While in Cyprus, one of the sightseeing points, apart from the beautiful beaches, was to be the capital of the country. Nicosia may not be Paris, Rome or Amsterdam, but it has something that these other countries don’t have. Namely, the border of the “state”. I put it in quotation marks because Northern Cyprus is not recognized by the vast majority of countries in the world, but the border does exist. You can cross it without any problem. It is enough to have a passport with you, and in a moment you can find yourself on the Turkish side.
Walk along the main street of Nicosia (up to the border)
The main street of the city is called Ledra, it is the representative promenade of the capital. Along the promenade there are old tenement houses with shops, cafes, restaurants and excellent ice cream parlors. There is a border crossing at the end of the road.
View of the city from Shacolas Tower
Along the main promenade, there is another attraction that Nicosia has for us, namely the view of the city skyline. It is an 11-storey building with shops, a mini museum and a viewpoint on both the Cypriot and the more magnificent Turkish part. It is easy to miss the entrance to this building as it is located on a side street. It is worth paying attention to the H&M store – the entrance is located near this store.
Attractions of North Nicosia
Once you cross the border, you can immediately see the differences. It is one city and two different worlds. The southern part is more orderly, renovated and calmer. In the northern part there is more noise, disorder and bustle. It is worth taking a walk among these streets, stalls and bazaars to feel the atmosphere.
Caravanserais
Buyuk Han – inn’s for travellers built along the main communication routes. Two of them are located in northern Nicosia. The caravanserai consists of two floors – upstairs there are rooms where you could relax, and downstairs there are commercial rooms. In the middle of the courtyard stands a small mosque.
Selimiya Mosque.
The history of this mosque is very interesting, namely… it is a Gothic cathedral built in the 13th and 14th centuries on the ruins of an earlier Byzantine church, which was never completed. Construction progressed slowly, interrupted by numerous wars and earthquakes. In 1570, the island was conquered by the Ottomans and the entire building was transformed into a mosque.
While in Nicosia, it is definitely worth stopping by one of the local cafés or restaurants. In addition to interesting attractions for the eyes and soul, it is necessary to “visit” this interesting corner of the world through our taste buds – drink delicious coffee, eat insane food that tastes like Greek dishes.
What is worth tasting?
- Halloumi – Cypriot cheese, tastes best when grilled
- Souvlaki – grilled pieces of meat (mutton, beef or chicken) wrapped in a bun-drink with toppings
In Cyprus, the main currency is the euro, although the prices are decent for tourists from Poland.
- Coffee from 1.5 euros
- Greek salad from 5 euros
- Souvlaki from 6 euros
From Cyprus, you will surely bring amazing memories, a beautiful tan and a few kilos more…
