← Larnaca Marathon·Day trip

Nicosia: A Day in the Divided Capital

An inland day in Cyprus's capital, with a walkable old centre, a pedestrian crossing into the north and museums that are mostly closed on the Monday after the race.

DurationDay trip
TransitIntercity bus, about 1 hr 15 min from Larnaka (Nikolaidis building)
DepartsLarnaka Nikolaidis bus station

After the Larnaca Marathon: Nicosia

The Route: Larnaka → Nicosia → Larnaka Logistics: Intercity bus both ways, about 1 hr 15 min each direction. Nicosia's old centre is compact and mostly flat. Marathon Month: November Duration: Day trip

Larnaka Nikolaidis ──(about 1 hr 15 min Intercity bus)──> Nicosia Solomou ──(walk)──> Old town
       ▲                                                                                  │
       └──────────────────────(same bus back, check the last departure)──────────────────┘

The Larnaca Marathon finishes on a Sunday morning at Foinikoudes, which leaves Monday for resting and Tuesday for travelling anywhere that involves stairs. Nicosia suits Tuesday better than Monday for a practical reason: the Leventis Municipal Museum is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 16:30, so a Monday trip would spend its best indoor hour outside the door.

November in Nicosia: the city sits inland and the day is built around walking, so the useful question is the weather forecast the night before. In most years November is comfortable for a stroll, though showers and wind do occur. Pack a thin waterproof and expect some standing time in queues at the museums.

The Intercity bus from Larnaka leaves from the Nikolaidis building, not from Foinikoudes, so allow a taxi or a walk from your hotel with a margin for stiff legs. Journey time is about 1 hr 15 min to the Solomou stop, with several departures a day. Check the timetable and the fare at intercity-buses.com before you go, and note the time of the last return bus before you leave the stop.

Walking the old town

The old centre of Nicosia is circled by the Venetian walls, a roughly circular rampart with eleven bastions, and the main sights sit inside it. The walk from the Solomou stop to the centre is level, on pavement, and short enough that a tired runner can take it at a slow stroll. Plateia Eleftherias, the large square beside the walls, is a good place to start and to sit down.

Ledra Street is the pedestrian shopping street that leads towards the Green Line crossing. Visitors with a passport or EU identity card can cross on foot into the northern half of the city, though guards may ask a few questions, and it is worth checking the current entry rules before you set out. Crossing adds walking and queueing to a day that already involves a lot of both, so many post-race visitors treat it as an optional extra.

The Leventis Municipal Museum is the best single indoor stop in the old town. It tells the story of the city through its objects, and the building is compact enough to see without fatigue. The Byzantine Museum is also in the old town. Entry is approximately €4, but opening hours change and are worth checking before you go. The Shacolas Tower Observatory on Ledra Street offers a view over both sides of the city for approximately €2.50.

Allow time for lunch in the old streets and choose a seat that does not involve stairs. Cypriot cafés are slow service by design, which suits legs that need a rest.

Getting back

Return to the Solomou stop in good time. The same Intercity route runs back to Larnaka, and the last departure of the day is worth confirming at the stop or at intercity-buses.com. Taxis from the Nikolaidis building to Foinikoudes are short and easy. If you are flying from Larnaca Airport (LCA) the next day, ask your hotel about the best way to reach it.