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The city of Nicosia isn’t your ordinary capital city. For one, it’s a city literally split in two. A border runs through Nicosia, with the south side the capital of the Republic of Cyprus and the north side the capital of Northern Cyprus. There are very few places like that in the world, so naturally, visiting Nicosia was something I really wanted to do during my time in Cyprus.
What’s fascinating to me is that the many popular seaside destinations along the Mediterranean coast of Cyprus generally overshadow Nicosia. Tourists do visit the capital as a day trip, but many would much rather soak up the sun on a beach. But if you’re visiting Cyprus in winter, exploring the city’s history and culture seems far more appealing than a chilly beach day.
In the end, Nicosia wasn’t quite what I had pictured, but that’s rarely a bad thing. Still, it has quite a few things to do, so here’s what to see in Nicosia, if you decide to give it a chance.
How to visit Nicosia
Before jumping into the things to do in Nicosia, you need to decide on how you’re visiting.
While I decided to stay a few days in Nicosia, many just come as a day trip from the coast. A day trip from Larnaca or Ayia Napa is the most common way to visit, since they’re the two nearest coastal destinations.
Getting around Cyprus is best done by renting a car, something I wish I had done sooner. It just makes getting around so much quicker and more flexible.
However, there are options for Nicosia buses from the major tourist destinations.
The most regular buses seem to be on the Larnaca to Nicosia route. They depart almost every hour, and the trip from Nicosia to Larnaca takes around two hours. Further routes to Limassol, Paphos, and Ayia Napa run a few times a day.
Finally, you can find tours that help you make a day trip, such as this tour from Paphos that visits both Larnaca and Nicosia.
Where to stay in Nicosia
If you do decide to stay overnight to see the city, there is a reasonable selection of guesthouses and hotels in Nicosia.
There aren’t as many hotels as in coastal destinations, but there are some.
For a budget-friendly hostel option, try NEX Hostel in a quieter southwest suburb of the city. The hostel has friendly staff, surprising rooftop views, a typical hostel vibe, and an excellent bakery downstairs.
But it is a hostel, and that’s not for everyone. Other well-rated places to stay in Nicosia include:
- Gate Twenty Two Boutique Hotel
- MARTIN Nicosia City Suites
- MAP Boutique Hotel
- Urban Habitat Executive Suites
What to do in Nicosia
When visiting Nicosia, you can mostly expect attractions that showcase the city’s unique history and culture.
Whether you explore on your own or take a walking tour to learn about Nicosia from a local, there are some highlights you don’t want to miss. From my experience, these places are where you should start when wondering what to do in Nicosia.
Cyprus Museum
Before we even get to the sights in the Nicosia Old Town, let’s look at the exceptional Cyprus Museum.
This is the most recognised Nicosia museum and was highly recommended to me, so I couldn’t wait to visit. And sure enough, it totally delivered. It was by far the best museum I went to during my time in Cyprus.
While not huge, the Cyprus Museum boasts an impressive collection of historical artefacts that really help reveal different eras of the island’s past. While some exhibits feature items with clear links to other cultures, such as the stereotypical Ancient Greek pottery, you also find artefacts that are distinctly Cypriot.
It’s quite heavy on ceramics and pottery, which I would normally lose interest in quite quickly. However, from ceramics that have a unique approach to decoration to really unconventional statues, the range of things to see here really locks you in.
Nicosia City Walls
Beyond being a city split in two, Nicosia’s most famous feature is its monumental city walls.
And no matter which direction you approach the historical centre, you’ll find the stone walls around the Nicosia Old City. The Venetian Republic built walls around the city in the 16th century, and the outline of the city on maps is unmistakable.
Between the layers of walls, you’ll mostly find grassy parkland. However, the city was mid-transformation working on Eleftheria Square, just east of the city’s bus station, when I visited and looked like it was going to have a very modern, landscaped look to it. It’s always nice to see urban renewal projects that incorporate historical landmarks like city walls, rather than just replace them, I think.
Nicosia Old Town streets
Cross through the city walls, and you’ll find yourself in the Nicosia Old Town, even if it doesn’t seem so at first glance. It’s fair to say that Nicosia isn’t the most well-preserved historical place you’ll come across, with plenty of 20th- and 21st-century buildings about.
That means you’ll really need to wander and explore to find the older parts of the city. At least on the southside of Nicosia, that is. Fortunately, the historical centre is a good place to explore on foot. Clear boundaries mean it’s hard to stay lost for long here.
A good place to start is Ledra Street, the main pedestrian avenue through the centre. Modern brand-name shops line the street, while shade sails hang overhead. There is the occasional older building here and there whose architecture reminded me a little of Malta.
Moving away from Ledra Street, though, is the best way to see the older side of Nicosia. Walking about, there are definitely parts that look derelict and covered in graffiti. But some areas, especially near the Archbishop’s Palace and up in the northeast, provide a nicer insight into the city’s past charms.
Leventis Municipal Museum
There’s a decent selection of museums you can visit in Nicosia, but one to really consider is the Leventis Municipal Museum. Unlike the national focus of the Cyprus Museum, this museum focuses solely on the history of Nicosia.
Exhibits take you through the city’s different eras, from its ancient origins through Venetian, Ottoman, and British rule. It also helps the Greek Cypriot perspective on the history behind the division of Cyprus stemming from British rule during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Omeriye Mosque
Places of worship, including plenty of orthodox churches, dot throughout the southern half of Nicosia.
And yet, it was the Omeriye Mosque that really stuck out to me, not the least because it felt weird standing in a parking lot to admire a mosque. Much like in Larnaca, the sight of these mosques shows that the segregation of Cyprus is very much a modern situation.
The Liberty Monument
It was during my wandering around the Old Town that I came across the city’s Liberty Monument.
I always enjoy evocative statues and memorials, so this eye-catching monument immediately hooked my interest. The monument is a tribute specifically to Greek Cypriots in the 50s who fought against British colonial rule.
While the meaning and politics behind the statue were lost on me at the time, it certainly captures your attention.
Famagusta Gate
A short walk up from the Liberty Monument, and you’ll find the formidable Famagusta Gate. This was the city’s eastern gate and is one of the better-preserved parts of the old Nicosia City Walls. The gate is nowadays used as a cultural/community centre. For visitors, though, it’s really just another chance to imagine what Nicosia must have once been like.
Nicosia border area
Spend enough time exploring the city, and you’ll eventually encounter the border that divides the city. I had a far more official and established image of the Nicosia Green Line in my mind, which made the reality of the border all the more raw.
Barrels and barbed wire barricade this demilitarized zone, which is just one section of the broader United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus that runs from coast to coast. There’s often no clear rhyme or reason to the border, with roads suddenly ending in walls, gates, or border guard posts. The political situation in Cyprus becomes very real after seeing it, with everything you see afterwards now framed around the city and island’s division.
Well, I was glad I saw this area. I wish I had been able to learn more. Taking a guided tour of the border like this would have probably led to a much deeper experience.
Venturing over to North Nicosia
With Nicosia a divided city, there’s an obvious temptation to see what lies on the other side of the city. The good news for travellers is that it’s really quite easy to venture over to North Nicosia for the day. With your passport ready, you can take the Nicosia border crossing at Ledra Street and explore as you like.
I’ll cover my experience in North Nicosia on its own later, but suffice to say, the northside did feel quite different. In some ways, North Nicosia is closer to what I imagined the city would be like, thanks to attractions like the Buyuk Han above.
Again, while I explored here on my own, you can take a guided tour to feel more comfortable or learn more from an expert source.
Other things to see in Nicosia
With any visit to a destination, there are going to be attractions that you miss for various reasons. I tried to fully explore the historical centre of Nicosia, but I regrettably missed a few sights.
While I walked past both the Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios Mansion and the Archbishop’s Palace, I never saw the inside of either.
The Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum didn’t really appeal to me, but others might feel differently. I also didn’t explore many parts beyond the Nicosia city centre, so can’t really comment on what lies beyond the centre. Except for the bakeries near my accommodation, that is.
Have you had the chance to visit Nicosia before? Are there other sights in Nicosia that you would recommend to travellers? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
