About Nicosia
Nicosia is a very famous city and no doubt that this 1000 years old capital worths to be seen while in Cyprus. It rises up in the centre of the island being really easy accessible from the other towns. A day spent in this magnificent city brings only nice memories. A walk within the beauty of the city is a step backward in time, transforming your vacation in a very mysterious feeling. The city features narrow streets and old houses with decorated balconies getting out from beaten sandstone walls and in shops the craftsmen practice manners old for centuries.
Nowadays Nicosia is a very modern and dynamic city, featuring tremendous infrastructure giving to the area a very chic look, while there are preserved unique attractive places left from the ancient times. This combination is unique and makes the city a real charming area that definitely worths to be visited. Nicosia is a relatively small town, despite this it unifes people from different parts of the world. It comprises a population of about 84,000 people made by local Cypriots and Turks who have emigrated in Nicosia after the events from 1974. Nicosia is the only capital that is military divided by the United Nations, with the Turkish part in the North and the Greek part in the South.
Major attractions in Nicosia
Nicosia enchants the tourists with a large variety of wonderful sights, tourist attractions and places of real interest. The cultural places that should be visited are The Lefkosia Jewellery Museum, The Museum of History of the Cypriot Coinage, The Municipal Arts Centre, that are the best museums where you can admire the occupations of the inhabitants, that still preserve their traditions intact.
The Leventis Municipal Museum of Lefkosia offers a presentation of the history of Nicosia, that was regarded with the title „European Museum of the Year”in 1991. You can also include in your list the Cypriot Museum which is the home for important collections of Cypriot antiquities and precious works from the Neotithic Age to the Roman. The establishement of the museum was put many years ago, and was meant to collect, explore, study and show archeological artifacts from all the island. Some of the exhibits feature more than 8,500 years, and represent valuable works for the Cypriot community. The museum is divided by chronological areas.
Another interesting museum is the Folk Art Museum that displays Cypriot Folk art from the 19th and 20th centuries, that boasts wood carvings, jewellery, woven goods, embroidery, pottery and original national costumes. The home for the museum is an old building from the 15th century, that used to house the Benedictine Monastery , then trasformed into the palace of the Archbishop.
The best touristic facilities in Nicosia
Nicosia is an old but very modern city offering the greatest facilities for the tourists: exceptional hotels, chic restaurants, luxury nightclubs and trendy boutiques that fascinate everybody’s tastes. In the surrounding villages you can find the best holiday services on the wonderful beaches. This spectacular villages are located higher, in the Troodos mountain range, veiled in an enchanting atmosphere given by the mountain fresh air, added to the majestic pine, oak and cedar forests, orchids and mineral springs. All these create a realy charming place, delighting the visitors' eyes and souls with incredible sights, in a place that is often compared to the Paradise.
The area is perfect for walks, for riding horses, combined with the August festivals of arts, crafts, dance, singing that as well enchant the ambiance, providing superb entertainment. Despite its old age, the city of Nicosia is a proeminent destination, which includes memorial sites, that reflect mysterious events and important moments from the history of the society. The beauty of the nature is in a perfect combination with the old or modern building that separate the old part of the town from the newest one, with dynamic infrastucture, with busy crowds, while the old part is more peaceful and enigmatic. The most splendid attractions in the old part are the Venetian Walls, with the Famagusta Gate, which almost encircle the old city, including a circumference of about 4,5 km, featuring 11 heart shaped bastions.
Initially there were three main entrances to the city, in the north, in the south and in the east. One of the gates, named Porta Giuliana, later became Famagusta Gate, during the time has been renovated and transformed into the Nicosia Municipal Cultural Centre. Famagusta Gate lies in a long passage with a cupola in the center, which cuts through the walls and gets out in the moat. The renovated passage houses exhibitions, conferences, lectures and other different performances. The wonderful old city is spreaded with buildings and monuments of historical interest that are valuable treasures for the island, reflecting the spirit of fame and pride. In the countryside the visitors can get to see the ruins of the ancient city kingdoms of the Idalion and Tamasos.
Do not skip the opportunity to visit this enormous city, which is realy remarkable through its amazing beauties and unique picturesque landscapes. It has notable and famous places that are preserved in their original style, representing the cultural values of the city. So it is a great destination for a fantastic vacation where you can get to relax in the most historical sites, or get to taste and admire the modern facilities that the touristic resorts offer.
By Eugenia Cvasov
Others
The most popular places to visit in Cyprus .
Cyprus touristic attractions have over 10,000 years of glorious history and civilization, that want to be discovered and deeply explored by curious tourists.
The fascinating places of the island reflect a long and enchanting history.
It offers picturesque cities and attractions that are truly charming and spectacular.
The magical island features a large variety of touristic destinations, to make your stay more pleasant.
It has miraculous beaches, wonderful waterparks, golf clubs, spas, restaurants and many other interesting places.
Just enjoy your stay in this magnificent country and decide yourself which attraction is the best.
