Welcome to Famagusta Gate! 
You are now standing in front of “the Walls of Nicosia”, a work of the Venetians dating back to the time before the Ottoman invasion, in the 16th century. The Venetians had taken down the old defense walls and were just about to finalize these new and supposedly much stronger and thicker ones, with eleven bastions and enhanced fortifications. This didn’t help them since the Ottomans invaded before they had the time to finish their defense walls. 
 
There are three similar gates in the city wall, the Porta San Domenico (Paphos Gate), Porta Guiliana (Famagusta Gate), and Porta del Proveditore (Kyrenia Gate), but the one you are standing in front of is by far the most beautiful and impressing one! Through this very gate the people entering or leaving the city had to pass to go to the eastern part of the island. As you can see the outer entrance sits right under the bastion and if you enter you will find it leads through a long tunnel which leads to another, bigger gateway. In the tunnel, look up at the ceiling to check out the cool copula that used to be what illuminated this place back in the days. Vendors would be hanging around to sell food to the travelers who passed through here, and only Turks were allowed to ride through the gates, the rest had to step down from their horses and walk. On the holy day, Friday, each week the gate was closed, as well as from sunset until sunrise every day. 
 
After the Ottoman Empire the gate with its stone halls fell into disuse and became decayed. The British then used them as storage rooms and warehouses. It was in pretty bad shape, but as you can see the Famagusta gate has now been renovated and restored to its former glory. Nowadays it is home to exhibitions and different kinds of events, and has become a very popular spot for tourists to visit. So don’t hesitate to linger in the halls that nowadays are pleasant to visit with its air condition and cobblestone floor, and enjoy the fact that even though the Venetians were awesome at architecture, some things have improved since their era.

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Famagusta_Gate_in_Nicosia_Cyprus.jpg" target="_blank">Famagusta Gate in Nicosia Cyprus</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:NicosiaMansions2&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" target="_blank">NicosiaMansions2</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp; <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Famagusta Gate

Welcome to the Omeriye Hamam! 
Built at the same time as the Büyük Han, around mid-late 16th century this Hamam was a gift to the city after being taken by the Ottomans. The name of the Hamam, and this entire area, comes from Caliph Omar, to whom this Hamam was dedicated. Befor the Hamam and the Omeriye mosque stood here these grounds were the place of the Augustinian church of St Mary. The church was built in the 14th century, a small stone building in Venetian style and the door to the main entrance as well as some renaissance parts of the building can still be seen, the rest was destroyed in the Ottoman invasion. The Ottoman ruler, Mustafa Pasha believed these grounds where holy, not because of the church, of course, but because of the fact that he was convinced this was where Prophet Omar rested when visiting Nicosia. Close to the mosque, however he decided to build the Hamam for the people of this city, and the result was the building we are standing before today. It has been renovated lately, but still functions as a Hamam, so if you feel like a real treat, get in there and enjoy thousands of year old, fine bath tradition! It is truly relaxing to lie down on the hot stones and let the water pour over you! To enter, go to the south side of the building, and through the door that leads a small courtyard. Then check out the reception hall with its vaulted ceiling. The interior of this building has hardly changed at all! Behind the entrance hall are the different rooms with medium respectively hot temperatures, so you can choose the heat you want. Don’t be surprised if the bath is full of people! It has won prizes for its restoration and cultural heritage and is very popular with locals and tourists alike as a the perfect place to relax and enjoy the afternoon in beautiful surroundings.

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hamam_baths,_Cyprus.jpg" target="_blank">Hamam baths, Cyprus</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mikettg" target="_blank">Mikettg</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:public_domain" target="_blank">public domain</a>

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Omeriye Hamam

Welcome to Zanettos’ Tavern! 
This proud Cypriot tavern has been serving traditional Cypriot meze since 1938! Since those days when Mr Zanettos owned the place the still relatively small restaurant has doubled in size, so just imagine how small it must have been at first! On a summers day or evening the terrace at the back is the best option for seating, so lets go there and sit down to eat. As you pass through the restaurant to get to the terrace don’t miss to stop and have a look at all the photos of the owner with famous artists that decorate the walls! This place is a typical meze place, which means you only order drinks and the food is some kind of a surprise, as the meze dishes prepared for you keeps coming to your table little by little as you eat your way through the savory starters, mains, side dishes and finally desserts. 
 
For a foreigner it might feel weird to put the choice of dishes in the hands of the chef, but do not worry! At Zanettos you will not be disappointed! The tavern serves great traditional Cypriot food made from ingredients from the local farmers market and nearby producers, so everything is fresh and high quality! 
 
Although it is hard, don’t eat too much of every dish, or you will not be able to try the last dishes or the dessert. That said, you will probably forget all about saving space in your tummy as you are confronted with the colorful salads, tahini, olives, halloumi cheese, sausages in wine, tasty snails and skewered meat that is so tender you will not be able to stop digging your teeth into it! If you manage to get through all the dishes the dessert is usually sweet Cypriot pastries and fruit to finish the enormous meze. When finished it’s time to move your body a little bit to get rid of all that energy, so let’s proceed to the next stop on our tour.

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vin_et_gastronomie_chypriotes.jpg" target="_blank">Vin et gastronomie chypriotes</a>&nbsp;by Cyprus Tourism CH&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY 2.0</a>

Zanettos Cypriot Tavern

Welkome to Laiki Geitonia! Look around you, and you might think you have travelled back in time a hundred years or so! This is a traditional Cypriot neighborhood where little has changed during the last century. Laiki Geitonia is the entire area surrounded by the city walls, and as you can see the restored houses that line the streets are examples of traditional Cypriot architecture from the late 18th century. If you look closer you can see that the buildings are mainly made out of sandstone, wood and mud brick, the typical building materials during these times 
 
Let’s take a walk along the winding streets of the neighborhood to get a feel of what Old Nicosia is like! This place is like an outdoor museum of life in the past, and in any narrow little street or dead end quarter you are likely to find a small café or bar nestled in amongst the private homes of people. Explore the streets strolling up and down imagining what life must have been like before there were modern things like electricity and motorized vehicles and when donkeys were the fanciest means of transportation. 
 
As you can see the area is now home to craft shops, bars, taverns and souvenir shops galore. Here you can surely find that clay sculpture you are looking for or pop in to a local Cypriot tavern for lunch! Laiki Geitonia is the place to be for locals and tourists alike, and everyone can find something to buy or eat here while absorbing the historic atmosphere of the place. So don’t miss the chance to pop into any of the small and cozy bars or terraces for a Frappe, the Cypriot cooling ice coffee, or a glass of local wine accompanied by some tasty Cypriot olives and some bread with Tzatsiki!

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Laiki_Geitonia_traditional_quarters_Nicosia_Cyprus.jpg" target="_blank">Laiki Geitonia traditional quarters Nicosia Cyprus</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:NicosiaNew&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" target="_blank">NicosiaNew</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp; <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Laiki Geitonia

Welcome to the Green Line at Ledras Border Crossing! 
We are now standing in a place where Nicosia used to be divided between the Greek south and the Turkish north parts of Cyprus by a barricade. As you can see today there is no barricade, it was torn down after 34 years of existence in 2007, the area was cleared of landmines, and in 2008 it was replaced by the border crossing we can see here today. 
 
This place hasn’t always been this peaceful and friendly, as you might have guessed! This part of the Ledra Street used to be called “The Murder Mile” since this was a spot where nationalist fighters used to target British military in the 50s. In 1963 the Turkish Cypriot, as a protest to the amendments in the Cypriot constitution cut off the northern part of Nicosia by blockades like the one that existed here in Ledra Street. After the ceasefire this area was turned into a UN Buffer zone, a neutral zone between the Turkish and the Greek part of Nicosia. In 1974 a buffer zone was established all along the island, separating the north from the south, called “The Green Line”. As you can see the buildings have been restored, which was also a part of the opening of the crossing in 2008. 
 
So today you are looking at what can be considered an intent to take a step towards friendly communication between the two sides. Take your time to explore this place, full of dramatic history and a place where people were finally able to meet each other after 34 years of separation! Speaking of which; Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world since Berlin was reunited. Since late 90s this area is pedestrian and you can wander around the streets peacefully shopping or having a coffee in the midst of history.

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicosia_Ledra_street_border.jpg" target="_blank">Nicosia Ledra street border</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MatthiasKabel" target="_blank">MatthiasKabel</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

The Green Line

Welcome to Büyük Han, the Great Inn! 
Behold the beauty of this building! It dates back to mid 16th century when the Ottomans built it. Look around you and you will spot the typical architecture of the Ottoman era, and if you look at the courtyard you can see that there is a mosque and a fountain for people to wash their hands and feet in before prayer. This was a very important place in the era of the Ottomans, as it was the largest caravanserai or khan on the island of Cyprus. Caravanserai was the typical inn of the time, where travelers would stop for the night to rest, exchange information and trade things on their way. You could say it was the best place to do business networking in the 16th century and a couple of hundred years onward. Check out the structure of the building! The upper floor was where the guests would be lodged, and each and every one of the rooms had a fireplace with an octagonal chimney in it! On the ground floor you would find shops, offices and storage for the travelers. You can only imagine the hustle and bustle, caravans, camels parked around the place, people telling each other news from near and far, the commerce loud and cheerful all around the little shops and on the square. 
 
After its glory days as a caravanserai this building was turned into a prison under the British rule, and later it was converted to a hostel for the poor. Today the beautiful building is actually an arts center and gallery, so feel free to enter and enjoy some fine works in the several workshops! If you feel like relaxing in the shade for a bit in this historical and peaceful environment you can always have a coffee in one of the several cafes around the courtyard. There are also several souvenir shops if you haven’t yet bought gifts for your friends at home!

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicosia_Buyuk_Han_02.jpg" target="_blank">Nicosia Buyuk Han 02</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:MatthiasKabel" target="_blank">MatthiasKabel</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Büyük Han

Welcome to the Cyprus Museum! 
This place is a treasure chest for people with a historical interest! It holds all the first archeological finds from the island, and has been operating here since early 20th century when the collections were moved here from a smaller and less functional building. The Cyprus museum is the largest and oldest museum on the island, and here you can really get an understanding of how Cyprus developed through time thanks to the many objects found in excavations all over the island. 
 
So let’s enter and check out the exhibitions! But don’t get lost, there are 14 rooms to be explored, each and every one of them as interesting the one as the other. The exhibitions in this museum follow a chronological and a thematic order starting from the Neolithic period and ending with the Roman period. Lets start with the first room that represents the Neolithic period on the island! Check out all the tools and figurines! Amazing to think that they were used such a long time ago! Continue along the other rooms that contain fine pottery from the Early Bronze Age and onwards. Cyprus has always had a local tradition of using ceramics, but also imported pottery from other countries long ago. Check out the many figurines that were tokens of devotion, found close to an altar here on the island. 
 
When done checking out the clay section, move on the other rooms where you find an exhibition explaining the evolution of writing here in Cyprus, followed by the history of metallurgy and its use for the Cypriots during time. Don’t miss to pass by the room showing the influence of Egyptian and Assyrian influences on the art of sculpture. There are exquisite limestone, marble and bronze statues to be found here! The highlight of this part of the museum is without a doubt an amazing bronze statue of Septimus Severus, the Roman Emperor ruling around year 200 AD! Don’t miss to check that out before you leave the museum and get back out in the sunshine to proceed to the next stop of our tour!

Photo <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cyprusmuseum.JPG" target="_blank">Cyprusmuseum</a>&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ChristosV" target="_blank">ChristosV</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:public_domain" target="_blank">public domain</a>

The Cyprus Museum

Cyprus has a long and very interesting history, starting somewhere around 10000 years BC. From old Greek gods, to seafarers from near and far have settled on the island during many thousands of years. The Mycenean Greeks were the first to settle, followed by Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians, Ottomans, French and Venetians and other great powers. Even Alexander the Great seized power of the island during a period of time! 
 
Take time to explore it all, as we are going to pass some interesting sites of Nicosia: historical and cultural spots,&nbsp;hidden gems on the gastronomic top-list, old quarters where time seems to have stopped and everyday life goes on like it did hundreds of years ago. 
 
So let’s get going; time to explore Cyprus!

Image: "<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palm_trees_promenade.JPG" target="_blank">Palm trees promenade</a>"&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Valantis&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" target="_blank">Valantis Antoniades</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Nicosia Tour

Cyprus

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Cyprus

Nicosia Tour

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