Where did we go?

[juliesewell]

A weekend away.... where did we go?
There are a couple of clues in the photos, but the biggest is on the last one..... no cheating












Don't stand too close! This statue is made of sheets of paned glass

[lincoln]

Looks like Famagusta.

[juliesewell]

Nooooooo

[Mary Adalitalam]

The statue that looks like the Michelin man is in Nicosia I think.

Mary

[kili1]

Yes, the last one prob along the Green line. Others in North Nicosia.........

Dee

[juliesewell]

We stayed at the Centrum Hotel in Nicosia (Republic side) which is just off the top end of Ledra Street: http://www.centrumhotelcyprus.com/index.php in a standard double room (Room 306) which had a huge balcony and was above the front entrance of the hotel. It also had a small room attached to it which was ideal as a dressing room as it had a huge full length mirror. That's 7 foot of bed by the way

Bathroom (shower, sink and loo - no bathtub) in ours. The door can be seen on the far side of the photo. Other friends had a room with a bathtub and larger bathroom but no real view to speak of so rooms and aspects are all quite different


Hubby's head is peeping in from the dressing room and that door to the left is to the balcony The other curtains you see are over the bedroom window (at the foot of the bed) and our balcony went all the way across the front of it as well as to the side.


Views to the Shacolas Tower (Debenhams building) from our balcony


No parking available at the hotel but you can park in the "moat" at the bottom of the bastion (off Omirou / Stasinou Ave) which costs 5EUR for 24 hours and it's literally 5 minutes walk from the hotel. There's a lift from the car park to street level if you cannot manage too many steps...

From here we crossed the green line on Ledra Street into the north at the bottom end of Ledra Street.

The first photo I posted (of the archway) is inside the Bandabulya Municipal Market (built in 1932).

Second photo was taken immediately after we crossed back into the south (Republic of Cyprus) outside a gorgeous Greek (not Cypriot) cafe called Yiayia Viktoria. It moved to Ledra Street fairly recently and was originally outside the city walls. Definitely one we will go back to - it's stunning inside and has a good reputation for food and pastries from Thessaloniki.

Another photo of it here from the outside


Clicking through the above or any of the photos below will take you to the whole photograph album, or you can click here to see them from the beginning: http://flic.kr/s/aHsk9uEuF:

And behind those oil drums you see in the second photograph in my initial post is No Man's Land"


The 3rd image (with the Red KGVI British post box and the bow fronted white building) is just around the corner from our hotel. (Sort of where Hippocrates Street and Solonos Street come together).

4th and following photos were taken the next day - part of the old aqueduct (close to the Archbishop's Palace) and near Famagusta Gate (5th photo)

The Glass Man sculpture was in an enclosed area (probably part of the Famagusta Gate museum - free entrance) but we went in by a side gate just past the entrance.

From here, we continued along Athenas until we could go no further.... passing Famagusta Gate fire station (the old pump is featured in photo number 6)


Eventually, we could go no further and this is the very last house before the buffer zone:


We then walked behind the last house and followed the buffer zone as far as we could - some of the streets behind there are absolutely gorgeous. We even found the Nicosia Youth Hostel (Youth Hostel in Nicosia is housed at a restored classical building, located at 30-32 Chrysaliniotissis street, opposite from the Panagia Chrysaliniotissa church) and it's beautiful!

Photo 8 (of the pretty street with the sage green doorway) is one of the streets off Ermou Street and near Pythagoras Street.

Photo 9 with the flags is right at the end of the buffer zone along the continuation of Ermou Street


From here, we wound our way back taking lefts and rights via the development area behind the Craft and Technical College where many of the warehouses are being converted to art/craft workshops and attractions. A lot of EU funds for grants have been spent on here (over €600m + FPA) and it will be fabulous when it's finished. We found a fab art shop with some real one off pieces of metal sculptures, one of which we were sorely tempted to purchase for around half of my monthly salary, but this time we had to let it go

This is one of the streets which has had some development but some of which is still continuing:


Eventually, we arrived back near Ledra Street and our hotel before we checked out at lunchtime.

Hopefully, this helps!


Altogether, a very enjoyable couple of days.

We even managed a few of these. Some unique bottle tops on both the Malt and the original bottles:


Link to Google map here: http://goo.gl/maps/8IAXF

[Mary Adalitalam]

We went to Nicosia for a couple of days in February. Also stayed at the Centrum Hotel. Very good value. Georgia the receptionist was lovely. She recommended a great Lebanese restaurant called Fanous and it was even better as there was 30% off the night we went. Would definitely stay there again.

Mary

[juliesewell]

We went to the Lebanese/Italian almost next door to the hotel (after we'd walked around the whole block for 20 minutes) "Il Forno di Jenny's" - a huge choice of menu, pizzas and garlic breads/flat breads were cooked in the open oven in full view of the customers. Very clean, busy and seemingly regular clientele.

We had drinks, 2 garlic bread and 1 portion of bruschetta (the waitress told us the garlic breads were huge and don't order one each person), 4 main meals of chicken souvlaki plated kebab, lamb kofta plated kebab, mixed grill and a special pizza which came to 53EUR. Would definitely go back and work our way through their menu....

But, we did also find this place (again just around the corner) and it has live music! But not on Good Friday because of the religious occasion....

[micktreviss]

Some quite superb photographs Jules,

I am really fascinated by Nicosia, especially the Old City within the Venetian Walls. I went with a friend when it was rumoured that the Crossing Point at Ledra Street was to be opened but had to settle for walking through the Ledra palace Crossing Point instead; managed a trip there the day after it opened!

When I was serving here in '98 me and the family were fortunate to go on a Green Line tour for the full length, unfortunately photographs were not allowed.

I long for the day when all can walk freely anywhere on this island and the jewel in the crown will surely be Old Nicosia.

Actually, just had a weekend in Kyrenia with my wife, one of our frequent visits, wonderful place.

Mick

[juliesewell]

Each time we go to Nicosia, we manage to find something different. It really is a fabulous city.... but better to explore when the weather is cooler. It made for a very good weekend and I'm pleased with the photos overall.

Later this year, we're staying again at another hotel inside the city walls but this time it will be on the other side of the divide and very close to Kyrenia Gate. It's an old house converted to a small B+B called the Cypriot Swallow Boutique Hotel on Resadiye Sokak: http://www.swallowboutiquehotel.com/

Not quite sure how much there will be to do around the immediate area but we know the central part of the city on the north side and it will be interesting to explore the buffer zone perimeters from there too.

[melania]

Thank you Jules this is exactly what I was referring to and love the pictures.

[juliesewell]

You're very welcome Melania

Hope you have an enjoyable time when you go to Nicosia....