the Turkish military fenced off the resort and no one’s been allowed in since. Visiting Varosha is strictly forbidden and anyone crossing the wire risks being shot – those who have snuck in report seeing a ghost town of abandoned hotels and homes. Recent reports suggest the resort may soon undergo controversial redevelopments, but nothing has been set in stone just yet.

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