Nicosia Old Town

Nicosia – Cyprus

Post published:2 December 2012
Post category:Cyprus Europe Southern Europe

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The last divided capital city in the world

Continuing our tour on this second day of the weekend in Cyprus and after visiting Larnaca and Limassol the day before which take you not even two hours at each place to visit anyway, we continued towards the capital city, Nicosia: the last divided capital city in the world. Now if you ask me, especially after the disappointing feeling with the other cities, I must confess that my expectations were somehow high, only to find they lowered pretty down and too quickly. Almost all the old Ottoman houses are gone and in its place, tasteless ugly buildings, like the ones you find in mainland Greece everywhere. I do not judge the country after these feelings though, after all, I’ve only been to the major cities and nowhere else, and yes; there are other nicer places to go and sights to visit on the island, for instance, Paphos which will have to wait for another trip to Cyprus.

So, if your plans are coming to Nicosia, or Larnaca and Limassol, then save the hassle, the money and over all, the long flights to reach these destinations. It is unfortunately not worth it if a cultural trip is what you are looking. In the other hand, beaches, yes of course there are. But again, why would you even get on this long flight when you have nicer beaches nearer, also in the Mediterranean Sea? As of now, this trip has merely been for us a tick off the list of places to be and countries to visit.

Take a look at the city’s map, the old walled town core. Dating from the Venetian times when they captured the city in 1489, demolishing churches and palaces to use the masonry for the construction of these fortifications, it is a perfect circle formed of 11 bastions, all of which preserved in a rather good state. Another unique fact is the division of the city in two halves. The north side is Turkish, the south side is Greek. The UN Buffer Zone is what lies in between, basically a no one’s land of derelict buildings and ruins acting as the border between both countries. The buffer zone continues in both sides, splitting the island.

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Larnaca & Limassol, (Cyprus)

Post published:2 December 2012
Post category:Cyprus Europe Southern Europe

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“The former kingdom-city of Kition”

It’s time to visit another country in Europe, generally quite expensive to get flight tickets and hotels however for a cultural trip as ours, the usual trick did work well. Travelling during the low season, in fact, middle of December. There is no doubt you get some great benefits from doing this; one is the cost, that being flights, hotels and restaurants; second, being able to enjoy the places without the hordes of tourists. The cities and places pretty much for yourself. But anyway, not in every country you can take advantage of this since winter months means sky season all over Europe, the charm of the Christmas markets, the snow, etc. Nevertheless, any place by the sea that mostly lives from the summer tourists then it is almost guaranteed the great winter deals.

A downside for this destination in question, considering such short time merely the weekend? The distance from where we came, London. Almost 5 hours to go and over 5 to come back, and no matter if that’s London, or Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Madrid, Lisbon… Basically Western Europe. Cyprus is far beyond Egypt and next to Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, but, was it worth it? Well of course, although not as I would have imagined. After visiting Larnaca, Limassol and Nicosia in this trip, my feelings were meh. Fine to visit once, but not in the mood to return.

Because both Larnaca and Limassol have so very little to see and do cultural-wise talking, I prefer to combine them in the same guide because they resemble similarities in every sense. Do not expect to find great sights, nor many. It is the opposite, not only the cities are very small but their historic centres very limited and other than few Byzantine style churches and the occasional Ottoman houses still standing, there is not much more to visit. The beaches in the other hand, is perhaps the most desired among the visitors that come to enjoy during the season that here usually starts as early as March. No doubt Cyprus has some stunning coastline and great resorts, good enough to enjoy the peace and tranquillity while doing the occasional cultural trips within other parts of the island. (more…)

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