LEFKOSIA (LEFKOŞ A) © LonelyPlanetPublications Lefkosia asonecity, thoughitmaystillbeyearsuntilit’strulythatway. might bringreunification. Withcrossingtoandfromadeeasier,it’spossibleseefeel the capitalreflects thestoryofCyprus:itstwopeople,divided,are glancingatafuture that North: modern (Greek) Lefkosia and traditional (Turkish) North (Lefko modern(Greek) North LefkosiaNorth: andtraditional(Turkish) hordes.but itrescues Lefkosia from thepackage-tourist barsandbeautiful,often dilapidatednight, hidingchurches,mosques,arty colonialhouses. Thelection. OldCity’snarrowstreets are alabyrinth,teeming duringthedayandghostlyat The country’sbestmuseumishere, withanextensive– basicmake-up. archaeological col- traditional eateries andagrowingmulticulturalcore showcasethecity’s–andcountry’s it’s idealforexperiencingwhatmodernCyprusisallabout.The ancientwalls,glitzybars, oftown. betweenthetwoparts allows pedestrianstohopbackandforth half.into itsnorthern This isespeciallysowiththerecently openedLedra Stcrossing,which reality that,althoughstillpresent, isslowlychanging thanksto24-hourcheckpointcrossings Lefkosia. The cityhasbeenlabelledwiththebeaten clichéof‘thelastdividedcapital’,a you spendsometimeinthecountry’scapital,knownofficially(andtoGreek as speakers) If yougettired ofthecoast’slazy,beach-bumlifestyle, andeven sure ifyoudon’t, make (Lefko Lefkosia 64 The cityissplitalmostevenly betweentheRepublicanSouth andtheTurkish-occupied Lefkosia’s highsummertemperatures are bothacurseandblessing;theheatistough, Lefkosia (population213,500)isanattractive, enticingcityandthecountry’s culturalheart;

HIGHLIGHTS Have the bestmeze intownat Spendadaypamperingyourself atthe Delve intothecountry’sbest ancient history SeebothsidesofEurope’s lastdividedcapi- Hammam delightfully stylishandaffordable atthe collection trian atthenewandpedes- tal bygoingNorth Old City preserved Explore theemblematicandfantastically a real Lefkosia institution Ledra Street crossing Venetian walls ( p73) ş Museum a) Λευκωσία ( p68 the ) snaking (p71) Egeon Omeriye ( p71) (p78), Museum Cyprus

Crossing Ledra Street Hammam Omeriye Venetian Egeon Walls ş a). As awhole LEFKOSIA (LEFKOŞ A) 65

Arch- ( p77 ), ), p77 ( Faneromeni Faneromeni ( p80 ). Shiantris a; p178 ) for the ) for the p178 a; ş A) •• HistoryA) Ş Omeriye Hammam Omeriye ( p73 ) and the ) and p73 ( (Lefko Hammam ( p68 ), the city’s guardians guardians ), the city’s p68 ( (Middle Eastern water pipe) pipe) (Middle water Eastern ( p74 ) and then relax in the leafy in the leafy ) and then relax p74 ( ( p79 ), then pop into

nargileh North Nicosia Venetian walls Venetian Apart from the Ledra St crossover point, LedraSt crossover Apart from the The New City sprawls outwards south The New City sprawls outwards south ORIENTATION ORIENTATION attract Lefkosians. at Hotel, Ledra Palace is another, the there pedes- the Old City; both are the far west of the Dometios, northwest of Agios trian-only. car-only the Old, is the New City and west of has facilitated easier access from one side to the other. the city for visi- part of The most interesting is the Old City, inside the 16th-century tors is Plateia centre walls. The town Venetian the of edge Eleftherias on the southwestern on New Year’s held here are walls. Fireworks is near the Caraffa Gate Eve. Bastion the walls east. At the base to the of gardens. municipal car parks and are there walls, and its main artery the Venetian of Arhiepiskopou is the modern Leoforos doz- where Ave), III (Makarios Makariou and shops restaurants bars, cafes, ens of ingly weary eyes of UN peacekeeping forces. UN peacekeeping ingly weary eyes of Line was made In 2003, crossing the Green in a possible for ordinary citizens, resulting Cypriots going to work Turkish number of the capital. The Greek in the southern side of Cypriots, in turn, peruse the north’s numer- the the opening of ous casinos. Furthermore, Ledra St pedestrian crossing in April 2008 ( p79 ) and check out the bars on trendy Leoforos Leoforos the bars on trendy ) and check out p79 ( ( p80 ) or puff on a p80 ( ( p70 ), where concerts and other events are often held. held. often concerts are ), where and other events p70 ( ( p78 ), and have some drinks at ), and have p78 ( House of Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios House of Hatzigeorgakis Double Six Coffee Bar Double Six Coffee Oktana

Egeon Egeon Lefkosia Arts Centre & Library Arts Centre Lefkosia Makarios Ave). ( Famagusta Gate Famagusta and then the Turkish ( p76 ). Drink at Syrian Arab Friendship Club Arab Friendship Syrian ( p71 ), where the oldest artefact dates back to 8000 BC. Prepare to eat some of to eat some of the oldest artefact back to 8000 BC. Prepare ), where dates p71 ( ( p73 ). In the afternoon, have a luxurious Turkish bath at the Turkish a luxurious have ). In the afternoon, p73 ( (LEFKO LEFKOSIA ( p80 ), among Lefkosia’s best drinking best spots. ), among Lefkosia’s p80 (

( p72 ). Take a couple of hours to explore the of hours to explore a couple Take ). p72 (

On day two, visit the extravagant Uqbar ( p73 ). Dine at the ). Dine at p73 ( Arhiepiskopou Makariou III bishop’s Palace where you can have a real Cypriot meal alongside the city’s working lunch, go to the real a folk. you can have After where Cyprus Museum the finest meze on the island at the finest meze Church and go to for centuries, and checking of the Old City the streets time simply wandering around Spend some the old out lunch at Line and have Trace the Green now falling into decay. colonial houses, Two Days Two Days Start at the your day with breakfast LEFKOSIA LEFKOSIA IN… Four Days Four Days Follow the two-day your third day visit itinerary, then on at day. On the fourth day visit the municipal gardens Violence inspired by the Ethniki Organosi by the Ethniki Organosi Violence inspired The Turkish invasion of 1974 finally di- 1974 finally The Turkish invasion of HISTORY HISTORY since, chaperoned by the watchful but increas- by the watchful since, chaperoned vided the city and it has remained so ever so ever vided the city and it has remained using a green pen on a military map. The pen on a military map. The using a green this day. name has stuck to came into being at this time when the British areas and Turkish military defined the Greek disturbances between Greek and Turkish and Turkish disturbances between Greek Cypriots in 1963 brought a de facto parti- Line’ city. The so-called ‘Green the tion of Cypriots in the ’60s saw considerable carnage Cypriots in the ’60s saw carnage considerable Lefkosia. Intercommunal of on the streets Organisation for the Cypriot Struggle)Organisation against the British in the 1950s tou Kypriakou Agona (EOKA; National National (EOKA; tou Kypriakou Agona 1570. Life in Lefkosia under the Ottomans saw1570. Life little growth, and only when the British took control in 1878 did the city begin to spread its walls. beyond briefly held Lefkosia from 1489, built the walls around the city. But stone defensive these the Ottomans out in did little to keep major streets, and grew extensively during during extensively and grew streets, major who the Byzantine period. The Venetians, the country’s capital. The city was originally its by one of known as Ledra, the name kept Mesaoria on the River for de- River plain on the Pedieos Mesaoria purposes, Lefkosiafence has always been Established in the middle of the wide the wide Established in the middle of lonelyplanet.com