Nicosia is the divided city, divided between the Greek Orthodox Greek Cypriots and Muslim Turks.
The Walls
On the Greek side you automatically pass the huge Venetian era walls. Those massive walls didn't save the Italians or the Greeks from invaders on all occasions, but they are now an attractive and distinctive feature of the city. The Italians were here, then the Turks, then the Brits.
As a tourist you are bound to see some sad parts, and struggle with some of the signs and language. But never mind. Most people here in Cyprus, as elsewhere in the world, when dealing with visitors are glad to see you, hear you, talk to you in English, show you what you want to see and take your euros or credit cards.
Get a map of the city so you can find your way walking. Or bring it up on your phone.
If you drive in, you need to find a car park. Some car parks charge 3 Euros for unlimited time. Watch out for car parks which threaten to clamp your car if you are not back on time.
1 Cyprus Museum
Laughing lions at the Cyprus museum. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
The big must do museum is the Cyprus Museum. Rooms of statues of people with extraordinary expressions - and symbolic animals, interesting jewellery, and gravestones with emotional or historically revealing inscriptions.
Our group had only an hour so I raced round the museum to get an overview to decide where to spend most time and be sure of not missing anything. Make sure to see the two rooms showing gravestones with bilingual translations of the inscriptions, and the caves where burials took place.
The rooms are numbered and there is a map. I counted the numbers to be sure I had not missed a room, and went back to see the last two rooms which I missed on my first circle.
If you are on a meter for parking, or meeting others, allow time for a photograph of yourself at the entrance of the museum, between the massive pillars.
The shop is at the entrance. I could not find a cafe.
2 Ledra Street
Ledra is the long central pedestrianised shopping street. Its name has changed over the See shops with bargain souvenirs. Clothes, hats. I bought a map hat showing Cyprus. I also found a shop selling tops for 2 Euros and 3 Euros.
The museum is a short walk from the old town and one of the two entrance gates on the Greek side.
Starbucks has a toilet with a code for entry. McDonalds toilet is a short walk away at the end of the passage, again with an entry code you get from the staff. I also saw a sign to a public toilet.
3 Ledra Observatory
The observatory is at the top of the Shakolas Tower. The entree fee was five Euros but worth it to get an overview of buildings both sides of the city, Greek and Turkish.
A video gives you a summary of the city's history. I watched in twice.
The small souvenir area has amusing pottery bowls for olives. You could have a bowl with olives painted inside. Or a long one for olives. Or a small pot like an egg cup with six prongs.
Another interesting souvenir was playing cards. One pair showed cats.
Free public toilets are a couple of floors down from the Observatory which is the twelfth top floor of the building. The entrance hall on the ground floor listed a cafe but the museum attendant told me that the cafe had closed down 'eight years ago'.
4 Motorcycle Museum on Mondays
On Mondays when all other museums in the old area are closed you can visit the motorcycle museum which also has a couple of cars. Best if you are with a motorcycling enthusiast. The restorer gave us a guided tour and told us tales and answered questions. It takes him not just hours but months for him to restore a rusty old machine until it is gleaming like when it was new. We saw signs to other museums which were closed. I liked the look of the Fairytale Museum. Now that Covid-19 seems under control (writing in June 2022) I hope that on my next visit and yours some other museums which are still on the signposts will have re-opened.
5 The Turkish Side's Buyuk Han (Big Hostelry/Hotel/Ancient Inn)
The main area to see is an enclosed quadrangle with restaurants in the middle and kiosks selling clothes and bags and souvenirs around the little shops on the edges of cloister walks. It is called Buyuk Han meaning great inn. The shopkeeper's tenancy agreements stipulate that the products sold are made in Cyprus.
One drinking area is under greenery but that part was occupied by smokers. I was sorry I did not have time to see the second storey and take photos from there looking down.
The public toilets where you are sent from the restaurants make a charge of half a euro.
Summary
Top 4 Tourists Sites and Sights
Old Walls
1 Cyprus Museum
2 Classic Motorcycle Museum
3 Observatory
4 Turkish Square
Also in the Nicosia Area
Art Gallery: Diachroniki Gallery, Ledras, Arsinois 84 Nicosia.
Web www.diachroniki.com
tel:22 680 145.
The owner is Chris Kikas. His brother, George, owns the gorgeous guesthouse, George's Villa. George sent us here to see the gallery and meet Chris.
Driving out of the old city:
Wine Shop
Uncork wine
Useful Information & Websites
Cyprus Museum, Museum Street, Nicosia, Cyprus.
/www.mcw.gov.cy
Great Inn
http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/city/nicosia/inn-great.htm
Coffee Island is in the UK.
https://www.facebook.com/CoffeeIslandUK/
https://www.coffeeisland.co.uk/pages/company
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