Cyprus 6 - North Nicosia

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
North Nicosia (Lefkoşa)
Includes 
History. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sights & Activities . . .
Eating. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drinking & Nightlife. .
Shopping. . . . . . . . . . .
150
150
155
157
157
Best Places
to Eat
¨¨Sabor (p156)
¨¨Boghjalian (p156)
¨¨Passport Cadde (p156)
¨¨Old Mosaic (p155)
Best Cultural
Sights
Why Go?
Home to roughly a third of the population of North Cyprus,
the northern half of Nicosia is another world. Approached
from the smart boutiques in Ledra St, North Nicosia
(Lefkoşa) sees the avenue fracture into a medina-style market of stalls and kebab houses. Thanks to the Nicosia Master
Plan, however, many of the historic buildings are being restored and the area around the Selimiye Mosque, in particular, has a real sense of heritage.
This is essentially a daytime city where the appeal lies in
observing daily life and exploring the dusty historic streets
lined with ancient mosques and Frankish ruins. Many visitors take a day trip via the Ledra Palace or Ledra St checkpoints. Consider staying until dusk, when the minarets light
up and release their evening call to prayer and the air is
scented with an intoxicating combination of wild jasmine
and freshly grilled kebabs.
When to Go
¨¨North Nicosia can be an uncomfortably hot and dusty city
¨¨Büyük Han (p150)
in July and August, which is also when many inhabitants leave
for cooler coastal climes.
¨¨Bedesten (p151)
¨¨Take note of when Ramadan falls, although it’s not as
¨¨Selimiye Mosque (p150)
¨¨Mevlevi Shrine Museum
(p153)
strictly observed here as on the Turkish mainland.
¨¨In September the temperature cools but the action heats
up, with the town taking centre stage for the International
Cyprus Theatre Festival.
¨¨The spring and autumn months are pleasantly warm,
while December and January see the most rainfall and the
temperature is at its coolest, hovering around 15°C.
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North Nicosia (Lefkoşa) Highlights
1 Visiting Büyük Han
(p150), a grand Ottoman
structure full of intriguing
craft shops.
2 Strolling through the
streets of the Old City
(p150), an ancient and
colourful maze.
3 Tasting a fantastic kebab,
pide or lahmacun (Turkish
pizza) at Bereket (p155),
a traditional kiosk in North
Nicosia.
4 Entering the sparseness
and silence of the magnificent
Selimiye Mosque (p150).
5 Walking between
watermelon mountains at the
Belediye Pazarı (p151).
6 Checking out the
fashionable new restaurants
and bars on cosmopolitan
Mehmet Akif Caddesi
(p157)in the New City.
7 Taking a twirl at the
Mevlevi Shrine Museum
(p153), a former shrine of
the fascinating and mystic
whirling dervishes.