11 must do’s when you’re in Nicosia / Lefkosa
Last updated on May 19th, 2026 at 12:44 am
24 hours and want to know the best things to do in Nicosia?
Perfect – I’ve got you covered! Although, if you can make it two days so you can relax and linger – even better! Its an intriguing place – mostly because of the old town and the Green Line dividing the Turkish Cypriots from the Greek Cypriots that runs right through the middle of it! But it also has a great cafe scene, a lot of museums and some fine architecture on both sides of the border!
Just a note – Nicosia is also known by its more ancient name Lefkosia or Lefkoşa and you will see all three names around Cyprus!
First a few important links to use when you plan your trip. They are affiliate links, but I use them all for my travels, and if you do too it will help me keep producing this content – and at no extra cost to you. Cheers!
Plan for your trip
Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight for a lot cheaper than booking direct with the airline!
Insurance – Use EKTA or SafetyWing. TBH I usually use EKTA – they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!
Accommodation – use booking.com or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use both.
Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.
Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is always my first option for buses, ferries and trains
Car rental – use DiscoverCars – they are my ‘go-to’ car rental site
Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!
Tours and Activities – book with Viator, GetYourGuide, or Eatwith My top recommendations for you in Nicosia are:
- The highly rated Green Line and Buffer Zone Guided Tour
- A Walking City Tour of Nicosia North or to see more in the north a Nicosia and Kyrenia Private Tour (from Nicosia or Kyrenia)
- And for good fun – a Segway tour of Nicosia
Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!
So let’s get on with all the ‘must-do’s’ in Nicosia!
1. See the city gates and Venetian walls
The Venetian walls were built in a star shape – you can easily see it from an aerial viewpoint even though parts of the wall are missing. The first city walls were built in the Middle Ages, but they were completely rebuilt in the mid-16th century by the Republic of Venice during their war with the Ottoman Empire.
The walls are still mostly in place, and are some of the best preserved Renaissance fortifications in the Eastern Mediterranean. Some of the gates are still very much in tact and worth seeing too – the Famagusta Gate is probably the best!
The old moat has some interesting areas to walk around. Its good for cycling, walking and comes complete with garden and sculpture areas!
2. Have your morning coffee at a locals cafe – away from the main drag
Find a lovely cafe where the locals hang out – right away from the Ledra St crossing. Its definitely worth it! I found some lovely ones. The best was tucked in an alley way and there was definitely only one tourist there – me!
3. Go to the top of the Shacolas Tower for fantastic views of the city – and the enormous Turkish flag
If you head to the top of the Shacolas Tower you will get a birds eye view of the whole city and also an interesting potted history in film in the small ‘museum’ up there. You will also see photos showing the shape of the Venetian Wall.
What’s cool / not cool is you can see the huge ‘f-off’ Turkish flag that Turkey has ‘built / drawn / ingrained’ on the land on their side of the border! Sadly beside it is a quote from Ataturk, which my Turkish Cypriot friends (who are very ashamed of this flag) said has been taken out of context and he would not be happy at all. It says “How great to be a Turk.”
4. Visit at least one museum on the Greek side
There is a wide range of museums and they seem to be pretty good. I’m not a museum fan but did pop into a couple as the town had me so chilled out. (That was before I got to Ledra Street!!)
The Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum – which I can cope with, is a bit of a quirky gem and worth considering. It has an amzing collection of bikes, all sourced in Cyprus, and going back to 1914. The standouts for me were: the oldest motorbike; the two Harleys given to the president by JFK; the old police motorbikes and sidecars; and the best – the USA Harley WWII motorbike sitting next to the German BMW WWII bike with machine gun and all in tact!
Also the Leventis Municipal Museum is good and has a lot about the city as well as the country – the history of the building itself is what I liked. There is also the Cyprus Museum, The Byzantine Museum, The Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus, the Folk Art Museum and ….
Then we get to a couple with interesting names: the National Struggle Museum, and the Fairy Tale Museum. Intrigued? I was! Problem is opening hours meant I missed most of them despite visiting Nicosia a few times! Check them before you go for all these museums. The most reliable I have to say are the Motorcycle Museum and the Leventis Municipal Museum!!
5. Wander away from the main tourist drag of Ledra St and see the pretty doors, quirky museums, and random points on the green line
I’m not putting Ledra Street as a thing to see like most people might- personally I thought it was uninspiring and crowded at best! But wander well away from it and you will find lovely little houses, some quirky little museums, peaceful streets and just locals going about day to day life. You should also stumble across the Green Line in a few places. The Green Line is the no-mans land between the two sides of the city. And sometimes it even goes through the middle of a building!
Start at the Famagusta Gate and try and stick to the small streets! this was actually my favorite part of Nicosia!
6. Cross the green line at the Ledra Street crossing
Well you can’t not do it (unless you are from Syria, Nigeria or Armenia – in which case you have to apply for a visa ahead of time)! You are in the only divided capital city in Europe and both sides are worth visiting. So grab your passport and go!
Don’t forget your passport!
If you find the green line fascinating like me there is a great Green Line and Buffer Zone Guided Tour.
And to see all the key sights on the Northern / Turkish side of Nicosia try this Walking City Tour of Nicosia North.
7. Visit a museum on Turkish side
There are also plenty of museums worth noting on the Northern / Turkish side. The Dr Fazil Küçük Museum is devoted to this Turkish Cypriot doctor and leader in the political arena. This will give you an interesting look into the turbulent times that led to the split nation we have today. Nearby is the Walled City Museum (Surlariçi Şehir Müzesi) which is more of an art collection than a museum with some beautiful pieces on display (and a toy collection). It is quite pricey in comparison to other museums and antiquities here!
Mevlevî Tekke Museum is known as the Whirling Dervishes and is in what is left of a seventeenth-century dervish monastery. There is also the Eaved House which is worth a look at!
8. Wander on the Northern (Turkish) side of the green line too & visit Atatürk Square and Samanbahce Evleri
There is a lot of beautiful architecture on this side of the green line too. Its worth just wandering again and seeing what you find. The Ataturk Myd / Atatürk Square area has some beautiful buildings to see. And the Girne Gate is another of the old city gates in good nick!
Samanbahce Evleri is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in the area built around 1900 – its attractive with its narrow streets, whitewashed walls, red tiled rooves, and plants outside most of the homes!
There are also some great cafes on this side of the line – and of course they serve some very Turkish delights.
9. See the Selimiye Camii Mosque
Unfortunately at the time of writing the mosque is closed for major renovations. But its impressive even from the outside. It is the largest and oldest surviving Gothic church in Cyprus – it was once a Roman Catholic cathedral. Hopefully they will finish the reno’s before you go there!
10. Check out the Büyük Han and its close by smaller neighbor the Kumarcila Han
The Büyük Han is a touristy spot but quite pleasant – although I was there mid-winter without the crowds! This is a 16th century caravanserai (inn) with a small mosque in the center. Restaurants and shops shelter in the shade of the covered walkways around the courtyard.
The nearby Kumarcila Han was the inn for “merchants using donkeys” and “the inn for travelling musicians.” I liked its simplicity!
11: Home for Co-operation Cafe – coffee and chilling inside the Green Line!!
So now you have crossed the border on Ledra Street (like everyone else), you can take a much more interesting route and cross on Markou Drakou Street to go back to south Nicosia! This way you get to wander through the no-mans-land within the Green Line and UN Buffer zone and see all the former homes and hotels there. You also get to see the watchtower in the moat surrounding the city walls, behind a wall of barbed wire. But best of all, you can stop for coffee at the Home for Co-operation Cafe!
It’s right opposite the former Ledra Palace Hotel which now serves as the UN headquarters. It is a unique community centre with a fabulous cafe and spaces for events and meetings. Its soul aim is to have a safe space where separated communities can come together and share in one another’s culture. Very cool – and hopeful!
Tip: Sit by the window and you might see the blue-beret UN peacekeeping troops who often pass by as you enjoy your coffee. It is bizarre but novel thing to do on your Northern Cyprus holiday!
BONUS – have a bath at the Hamam Omerye
Back on the Greek side is Hamam Omerye with its lovely Turkish baths and spa services. A great way to end the day!
Frequently asked questions about Nicosia and Cyprus:
Q: Is Cyprus safe for tourists?
A: Yes, it is generally very safe for tourists. Tourist crime rates are low, violent crime is uncommon.
Q: Do I need a visa for Cyprus – and is it part of the Schengen?
A: Many nationalities do not e.g. NZ, Australia, UK, Canada, USA, Singapore, Malaysia – you get a visa on arrival at the border. You can check for your nationality here. Cyprus is part of the EU but not part of the Schengen Area as of 2026. They do follow the Schengen 90 days in 180 tourist visa rule though.
Q: Is Northern Cyprus a real country and can I travel to it from Southern / Greek Cyprus?
A: Northern Cyprus is not officially a country – it is only recognised by Turkey. You can cross the border into Northern Cyprus and back again, but do not try and enter one side and leave from the other – it becomes very messy. The only exception is that you can enter Greek / Southern Cyprus and leave from Northern Cyprus to Turkey (only). If Cyprus becomes part of the Schengen at a later date, then this will not work.
Q: Is Cyprus expensive compared to Greece or Spain?
A: Cyprus is slightly cheaper than many Greek islands and cheaper than Ibiza/Mykonos, but it is more expensive than Turkey.
Q: What side of the road do they drive on in Cyprus?
A: British style – the left!
Travel Tips for Nicosia and Cyprus:
- Placenames and signage is often written in Greek, English and Turkish – Nicosia is Lefkosa. There are sometimes various spellings of the same placename just to add to the confusion!
- Don’t forget your passport when you come to Nicosia – you need it to cross the border into the northern part of the city! It is easy to cross the border – you simply walk across!
- If you cross the border, your Cyprus sim will stop working. EU roaming rules usually will not apply. Be aware and download maps or anything you need before you cross.
- If you are visiting for a day, stick to Mon – Thursday if possible or you will find things are closed on one or other side of the border. Check the opening days for anything you might want to see before you decide which day. Often museums are closed Monday.
- The cafe culture is the best in Nicosia – relax and enjoy. Do not stick to Ledra Street – in fact avoid it for the best cafes!
- Watch what you say! The people are great all over the country. But passions can get high re the war and the division of the land. In the south do not refer to the north as “Turkish” Cyprus. As far as most there are concerned, it is “illegally occupied Cyprus.” Just stick to saying Northern Cyprus.
Where to stay in Nicosia
As always there is a lot of choice and your budget and what you want to do has a big part to play in what is right for you. Book your hotel with booking.com or a hostel with Hostelworld.
These recommendations are a good place to start – all have high review ratings:
High End – the Concorde Tower Hotel, or MAP Boutique Hotel
Mid Range – Budget – Old Stone Boutique Hotel, Sendal Boutique Hotel, or Djumba Hotel & Cafe, or, Nicosia Eagle Eye
Hostel – Nex Hostel or Urban Habitat Hostel
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10 things everyone should do at least once on holiday in Cyprus