Nicosia trip
A Nicosia trip offers the visitor to Cyprus a slightly different experience than what one can expect from the coastline. The lazy, beach-bum lifestyle of the coast is not something that you’ll find in the country’s capital, a literally divided capital; we’ll be talking about the southern part of the city, known to Greek speakers as Lefkosia.
This is the place that you want to visit if you want to experience what modern Cyprus is about. Nicosia is the country’s cultural heart, wrapped in a very attractive and enticing package.
In a visit here you’ll get to see everything from bouzouki players besides metres of meze and dark taverns, to extremely modern, cosmopolitan establishments where young Cypriots party their nights away to the sounds of electronic music.
The capital is home to the best archaeological museum in the country which features an extensive collection, and the consumer in you will surely be pleased by the stretch known as Makarios Avenue which features a plethora of chain, designer and local shops, all of which want to take you money – keep in mind this is not the place for the mode thrifty-minded.
The city’s ‘old town’ has been likened to a snowflake or a grenade because of its shape, and it’s made up of a virtual labyrinth of narrow streets which hide churches, mosques and wonderful – although usually dilapidated – colonial houses.
Possibly the least ideal part of the year to visit would be during the summer months, because that is when the high summer temperatures can prove to be a little bit too much for some visitors, so one’s tolerance for heat should be taken into account, especially considering that the sea isn’t as easy to get to as it would be if you were vacationing on the coast.
Greek Nicosia (Lefkosia) is in a rather interestingly and stark contrast with Turkish-occupied North Nicosia which looks more than a little bit stuck in time, some three hundred years ago, but you should consider visiting that part of the island as well on a future trip.
