Treasures of Ancient Nicosia

On this day we will go to the heart of the famous city of Nicosia, beyond its ancient Venetian walls. Our first stop is the famous Famagusta Gate, a magnificent monument of Venetian fortification architecture!

On foot, along the picturesque narrow streets of the old city, we will go to the Church of the Virgin Chrysoliniotissa - the earliest Byzantine church of the capital of Cyprus. Built in the V century, this church today can be safely called a unique Byzantine museum - a stunning collection of valuable icons and Christian relics is stored in this small church.

But perhaps one of the most unique icons of this church is the icon with two images of the Blessed Virgin and the Child! Above each holy image is an inscription: on the right - Plyroforus, which means "Hearing Fast", on the left - Ergoepicos, which means "Fast-Responsive". It is believed that this icon miraculously supports the suffering, attentively listening to everyone.

Walking along the Venetian walls, we will walk through the famous streets of the old city - Mesa Gitonya, where you will see dozens of cozy coffee houses, colorful taverns, souvenir shops.

Then we will visit the unique private museum of the old city - the Leventis Museum. Located in an ancient city estate, in the heart of Old Nicosia, the museum houses a magnificent collection of artifacts from various periods of the island’s life – from antiquity to the period of modern history. Here are Roman-Greek statues, paintings by Venetian masters, and photographs of the period of colonial British rule of Cyprus (entrance is free).

After that, we will climb the famous tower of the city - Shakolas, where we will visit the observatory. The tower offers a breathtaking view of the old city, its occupied Turkish part, the tops of the Pentadaktylos mountains. The observatory is a modern museum where you can watch a video telling about the history of the old city, using video screens to learn the details of the history of each historical building, and with the help of binoculars to examine in detail all the details of the capital of Cyprus (entry 2 EUR for adults).

We will visit the world-famous “green line” – the dividing line of the island. You will learn the details of the tragic events of 1974, see photos of that period, look at the territory of “no man’s land”, which is now protected by the UN. Those who wish will be able to cross the “green line” and walk through the northern part of Nicosia.

After a walk through the streets of medieval Nicosia, you will have lunch in a magnificent Greek tavern, where you can get acquainted with the traditions of mainland Greek cuisine.

What comes in

• travel by comfortable minivan from Limassol to the capital of the island,
• photo shoot near the famous sights of the ancient city,
• A fascinating story of the island expert, journalist Elena Nikolaeva about the history of Cyprus.

What's not in

• Lunch in a traditional Greek tavern.

Useful information

Any comfortable clothes and shoes.