Near the centre of the island, Nicosia (Lefkosia in Greek and Lefkosa in Turkish) is Europe’s only divided capital city. The numerous historic sites and traditional atmosphere of South Nicosia  have been carefully preserved. The old town lies within an imposing defence wall erected by the Venetian in the 16^th century. In the evenings, the narrow streets fill with strolling crowds of Cypriots and tourists alike who come to dine and socialize in the pedestrianized  Laiki Geitonia district.

Nicosia is the business and financial centre of the Republic of Cyprus , as well as its seat of government, home to the president. It is composed of three districts: the old town , the modern city, and the sprawling suburbs where most families live, extending beyond the city far into the Mesaoria valley.

The charming old town, with its narrow, one-way streets, is surrounded by a venetian wall stretching for 4.5km (2.8miles). the wall is punctuated by 11 bastions and three gates. The Porta Giuliana (Famagusta gate) houses a cultural centre. Visitors heading for the border foot-crossing to  Turkish side  North Nicosia (near the Ledra Palace Hotel) are greeted by the grim Paphos gate , near the demarcation line. Crossing the border is much easier these days thanks to the partial lifting of restrictions. The  Laiki Geitonia  district , east of Eleftheria Square , has narrow , winding alleys filled with restaurants, art galleries and boutiques set between  traditional  houses, typical of Cypriot urban architecture. Ledra street is a prestigious pedestrian precinct with smart boutiques and garden restaurant s. One of the crossings to north Cyprus  is located here. At the heart of Nicosia stands the Archbishop’s Palace.

South Nicosia has a range of museums to visit, including the wonderful Cyprus museum.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Cities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.