A Morning in Northern Nicosia
-
Enter Northern Nicosia (see Northern Nicosia) at the Kyrenia gate and walk south down Girne Caddesi to Ataturk Meydan, the hub of the old town. South of here, the city’s historic buildings tower above a maze of narrow streets.
Walk down Asmaali Sok to the fortress-like Büyük Han, a 16th-century caravanserai with an arcaded courtyard which now houses boutiques and a pleasant café, then turn left towards the soaring Gothic front of the Selimiye Camii. This 700-year-old cathedral of Agia Sofia (Holy Wisdom) turned mosque is Northern Nicosia’s greatest glory. Behind it, signs lead you to a small square, Selimiye Meydan, and the Sultan Mahmut Library, an eight-sided building with a domed roof containing a collection of Islamic manuscripts and ancient Korans. On the opposite side of the square, a haphazard collection of stonework in the Lapidary Museum includes medieval crests, Turkish tombstones and gargoyles stripped from the Gothic cathedral.
Immediately south of the Selimiye is another Gothic relic, the church of St Nicholas, which became a storehouse under the Ottomans. Across the road, the Belidiye Pazari is the town’s central market, with a colourful mix of produce stands and arts and crafts sellers.
Walk back through the Arabahmet quarter, and enjoy lunch at the Boghjalian Konak Restaurant (see Boghjalian Konak Restaurant, Nicosia).
Advertisement
-
-
lg6789's Las Vegas guide
lg6789
-
Dosdoce's Dublin guide
Dosdoc
-
Paris guide
sherlo
-
-
-
Lucy Tagg's Sicily guide
Lucy T
-
Juliewaldman's Boston guide
Juliew
-
Paris
pengui
-
Tuscany guide
lchuff
-
-
The Castle ClubWith four floors dedicated to retro, R&B, funky house and cheesy dance music, the Castle Club is Ayia Napa's biggest nightclub. Read more
-
European Dance FestivalNow an annual highlight on the European arts and culture scene, 2007 marks the tenth anniversary of Limassol's European Dance Festival. Sixteen European countries unite for a two-month extravaganza... Read more
-
KataklysmosA unique Cypriot celebration, the Festival of the Flood (as it is otherwise known) coincides with (Greek) Pentecost and is marked by festivities at all seaside towns (although some celebrate at... Read more
-
Pentecost-KataklysmosThe Christian feast of Pentecost is known as Kataklysmos (Festival of the Flood) and is celebrated all over the island of Cyprus. In Larnaca, the seafront promenade comes alive with fairs, boat... Read more











symbol, to start adding attractions to your
tailor-made travel guide.
If you were signed in, you could write a review here. Register for a free account, or if you're already a member, sign in.