Qué ver en Nicosia

The Shakolas (the aged population know it by its former name The Mangli) building sticks out like a sore thumb in the medieval old city. To reach the observatory you have to go into the Debenhams shopping complex which is right in the middle of Ledra street, a mini skyscraper of 12 floors, towers over other buildings not rising higher than 2-3 floors.…

The tends to play its home games in Nicosia at the GSP stadium. Recent success on the international scene (a 5-2 thrashing of Ireland and a 1-1 draw with Germany in 2006) have bolstered national pride and made these games quite popular (so advance ticket purchase is advised).…

For a taste of local sport, visit the home games of the local clubs. APOEL [http://www.apoelfc.com.cy/], Omonoia [http://www.omonoia.com.cy/] and Olympiakos (Nicosia). All three compete in the top division of the Cyprus football and basketball leagues.…

Housed in a converted old power station built in 1936. The building sat derelict for 20 years and reopened as a contemporary art gallery in 1994. Includes a decent cafe-restaurant with an imaginative Mediterranean menu. Winner of a 1994 Europa Nostra award [http://www.staedteforum.at/EN_AKTUELL%20bis%202001.xls] .

Easily spotted thanks to the giant statue of Archbishop Makarios standing outside, has one of the world's best collections of Orthodox icons and other artworks, mostly ranging from the 9th to the 16th century.

A spacious theater built in a neoclassical style. It seats 1200 persons and has a continuous programme of cultural events throughout the year. The theater is contemporary out of order for renovation purposes.

Privately owned, this is the only such museum on the island and is tucked away in the medieval city. On display are about 150 classic (mostly British) motorcycles dating from 1914 to 1983.

Housed in a converted, two-storey house since 1984 the Leventis Municipal Museum has exhibits dating from 2300 BC to the present day. Voted European Museum of the Year in 1989.

Showcases the best of Cypriot archeology from the 9th millennium BCE to the end of Antiquity. There is a convenient café on the grounds. 20% discount for groups of 10 or more.

The small and picturesque race track has a colonial feel to it. Emotions run high here every Wednesday and Sunday. Check website or call them for race timetable.

One of Nicosia's three old gates, it has now been turned into the Lefkosia Municipal Cultural Centre, used for various exhibitions and performances.

Documents the history of the Cypriot independence movement (1955-1959), with a rather positive spin on the EOKA guerrilla movement.

Hundreds of coins on display, from ancient to modern spanning nearly 3,000 years of coinage history on the island.

A beautifully restored 18th-century building now housing an ethnological museum.