After the Limassol Marathon: Nicosia

The Route: Limassol → Nicosia → Limassol or onward Logistics: Intercity route 25, about 1 hr 45 min, single fare €6 or return €11 at the time of writing. Some departures use a branch through north Limassol or Alampra, so check which branch your chosen departure takes. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Limassol New Port ──(about 1 hr 45 min, Intercity route 25)──> Nicosia Solomou ──(walk)──> Old town
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        └─────────────────────(Tuesday bus back after the museum)─────────────────────────────┘

Nicosia is a capital city with a wall round its middle, and the wall is the useful part. The old centre sits inside a ring of Venetian ramparts, small enough to cross on foot, and a night here lets you see it on Monday afternoon and again on Tuesday morning without a rush.

April in Nicosia: the city is inland, so the days are warmer than on the coast and the evenings cool down faster. In most years a light jacket covers the evening, though conditions vary. Pack sun cream for the middle of the day.

The bus from Limassol takes about 1 hr 45 min and ends at the Solomou stop, which suits a base in the southern old town. Check the live map for the final stops, because the route has more than one pattern. Departures are referenced to the New Port in Limassol, so a Molos hotel needs a taxi to reach the stop.

Monday: a short walk and an early dinner

Keep Monday modest. The old town is level and mostly pedestrianised, and Plateia Eleftherias, the large square beside the walls, is a good place to start and to sit down. After that, wander the lanes in short stretches and stop for a coffee when the legs tell you to. Eat early and sleep.

No crossing into the north is included in this plan. Crossing rules and documents change, so check current conditions before you decide to add it, and bear in mind it adds queueing and walking to a stiff-legged day.

Tuesday: the Leventis Museum

The Leventis Municipal Museum, at 15–17 Ippokratous, opens from 10:00 to 16:30, Tuesday to Sunday, and is free. It is closed on Mondays and public holidays, which is why this trip suits a night and not a day: on Monday the door is shut. The museum has facilities for visitors with disabilities, though the route from your hotel to the entrance is worth checking in advance.

Leave luggage with the hotel before you go and collect it on the way to the bus. Pick a Tuesday return time that leaves room for the museum and a slow lunch, and confirm the departure at the stop. For a hotel, ask any property in the southern old town about step-free rooms, luggage storage and a late checkout before booking.