Nicosia is a unique city, because it is the divided capital of two states at the same time - the Republic of Cyprus, where the Greeks live, and Northern Cyprus, which is inhabited by the Turks. In addition, it is one of the oldest cities in the world, because the first settlements in the picturesque intermountain of Mesaoria date back to the 7th century BC. e.
Nicosia is a city of fusion of two cultures and peaceful coexistence of past and present. One third of the island's population lives in the city, but it is as easy to breathe here as anywhere in the vast Cypriot plains. Admirers of beauty will enjoy visiting museums repeatedly recognized as the best in Europe, gourmets will enjoy dishes of the Balkan, Greek and Turkish cuisines, and hedonists of all ages and nationalities will be delighted with the ancient Byzantine baths and modern spa centers.
Despite the fact that Nicosia is the capital of the island, the airport does not operate in it. It has been closed since 1974 - when the city was divided between Greek Cyprus and Turkish Northern Cyprus, now the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus is located there.
Travelers from Russia usually get to Nicosia via Larnaca, where there are daily direct flights from Moscow and 4 times a week from St. Petersburg. Es Seven, Kiprus Airways, Aeroflot, Pobeda, Ural Airlines, Rossiya fly. Travel time is about 4 hours from the capital and about 5 from St. Petersburg.
From the airport to Nicosia about 50 km, the most convenient way to get there is a shuttle bus that runs daily and around the clock every 1-3 hours. The journey will take about 35 minutes.
If the arrival time does not fit the shuttle schedule, you can go by public transport. First you need to get to the Larnaca bus station by buses No. 407, 418, 419 or 429, and then transfer to a flight to Nicosia, about an hour on the way. This is the most profitable option, but it will take more time.
Another international airport is located in Paphos. Getting to Nicosia through it is not so convenient, since the distance between cities is 140 km. A shuttle runs from the airport to the capital three times a day, the journey takes about two hours. You can also take a bus with a change in Paphos or a taxi.
Initially, a small settlement was called Ledra, later the city was renamed in honor of the son of the Egyptian ruler Ptalimeus, who ruled in these parts, and over time, the Greeks began to call him in their own way - Lefkosia. Throughout its long history, the city was repeatedly destroyed almost to the ground, but over and over again it was reborn and became larger. Nicosia began to develop most actively in the 10th century, when the French feudal lords, the Lusignans, took possession of it. In the Middle Ages, the Venetians came to these lands, they made a huge contribution to the development of the city and gave it a special status. Numerous Gothic-style Catholic cathedrals and a unique defensive rampart testify to their stay here.
At the end of the 16th century, the city was captured by the Turks, who also significantly changed its appearance and way of life. Mosques grew up on the site of Catholic cathedrals, lively oriental bazaars began to be organized everywhere, Turkish coffee shops appeared and much more. Since then, the population of Cyprus has been divided into two irreconcilable camps, clearly opposed to each other. At times, bloody clashes even arose here, so the UN peacekeeping forces took control of the situation.
Today, Nicosia is the administrative and business center of the island, where all government agencies and offices of large companies or financial organizations are located. In addition, it is the cultural capital of Cyprus with a huge number of museums, exhibition halls and galleries, architectural attractions.
There are not many hotels in Nicosia for the capital, but among them there are very good options for any budget: from modest hostels to decent hotels, although in most of them you cannot count on special luxury. A good double room in a "treshka" costs 60 EUR , a place in a hostel can be rented for 20 EUR . And expensive "fives" rent rooms for 150-200 EUR per day. A good option is apartments, they can be accommodated by a company of up to 6 people, and such accommodation costs 40-50 EUR per night.
Travelers usually tend to stay in the very center, near Ledra Street, where accommodation is more expensive by 5-10 EUR per day, but this is really the most convenient location.
The main architectural landmark of Nicosia is considered to be Laiki Gethinia - one of the quarters in the old city. Relatively recently, it underwent a large-scale reconstruction, as a result of which it was possible to recreate the unique atmosphere of the beginning of the last century. Here, old houses stand along cozy cobbled streets, so narrow that they can only be walked on foot. They housed many bars and restaurants in retro style, serving national cuisine prepared according to old recipes, accompanied by amazing Cypriot wines.
The center of Nicosia is an almost perfect circle surrounded by a fortress wall. But its main feature is that the city (like the whole island) is divided into Greek and Turkish parts by the so-called "green line", this is the buffer zone of the UN peacekeeping troops. To see the sights of both parts of the capital, you will have to go through border control. Usually, when passing from south to north and back, there are no problems, but it is better to clarify the features of crossing the border before the trip.
In general, the old city amazes with its splendor, life here is completely different than in the business center of Nicosia, where there are no modern shopping centers, trendy nightclubs and expensive restaurants, only old oriental bazaars, souvenir and antique shops, colorful taverns. In this part of the city, there is the St. John's Cathedral, filled with solemn grandeur, where ancient frescoes have been preserved, the churches of Faneromeni and Chrysaliniotissa and the Selimiye Mosque, created in the best traditions of oriental luxury in the territory of Turkish Northern Cyprus. All this is surrounded by an ancient wall, with amazingly beautiful fortress gates, recognized as the best restored object of antiquity in Europe.
In Greek Nicosia, there are two archbishop's palaces - Old and New. The first one was created in 1730 and was once a Benedictine monastery. In the second half of the 20th century, the Cypriots built a New Neo-Byzantine Palace next to it. On the Turkish side, there is also the residence of the Catholic Archbishop, dated as early as 1329. Also noteworthy are the numerous well-restored inns of Buyuk Khan, Kumarjilar Khan, etc.
It is definitely worth visiting the numerous museums - Archaeological, Municipal, Artistic, Museum of Jewelry - where many interesting exhibits are presented, many of which were created long before our era. The Museum of Arts and Crafts and Folk Crafts deserves special attention, where the history is collected and the life of the entire island is shown.